Principal Civil Structural Engineer

AtkinsRéalis; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working culture

Flexible holiday allowances

Training and professional development

Inclusive, equal opportunity employer

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis in Bristol seeks a Principal Civil Structural Engineer to lead safety-related nuclear structures and guide multidisciplinary teams. You will build strong client relationships, contribute to bid development, and advance growth of the Power New Build business.

You will balance technical leadership with people development in a collaborative environment, working across offices and client sites with flexibility and a focus on safe, reliable design.

Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer with a strong civil/structural background.
• Experience leading and mentoring teams to deliver complex projects.
• Extensive nuclear sector experience in structural design and safety-related engineering.
• Ability to work with safety case and hazard specialists to deliver integrated solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary engineering projects with high quality and timely delivery.
• Mentor engineers and develop team capabilities.
• Build and maintain strong client and stakeholder relationships.
• Support bid development and identify new opportunities for growth.
• Balance technical depth with leadership responsibilities across projects.
• Engage across office and client environments (minimum 3 days/week).

Skills

Chartered Engineer

Leadership

Nuclear design

Collaboration

Strategic thinking

Relationship building

Innovation

Education

Chartered Engineer (IStructE, ICE)

Job description

Job Description

Overview

Are you an experienced Principal Civil Structural Engineer who enjoys combining technical expertise with leadership and mentoring? Do you feel energised by guiding teams, building meaningful client relationships, and contributing to the growth of complex projects within the nuclear industry?

We are looking for Principal Civil Structural Engineers to join our growing team in Bristol. In this role, you’ll play a key part in delivering major new-build nuclear programmes such as Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C, Small Modular Reactor (SMR) initiatives, and future fusion technologies.

You’ll contribute as both a technical and people leader overseeing multidisciplinary delivery, strengthening client partnerships, supporting team development, and contributing to the continued growth of our Power New Build business. This is an opportunity to make a lasting impact while working on projects that shape a more sustainable, low-carbon future.

Your role

In this role, you will have the opportunity to:

• Apply your expertise in the analysis and design of nuclear safety-related structures, or in the assessment of existing nuclear facilities.
• Collaborate with safety case, internal hazard, and external hazard specialists to support the development and substantiation of safety functional requirements.
• Lead multidisciplinary engineering projects, ensuring high-quality delivery aligned with timelines and client expectations.
• Guide and mentor teams, supporting the development of engineers while providing technical oversight in a collaborative and inclusive environment.
• Build and maintain strong client and stakeholder relationships, understanding their needs and delivering thoughtful, effective engineering solutions.
• Contribute to the strategic growth of the business, including bid development, securing new work, and expanding client partnerships.
• Balance technical depth with leadership responsibilities, helping shape both project delivery and team capability.
• Work flexibly across office and client environments (minimum 3 days per week), engaging with a variety of impactful programmes.

About you

We take a strengths-based approach, recognising that experienced professionals bring a unique combination of expertise, leadership style, and perspective. You may find that many of the following resonate with you:

• You are a Chartered Engineer (IStructE, ICE, or equivalent), with a strong foundation in civil or structural engineering.
• You enjoy leading and developing others, creating an environment where teams feel supported, motivated, and able to deliver their best work.
• You bring deep technical experience within the nuclear sector, particularly in structural design, assessment, and safety-related engineering.
• You feel confident working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, including safety case and hazard specialists, to deliver integrated solutions.
• You have a strategic mindset and enjoy contributing to business growth through client engagement, bid development, and identifying new opportunities.
• You approach complex challenges with a thoughtful and innovative mindset, simplifying them into practical and effective engineering solutions.
• You value building strong, trusted relationships with clients and stakeholders, contributing to long‑term partnerships.
• You are motivated by the opportunity to shape the future of the UK’s nuclear energy sector and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Rewards & benefits

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career. Enjoy competitive salaries, employee rewards and a brilliant range of benefits you can tailor to suit your own health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle choices. Make the most of a myriad of opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise. And combine our hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to balance a great job and fulfilling personal life.

Rewards and benefits – Careers at AtkinsRéalis

About AtkinsRéalis

We’re AtkinsRéalis, a world‑class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world’s infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We’re committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Find out more.

Additional information

Security clearance

This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary, it will be discussed with you at interview. The vetting process is delivered by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) and may require candidates to provide proof of residency in the UK of 5 years or longer. If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV, details of any current or previously held security clearance.

We are committed to creating a culture where everyone feels that they belong - a place where we can all be ourselves, thrive and develop to be the best we can be. So, we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements and employee resource groups to support all employees. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we value applications from all backgrounds, cultures and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we are committed to offering an interview to all applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria. If you would like to be considered under this commitment, please let us know at the application stage.

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Worker Type

Employee

Job Type

Regular

At AtkinsRéalis_, we seek to hire individuals with diverse characteristics, backgrounds and perspectives. We strongly believe that world‑class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences.