Principal Civil Engineer (Rail CRE)

Arcadis; Glasgow; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Arcadis is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead multi-disciplinary teams in delivering innovative rail infrastructure solutions in Glasgow, UK. The successful candidate will have a BSc/BEng, ideally Chartered Engineer status, and 5+ years of experience in the rail sector. Responsibilities include mentoring staff, ensuring compliance on projects, and providing technical leadership. The role emphasizes safety, collaboration, and excellence in project delivery, contributing positively to a diverse workplace.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ post-graduate experience in the rail sector, including leading design teams.
• Proven experience as CRE on Network Rail projects.
• Strong knowledge of Eurocode, Network Rail standards, and relevant design software.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop design team members.
• Oversee the technical delivery of rail projects.
• Promote safety and health best practices across all project activities.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Report writing

Risk management (CDM Regulations)

Collaborative working

Education

BSc/BEng or MSc/MEng in Civil Engineering or a related discipline

Chartered Engineer (CEng) status

Tools

LUSAS

MIDAS

Bentley Products

ProjectWise

Job description

Role Description

As a Principal Engineer at Arcadis, you will play a pivotal role in shaping innovative rail infrastructure solutions. You’ll lead multi-disciplinary teams to deliver high-quality designs that meet client needs and national standards. With a focus on collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous improvement, you’ll mentor colleagues, drive best practice, and contribute to the safe, effective delivery of complex projects across the UK and beyond.

Role Accountabilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop design team members, fostering a culture of learning and growth
• Oversee the technical delivery of rail projects, ensuring quality and compliance from concept to completion
• Promote safety, health, and environmental (SHE) best practice across all project activities
• Collaborate effectively with global and local colleagues to deliver integrated solutions
• Act as a key contact for clients, communicating project progress and resolving challenges proactively
• Provide technical leadership and sign-off on design deliverables and interdisciplinary reviews
• Prepare and present complex technical proposals and solutions to clients and stakeholders
• Manage the production and quality assurance of analysis, design documentation, and reports
• Support the commercial management of projects and maintain accurate project records
• Maintain your Continuing Professional Development and contribute to the growth of the wider team

Qualifications & Experience

• BSc/BEng or MSc/MEng in Civil Engineering or a related discipline
• Ideally Chartered Engineer (CEng) status (not essential)
• 5+ years’ post-graduate experience in the rail sector, including leading design teams
• Proven experience as CRE on Network Rail projects
• Strong knowledge of Eurocode, Network Rail standards, and relevant design software (e.g., LUSAS, MIDAS, Bentley Products, ProjectWise)
• Track record delivering projects in stations, structures, and lineside ancillaries
• Confident communicator with strong report writing and stakeholder management skills
• Experience with site surveys, construction issues, and risk management (CDM Regulations)
• Committed to diversity, inclusion, and collaborative working

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day, which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We believe that by working together diverse people with different experiences develop the most innovative ideas. Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we improve quality of life and we work closely with our people across six ED&I Workstreams: Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+ and Race. A diverse and skilled workforce is essential to our success.