Principal Engineer – Development Infrastructure

Poutrix; Manchester; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Poutrix is seeking an experienced Principal Engineer to join our Enabling Infrastructure team based in Manchester. This role involves managing development led infrastructure projects across Mobility, Places, and Resilience, serving various market sectors including transport and logistics.

The successful candidate will lead design efforts, oversee project delivery, and provide technical guidance to junior engineers, while contributing to business growth in the region.

Opportunities for career progression and a strong commitment to equality and diversity are part of our ethos.

Qualifications

• Proven background in the design of surface water and highways.
• Experienced in preparing feasibility and site appraisal studies.
• Demonstrated line management and performance management experience.

Responsibilities

• Prepare design solutions for various project stages.
• Coordinate a range of discipline inputs and client relationships.
• Provide technical guidance to junior team members.
• Oversee financial performance and contractual management.

Skills

Design and delivery of development infrastructure

Sound knowledge of SuDS and local authority design standards

Experienced in multi-disciplinary team collaboration

Expertise in MicroDrainage and AutoCAD Civils3D

Client facing experience

Education

BSc/BEng or MSc/MEng in Civil Engineering

Chartered status or close to achieving

Job description

Role description

The Enabling Infrastructure team is an established group of experienced engineers specialising in the delivery of development led infrastructure projects centred around our Birmingham, London, Bristol and Cardiff offices. As part of our wider growth strategy, we are seeking an experienced Principal Engineer to expand our capacity in the north of England. The role will nominally be based out of Manchester, but candidates will be considered in line with our agile / hybrid working policy.

The team works on projects across all of our global business areas – Mobility, Places and Resilience. We work in a wide variety of market sectors including strategic housing & residential, commercial & employment, transport hubs and major transport (rail and highways) projects. We are actively developing new client relationships within the ports and logistics sector, and we would welcome applications from candidates with previous experience in these sectors.

The role provides a variety of interesting projects, opportunities for career progression and will combine technical delivery and deliverables management with hands‑on design work.

Role accountabilities

• Project duties will include the preparation of design solutions at various stages of a project; production management of drawings / BIM models, reports, specifications and estimates; document management; attendance at meetings, and overseeing the work of other team members to deliver project objectives;
• Project management duties will include co‑ordination of a wide range of discipline inputs; monitoring and protecting our client relationships; planning and programming; commercial management and presenting projects for audit;
• Leading on the resolution of technical issues on projects and providing technical guidance to other team members, such as more junior engineers, technicians and apprentices;
• Working in collaboration with other design disciplines and contractor D&B teams to ensure the integrity of the overall design;
• Promoting and developing the technical capability of other team members, both within the UK and within our Global Excellence Centre;
• Overseeing the financial performance and contractual management of single discipline projects. Responsible for ensuring compliance with quality management and reporting systems.
• Keep up to date with developments in the industry sector and with technical and legislative developments and seek out opportunities to develop your professional profile.

Qualifications & Experience

• A proven background in the design and delivery of development infrastructure including surface water, foul water drainage, highways, earthworks, and utilities design;
• Sound knowledge of SuDS, SfA, DMRB, and Local Authority design standards;
• Experienced in preparing initial feasibility and site appraisal studies, working as part of a multi‑disciplinary team to deliver successful planning applications. Experience supporting the discharge of planning conditions would be an advantage;
• Detailed design delivery for development and transport infrastructure including delivery in a D&B environment;
• Expertise in software design methods such as MicroDrainage/ InfoDrainage, and AutoCAD Civils3D including integration with BIM models;
• Technically competent in fundamental design principles with the ability to apply manual calculation methods where software methods are not available;
• Line management and performance management experience;
• Demonstrated experience in a client facing position;
• Have a BSc/BEng or MSc/MEng or equivalent in Civil Engineering;
• Chartered status although those close to achieving chartered status would also be considered and supported in development of their professional qualifications.

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.