Principal Engineer

Laing O'Rourke; Dartford; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Laing O'Rourke is seeking a Principal Structural Engineer to lead temporary and permanent works design across large projects. You will design, check, and deliver temporary works schemes, provide buildability and value engineering input, and work closely with site teams to ensure safe erection and dismantling.

The role requires Eurocode expertise, experience with steel, concrete, timber and geotechnical temporary works, and the ability to mentor junior engineers while supporting tender

Qualifications

• Specialist in temporary works design with Eurocodes.
• Mentor junior engineers and lead project outputs.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of temporary works designs and checks.
• Coordinate with site teams for safe erection, use, and dismantling of temporary works.
• Mentor junior engineers and manage outputs to high quality.
• Conduct design risk assessments and provide construction sequence instructions.
• Support tender submissions with technical input on temporary works.
• Ensure compliance with HSWA, CDM, LOLER and PUWER.

Skills

Temporary works design

Problem-solving

Mentoring

Communication

Team coordination

Education

Chartered status or pursuing CEng/MIEStrE/MIStructE

Tools

CAD

BIM

Finite Element Analysis

3D Modelling

Job description

Principal Structural Engineer - Temporary and Permanent Works

Are you a leader in structural engineering who has capabilities in Temporary Works? Have you ever wondered how manufacturing and structural engineering meet? If the answer is yes, then keep reading.

As our Lead Structural Engineer, you will be responsible for designing, checking, and delivering temporary works schemes across the project, providing buildability advice, construction methodology, and value engineering solutions. You will:

• Design and check temporary works using Eurocodes across steel, reinforced concrete, timber, and geotechnical elements.
• Apply innovative construction methods, 3D modelling, and finite element analysis.
• Coordinate closely with site teams and contractors to ensure safe, efficient erection, use, and dismantling of temporary works.
• Mentor junior engineers and manage work outputs, ensuring high-quality delivery.
• Conduct design risk assessments, identify residual risks, and provide clear construction sequence instructions.
• Support tender submissions with technical temporary works input.
• Ensure all designs comply with health & safety legislation (HSWA, CDM, LOLER, PUWER, etc.) and company quality systems.

What skills & experience are we looking for?

• Strong technical experience in temporary works design.
• Expertise in Eurocodes, structural steel, reinforced concrete, timber, and geotechnical temporary works.
• Knowledge of proprietary falsework, formwork, and shoring systems.
• Experience providing designs for 3rd party certification (Network Rail, Highways Agency, LUL, National Grid).
• Excellent problem-solving, mentoring, and communication skills.
• Proficiency with CAD, BIM, and other design software.

Desirable

• Chartered or working towards qualification (e.g., CEng, MICE, MIStructE).

R&R:

• Lead the development of generic temporary works solutions required for the manufacturing, transport, storage and on-site installation of prefabricated reinforcement products
• Coordinate with digital teams to test the constructability of temporary works solutions
• Coordinate with manufacturing teams to ensure temporary works solutions are guided by advanced manufacturing principles
• Support the ongoing identification and development of optimisations to improve temporary works designs
• Lead the implementation, review and approval of the generic temporary works solutions into detailed designs for manufacturing.
• Oversee a team of temporary works engineers including consultants
• Support the set-up of TWS and TWC responsibilities for the project
• Serve as the primary temporary works interface with the a major Nuclear project and other key external stakeholders.

About us:

We are an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Certainty, reliability, quality – this is what our clients want. And at Laing O'Rourke, we have more than 150 years of experience delivering it. Laing O'Rourke's story is one of energy, passion, ambition, people and teamwork. We harness the power of our experience, stretching back over a century and a half to deliver certainty for our clients.

As part of the Disability Confident scheme, we would like to enable access to candidates with long term health conditions and disabilities through the ‘Offer an interview scheme'. This supports applicants that meet the essential criteria by offering an interview for the advertised position. Please let us know prior to interview what adjustments are required as well as discussing how we can support you in the workplace.

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