Principal Geotechnical Engineer

Mott MacDonald; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Pension contributions matching 4.5-7%

Life assurance up to 4x salary

Holiday 33-35 days

Job summary

Mott MacDonald’s Buildings Unit seeks a Principal Geotechnical Engineer to lead geotechnical design across UK and Ireland projects. You will guide ground engineering teams, supervise ground investigations, and deliver solutions for foundations, basements, and walls, while liaising with clients and other disciplines.

You will manage budgets, apply Eurocodes, and travel as needed to project sites. The role offers growth in a collaborative, global engineering environment with strong diversity and

Qualifications

• Masters in civil engineering with emphasis on geotechnics.
• Chartered Engineer with ICE or equivalent.
• Experience designing geotechnical and foundation solutions to Eurocodes.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build client relationships.
• Experience managing small to medium geotechnical project teams.
• Ability to deliver high quality design to meet client needs.

Responsibilities

• Design of building foundations and basements.
• Management and delivery of Ground Investigations (scope, specifications, supervision, GIRs).
• Design retaining wall systems.
• Travel to project sites for delivery and meetings.
• Manage geotechnical design teams on multi-disciplinary projects.

Skills

Geotechnical design

Project leadership

Client liaison

Eurocodes knowledge

Ground investigation supervision

Education

Masters in Civil Engineering (Geotechnics)

Chartered Engineer (ICE)

Tools

Ground Investigation methods

Eurocode design software

Job description

Mott MacDonald

We’re a global engineering, management, and development consultancy. Our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do, relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities and employee opportunities.

A fundamental part of this is respecting each person’s differences and striving to meet their needs.

We are proud to be one of Glassdoor’s top employers to work for in the UK, as well as being recognised as a Top Inclusive Company in the UK.

Our values: Progress, Respect, Integrity, Drive, Excellence.

About the business unit

The Buildings Unit (BLD) has a major presence in Mott MacDonald’s regional offices throughout the UK and mainland Europe, providing a wide range of diverse and transferable cross-sector skills across five key Sectors; Advisory, Built Environment, Energy, Transportation and Water. We also provide local services to customers and technical leadership to the rest of the Group in these sectors.

Overview of role

As a Principal Geotechnical Engineer you will be a key member of our growing Ground Engineering team within the Buildings Unit. You will have the opportunity to deliver exciting projects across the UK, Ireland and occasionally overseas while working with a talented team of ground engineers.

You will have the opportunity to broaden your experience in the Buildings market and work with a range of public and private sector clients on rewarding projects. You will work across sectors including defence, health, education, transportation, maritime, water and energy.

The role will be varied and offers fantastic opportunities for personal and career development. You’ll deliver geotechnical projects and provide geotechnical leadership of project teams.

You will manage and produce design solutions, reports and specifications in line with current Eurocodes. You’ll contribute to risk assessments, employ sustainability measures, and undertake budgeting and cost control.

Your responsibilities will include the following:

• Design of building foundations and basements
• Management and delivery of Ground Investigations (scope, specifications, supervision, GIRs etc)
• Design retaining wall systems
• Travel to project sites when necessary for project delivery and client meetings
• Manage geotechnical design teams on multi-disciplinary projects

Candidate specification

Essential Criteria

• Masters in civil engineering with emphasis on geotechnics
• Chartered Engineer with the ICE or equivalent
• You’ve designed various geotechnical and foundation solutions using current standards and Eurocodes.
• You have strong interpersonal skills, can liaise with various clients and build professional relationships.
• Experience of managing small to medium geotechnical project teams and track record of successfully project delivery
• You are able to prioritise the needs of the Client to deliver high quality design to meet their needs.

Desirable Criteria

You will also be able to demonstrate the following:

• You are a relationship builder and understand the dynamics of working with a team as well as working autonomously.
• Ability to direct and deliver multiple concurrent projects or one large project on time and within budget
• Experience of delivering Ground Investigations and GIRs
• Experience guiding and nurturing Engineers in their technical development
• Prepared to travel as needed for project delivery
• Candidates should be willing to travel within the UK & Ireland

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UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at [e-mail] and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

Agile working

Happy to talk Flexible Working and how we can support your responsibilities beyond the workplace.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high-street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.