Principal Engineer

Advance Training & Recruitment Services; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 67,500 - 82,500; Full time

Job summary

Advance Training & Recruitment Services is seeking a Principal Highways Engineer in Cambridge. The role focuses on leading highway projects across the UK, mentoring teams, and delivering compliant, cost-efficient designs.

You will guide multidisciplinary teams, ensure CDM compliance, and drive innovation while managing resources to meet budgets and timelines. This full-time role requires Chartered Engineer status and strong leadership.

Qualifications

• Degree-qualified in Civil Engineering (BEng, MEng or MSc) or equivalent, with Chartered Engineer status (or demonstrable equivalent experience).
• Proven experience leading and developing highway engineering teams, including mentoring and staff progression.
• Strong leadership skills with ability to build collaborative relationships with clients and stakeholders.
• Proficient in industry-standard design software such as AutoCAD and Civil 3D.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage project delivery, either as discipline lead or project manager, ensuring successful delivery with inputs from multi-disciplinary teams.
• Lead the design process and guide the team in producing appropriate, cost effective solutions; mentor less experienced engineers.
• Coordinate resources to meet client expectations, budgets and build internal/external networks.
• Line manage and mentor local team to form multi-disciplinary groups meeting workload demands.
• Ensure designs comply with CDM, QA and technical review requirements and are delivered on time and within budget.
• Manage resources to meet utilisation KPIs and project needs.
• Prepare fee estimates and support tender/bid work to win new projects.
• Promote collaboration and drive efficiency, embracing technology and reducing environmental impact.

Skills

Leadership

Civil Engineering

Project management

AutoCAD

Civil 3D

DMRB standards

CDM regulations

UK driving licence

Education

BEng/MEng/MSc in Civil Engineering

Chartered Engineer status

Tools

AutoCAD

Civil 3D

Job description

Principal Highways Engineer

Salary: £75,000 + £5,500 car allowance

Location: Cambridge (x3 days a week)

Overview

As a Principal Highways Engineer within our Transportation team, you’ll play a key role in shaping the future of mobility and delivering some of the UK’s most ambitious infrastructure programmes. Our project portfolio includes schemes of all sizes and project stages from active travel schemes Oxfordshire, travel hubs in Cambridgeshire, major interchanges in Surrey.

You’ll take pride in driving high quality civil and structural design across new-build, renewal, maintenance, and asset assessment projects. You’ll lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams, working collaboratively with experts across the UK and internationally to deliver solutions that are resilient, innovative, and aligned with long term sustainability goals.

Your role

• Lead and manage project delivery, either as discipline lead or project manager, ensuring successful delivery with inputs from multi disciplinary teams.
• Lead the design process and guide the team in producing appropriate, cost effective solutions; support less experienced engineers through technical review and mentoring.
• Be responsible for coordinating resources to exceed client expectations, meeting budgets and building strong internal and external networks.
• Line manage, support, and mentor the local team, helping to form multi disciplinary teams to meet workload demands.
• Work with clients and design teams to deliver compliant designs on time and within budget, ensuring CDM, QA and technical review requirements are met.
• Manage resources effectively and efficiently to meet utilisation KPIs and project needs.
• Prepare fee estimates and support tender/bid work, contributing to winning new work.
• Promote collaboration and drive efficiency, embracing emerging technology and minimising environmental impacts.
• Undertake feasibility studies, including reports, cost estimates, problem investigation and option development.
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety, applying CDM Regulations and other relevant legislation across all project activities.

About you

• Degree-qualified in Civil Engineering (BEng, MEng or MSc) or equivalent, with Chartered Engineer status (or demonstrable equivalent experience).
• Proven experience leading and developing highway engineering teams, including mentoring and supporting staff progression.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to build effective, collaborative relationships with clients, stakeholders, and multidisciplinary colleagues.
• Proficient in industry-standard design software, such as AutoCAD and Civil 3D.
• Extensive highways design experience, aligned with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) and other applicable standards.
• Thorough understanding of Designer’s Duties under CDM and commitment to safe design principles.
• Experience in NEC contract procedures and/or project management, ensuring effective and compliant project delivery.
• Possession of a full UK driving licence is advantageous.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.