Principal Engineer (Geotechnical/Rail) 1 United Kingdom York Application Deadline 16 June 2025

COWI A/S; York; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading company dedicated to sustainability as a Principal Engineer. You will lead geotechnical designs for rail projects, ensuring compliance with standards while mentoring junior engineers. Enjoy a collaborative environment focused on professional development and sustainability.

Benefits

28 days' holiday

Private health care

Flexible and hybrid working conditions

Annual subscription fees for Professional Institutions

Group personal pension scheme

Life assurance

Qualifications

• Chartered status as an engineer or engineering geologist.
• Significant experience in rail, tunnelling, or infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead geotechnical engineering projects in York.
• Act as Contractors Responsible Engineer for design.
• Supervise and mentor less experienced engineers.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Education

MSc in Engineering Geology

MSc in Geotechnical Engineering

Job description

Do you want to be part of a business that says No to Fossil Fuels projects? Can you lead on Geotechnical designs? Are you experienced in the Rail sector? Then, shape a sustainable and liveable world with us.

Create Solutions that will enable a better tomorrow

To further enhance our Ground Engineering team, we are looking for an Principal Engineer to join us. Working on Rail projects you’ll lead our existing geotechnical engineering projects in York, on both locally and international projects.

Your key responsibilities will be:

• Acting as Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE) for design within the geotechnical discipline to manage discipline delivery through the Network Rail assurance process, including application of the Network Rail acceptance, review, derogation and non-compliance process
• Production of rail and ground engineering designs, assessment and checking work including preparation and checking of calculations, written reports, drawings, specifications and other contract deliverables
• Supervising, mentoring and developing less experienced engineers and technicians within your project teams, working with line managers to maximise training opportunities
• Ensuring that design, assessments and checking of designs are in accordance with the current Standards, Codes of Practice and Best Practice
• Assisting with the preparation of bids and tenders and supporting the pursuit of business development opportunities as required
• Overseeing the delivery of your projects to time and budget, ensuring a high standard of sustainability, technical quality and compliance with our internal management systems
• Developing and maintaining Client relationships through your project work, including identifying and realising any potential business opportunities

Your skills. Our team. Together we design the future.

Like us, you believe that leadership success comes from setting a clear and meaningful direction for your team and supporting them in taking ownership of their work. You always delegate responsibility and ensure an open and safe dialogue, and you coach your people to achieve their aspirations through constructive, fact-based feedback. Attracting and nurturing a diverse group of high-potential team members is at the top of your agenda, as is creating an inclusive, caring and trusting culture in your team.

On top of that, you’ll have:

• Achieved Chartered status either as an engineer or engineering geologist (CEng, CGeol, or equivalent)
• An MSc in either Engineering Geology or Geotechnical Engineering
• A high level of technical skills in the Engineering Geology or Geotechnical Engineering discipline.
• Significant experience in a design environment working on rail, tunnelling or infrastructure projects in the UK or internationally
• Experience working in multidisciplinary project teams and overseeing the delivery of projects, either as client's or contractor's designer
• Evidence of undertaking previous CRE roles under the Engineering Management for Project standard (NR/L2/RSE/02009)
• Evidence of participating in IDCs or joint IDC/IDRs as a discipline specialist
• Thorough understanding of Eurocode 7 and UK annex design codes
• Sound understanding of CDM Regulations, specifically the Designer's requirements and the risk assessment process
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills with the ability to support, mentor and develop less experienced engineers

A place to work and so much more.

At COWI, we work together with our customers to shape a sustainable and liveable world. We do it by applying our knowledge and curiosity – and sometimes even our courage – to create the solutions the world needs today to enable a better tomorrow. That is why we say no to fossil-based projects and aspire to have 100% of our revenue come from activities that move our customers towards sustainability.

We value differences and development and cultivate an environment of belonging and having fun. Because that is what brings out the best in you, at work and at home.

With offices primarily located in Scandinavia, the UK, North America, and India, we are currently 8,000 people who bring their expertise in engineering, architecture, energy, and environment into play.

What we also offer:
To us, a fair reward is more than a competitive salary. We want to take care of our people professionally and personally as well.

Some of our benefits include:

• 28 days' holiday (plus bank and public holidays)
• Formalised development plans and yearly promotion opportunities
• Private health care, for you and your immediate dependents
• Flexible and hybrid working conditions
• Annual subscription fees paid for your membership of two Professional Institutions
• Group personal pension scheme – salary exchange
• Life assurance

If you have any unanswered questions about the role or what we have to offer, please reach out to Ciaran Gilfedder at [e-mail] .

Get to know us even better at our website, www.cowi.com , where you can learn more about our projects, our strategy, what we want to achieve and what life is like at COWI.

Equal opportunity employer.
COWI provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to ethnicity, colour, religion, gender, national origin, age or disability. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.