Principal Geotechnical Engineer

National Highways; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

National Highways is seeking a Principal Engineering Geologist / Geotechnical Engineer to lead a skilled team in the South West. You will manage geotechnical risks, set priorities, and develop early solutions for complex schemes, including earthworks, rock slopes, drainage interactions, and highway assets.

You will influence geotechnical asset management and drive continual improvements across the sector, working in a hybrid role from Bristol or Exeter and commuting as required, with a full

Qualifications

• Degree or masters in a relevant discipline (e.g. geology, geotechnical engineering).
• Chartered or Incorporated Membership of the Geological Society or ICE (or equivalent experience).
• Demonstrable knowledge of geotechnical standards, asset policies and risk management.
• Experience in asset management decision-making and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist technical expertise to identify risks and shape early solutions for renewals and improvement schemes.
• Develop asset-specific management plans aligned with policy and standards, delivering value for money.
• Identify and manage geotechnical asset needs in line with governance requirements (e.g., CS641/CD622).
• Oversee survey works to support asset improvements, reviewing briefs, reports and drawings.
• Champion high-quality asset data and drive data management improvements.

Skills

Geotechnical engineering

Asset management

Risk management

Budget management

Education

Bachelor's/Master's in Geology/Geotechnical Engineering

Job description

National Highways is offering an exciting opportunity for a Principal Engineering Geologist or Geotechnical Engineer to join our South West Operations Geotechnical team.

You’ll work alongside the Geotechnical Engineering Team Manager to lead, inspire, and support a skilled team of engineers. Together, you’ll tackle the complex challenges of managing geotechnical risks, setting priorities, and developing innovative early solutions for a wide range of geotechnical schemes. From earthworks and rock slopes to their interaction with drainage, structures, and other highway assets, you’ll provide the specialist expertise and technical authority that underpins safe, resilient, and future-proof infrastructure.

You’ll also influence how we advance geotechnical asset management, ensuring schemes meet the highest standards while driving continual improvement across the sector.

This is a hybrid position and can be based out of our Bristol or Exeter offices.

You will be required to drive as part of your role and you will need to have a full driving license with no more than 3 points to be considered for this position and during employment

Responsibilities

Known internally as a Principal Geotechnical Engineer, you will:

• Provide specialist technical expertise to identify risks and shape early solutions for renewals and improvement schemes, in line with agreed methodologies considering new techniques, materials, buildability and costs
• Develop asset-specific management plans, that support with making decisions that align with policy and standards while delivering value for money and supporting business goals.
• Identify, prioritise, and manage geotechnical asset needs in line with governance requirements (e.g. DMRB: CS641 and CD622) and to achieve business objectives.
• Commission and oversee survey works to support asset improvements and renewals, reviewing and approving technical briefs, reports, specifications, drawings, and supporting information.
• Champion the use of high-quality asset data by monitoring performance, driving innovation in data management, and guiding regional colleagues to maintain standards and integrity.

About you

• Degree and or Masters in relevant discipline, Higher National Diploma / Higher National Certificate with relevant experience, or equivalent experience.
• Extensive, relevant, and demonstrable experience in ground engineering and infrastructure works. You should hold Chartered or Incorporated Membership of the Geological Society, ICE (or an equivalent professional body), or be able to demonstrate extensive equivalent experience to this level.
• Demonstrable knowledge across relevant geotechnical standards, asset policies and strategies and risk management.
• Proven asset management experience and decision-making ability, including asset condition assessment; experience of degradation modelling would be beneficial but not essential.
• Proven ability to work within and develop scheme budgets

About us

Here at National Highways, we manage and improve England’s motorways and major A roads, helping our customers have safer, smoother and more reliable journeys. Our priorities are safety, customers and delivery, and at the core of this, are our values of passion, integrity, safety, teamwork and ownership.

Operations is at the heart of keeping the strategic road network moving and ensuring our customers get the best possible experience when using our roads.

We address over 39,000 customer enquiries every month, plan and deliver all maintenance activities on the network, drive efficiencies and improvements across our systems and roads, and respond to incidents across 4,500 miles of motorways and major A-roads that we manage. All to make sure National Highways customers have safer, smoother, and more reliable journeys.

We are committed to creating a diverse environment and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.