Principal Engineer

Amey; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Exceptional personal development

Competitive salary

Generous pension

24 days annual leave

Family friendly policies

Affinity Networks

Social Impact Days

Job summary

Amey Consulting – Principal Civil Engineer in Birmingham is a permanent role within our Highways Team. The position offers 40 hours per week with hybrid, part-time and flexible patterns to suit your needs.

You will act as technical team leader, guide design teams, mentor junior designers, oversee designs, calculations and documentation, and manage budgets while ensuring quality, safety and client satisfaction. Collaboration with National Highways is key.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience leading highways design teams.
• Ability to deliver schemes within time and budget.
• Knowledge of CDM regulations and safety standards.
• Experience with bid preparation and work-winning.
• Strong communication and mentoring skills.

Responsibilities

• Act as a technical team leader, advising and supervising teams.
• Lead design production, calculations, drawings, and scheme deliverables.
• Control budgets and manage project costs.
• Liaise with client and supplier representatives; present proposals.
• Contribute to bids and prepare technical/commercial offers.
• Promote health and safety practices within the team.

Skills

Technical leadership

Engineering design leadership

Budget management

CDM & safety compliance

Mentoring junior designers

Client & stakeholder liaison

Education

Incorporated or Chartered status

Job description

Title: Principal Engineer

Requisition ID: 11954

Amey Consulting – Principal Civil Engineer

We have a fantastic opportunity for a permanent Principal Engineer to join our Consulting Highways Team in Birmingham.

The standard hours of work are 40 hours per week, but we offer a range of flexible working practices, including hybrid, part-time and flexible working patterns. With our network of offices across the UK and now Ireland, we are open to discussing working options that match your needs, with the flexibility to change how you work as your life evolves.

Key Midlands Frameworks

Midlands Highway Alliance (MHA): This framework enables us to collaborate directly with 21 local authorities, delivering essential highway infrastructure and maintenance projects. The MHA contract encompasses a variety of tasks, from routine maintenance and upgrades to innovative highway design solutions. The scale and diversity of this framework provide ample opportunities to work on a wide range of civil engineering challenges and showcase your expertise in highway design, management, and construction.

Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF): The SDF framework is managed in collaboration with Highways England, the government agency responsible for overseeing the maintenance and improvement of the country’s motorways and major A roads. The SDF covers a comprehensive range of civil engineering projects, including highways, bridges, and more. As part of this framework, you will have the opportunity to work on both major and minor schemes, contributing to the successful delivery of projects that enhance the built environment. The SDF is particularly focused on delivering sustainable, efficient solutions, and you will have the chance to apply cutting‑edge technologies and methods to ensure that projects meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and sustainability.

Staffordshire Infrastructure Plus: Our partnership with Staffordshire County Council under this long‑term contract has delivered over £100m worth of major transport infrastructure projects. The partnership has successfully supported the creation of over 12,000 new jobs and 10,000 new homes, making it a cornerstone of regional growth and development. This contract is a perfect opportunity for engineers who are passionate about creating real‑world impact through large‑scale infrastructure projects that contribute to local communities.

These frameworks allow Amey to deliver high‑quality, innovative, and sustainable engineering solutions across the Midlands. They also provide a diverse range of opportunities for personal and professional development, whether you are working on long‑term, high‑value projects or smaller, community‑focused initiatives. With these frameworks in place, you will have the opportunity to influence infrastructure projects that shape the region’s future.

What You Will Be Doing

Our Principal Highways Engineer play an important part within the Highways and Designated Funds Design team and alongside our client, National Highways. As a Principal Engineer you will provide effective support and assistance to your Design Team Leader on a variety of highways schemes whilst taking the lead on projects and mentoring junior designers. Responsibilities include:

• To act as a technical team leader, providing advice, guidance and supervision as appropriate to technical teams, operational managers, client and suppliers
• Leading the preparation and checking of designs, calculations, drawings and documentation as part of the production of scheme deliverables that satisfy the overarching criteria of quality, cost and programme.
• Responsibility for the commercial success of the projects within their portfolio, controlling budgets and managing the costs associated with the production of deliverables
• Liaising with client and supplier representatives at peer level and higher, including presenting proposals, attending progress meetings and responding to queries
• Significantly contributing to and leading the preparation of bids and the general work winning function, taking responsibility for the preparation of technical and commercial offers
• Drive effective health and safety practices within the team

We Want To Hear From You If You Have

• High level experience and expertise within the relevant technical field, probably gained in a Senior Engineer role or equivalent
• Able to produce and lead the production of technically sound engineering solutions, complying with all relevant technical standards and client requirements
• Experience of managing project related tasks associated with the management of health, safety and welfare, e.g. Amey’s Integrated Management System and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations
• Capable of acting as engineering lead for a project where required under the terms of the commission, e.g. Contractor’s Engineering Manager (CEM) for Network Rail schemes
• Knowledge, understanding and experience of design and specification process with ability to manage others. Demonstrates a full understanding of the project scope and acts as Design Team Lead for both minor and major projects
• Highly experienced with relevant software and similar analytical tools. Good ability to check work produced by others and able to validate and approve the use of new tools
• Demonstrates an excellent understanding of CDM and risk assessment. Highly experienced in the management and communication of hazards and risks on projects and ensures appropriate risk mitigation and transference has been applied. Is capable of acting as Principal Designer for all projects
• Supervisory and people manager skills. Capable of managing or influencing the actions of technical teams regardless of office location, project or account, including the multidisciplinary environment and to undertake the people manager role
• Incorporated or Chartered status or an equivalent professional licence gained through the professional institution to which the individual is aligned

We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates. If you have most but not all of these skills and experiences, we encourage you to apply, and we will provide you with development or training to support you.

What We Can Offer

Our benefits are designed to help you thrive at work and in your home life. You will have the flexibility to choose benefits and development opportunities that are best for you.

Some Of Our Benefits Include

• Exceptional personal development, training and progression plans, designed to allow you to shine in your career, all in line with your personal ambition
• Competitive salary and compensation
• Generous pension scheme, with extra contributions from Amey
• 24 days annual leave, plus bank holidays - holiday structure
• Family friendly policies for new parents or if you provide care for a dependant
• Membership of our Affinity Networks who connect, support and inspire diverse communities within Amey
• Two Social Impact Days each year, for volunteering and fundraising opportunities

About Amey

Amey is a global, integrated infrastructure consultancy and operations partner. We design, deliver, protect, and maintain critical assets and systems.

Who we are

Amey is a global, integrated infrastructure consultancy and operations partner. We design, deliver, protect, and maintain critical assets and systems.

What We Do

We advise, design, finance, deliver, and enhance civic, transport, and defence systems. By combining strategic intelligence, engineering, infrastructure finance, and operational expertise, we create secure, resilient, compliant, and high-value outcomes across the lifecycles of new and legacy assets.

To find out more visit our website amey.co.uk/careers

Application Guidance

Diversity and Inclusion

We constantly evolve how we work to reflect the different needs and backgrounds of our employees. We seek out the skills, joy and energy that often‐marginalised groups can bring to our teams and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age.

We are committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role.

Please contact our recruitment team at [e-mail] to discuss any access needs, reasonable adjustments or additional support that you may require at any point during the recruitment process.

Inspiring Impact Together