Principal Geotechnical Engineer

sweco; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering consultancy in Leeds seeks a Principal Geotechnical Engineer to join their Ground Engineering team. You will be pivotal in delivering a diverse range of geotechnical projects across the UK, ensuring high-quality delivery and compliance with health and safety standards. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in geotechnical engineering, proven project management skills, and the ability to mentor team members. This role offers a supportive and flexible work environment with genuine career progression opportunities.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Diverse and inclusive work environment

Career progression opportunities

Qualifications

• Successful record of project delivery in major infrastructure geotechnical design.
• Significant demonstrable technical experience in geotechnical engineering.
• Proven experience in project management, programming, and resourcing.

Responsibilities

• Ensure Health & Safety is integral to design and construction.
• Manage client relationships and maximize opportunities.
• Provide high quality technical delivery on geotechnical projects.

Skills

Project delivery in geotechnical design

Client relationship management

Mentoring and leadership

Technical delivery governance

Education

BEng / MEng in Civil Engineering

BSc / MSc in Engineering Geology or Earth Science

MSc in Geotechnical Engineering

Job description

Society is in your hands, what are you waiting for?

We are currently looking for talented and motivated Principal Geotechnical Engineer to join our Ground Engineering team. This role will be based at our Leeds office and can be worked flexibly with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office / on site and the option of adjusted start and finish times.

What does the role involve?

In this role, you’ll be an active member of the Ground Engineering team helping to deliver a diverse portfolio of projects across the UK for a range of market sectors including highways, water, energy and development. The Ground Engineering team provide a wide range of geotechnical design services across all project stages including feasibility studies, ground investigations, geotechnical interpretation, preliminary and detailed design, and construction supervision for geotechnical works.

Sweco offer diverse experience for their engineers including projects spanning various industry sectors, as well varied geotechnical activities included ground investigation specification and management, earthworks and structures designs, and construction stage support.

You will be joining a very experienced and enthusiastic team that have recently supported the British Antarctic Survey’s £100M Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme and delivered the detailed geotechnical design for prominent projects such as the Queensferry Crossing, Stockholm Metro Extension, A47 improvement programme, major junction improvements for the M2, M25 and M27 motorways, and Beauly HDVC Convertor Station.

This is an exciting time to join Sweco and if you want to be part of a company who is small in all the best ways but large enough to provide a diverse and exciting workload, this job is for you.

Responsibilities

Health & Safety

• Ensure that Health & Safety is considered as an integral part of any design and construction solution including adherence to statutory and company procedures to identify and mitigate risk and to inform others of any residual hazards.

Client Relationship Management

• Manage relationships with individual client contacts to maximise opportunities across the business whilst providing a high service level on the individual project.
• Build market base in the field of Geotechnical opportunities.

Project Delivery

• Provide high quality technical delivery and technical governance on geotechnical projects to ensure a “technically excellent” delivery in accordance with the client’s brief.
• Adopting the role of geotechnical discipline lead for multi-disciplinary projects. Directing geotechnical teams and liaising with the project team and client as necessary.
• Supporting the team manager with the management of workload and resourcing of the ground engineering team.

Financial / Commercial Management

• Preparation and tracking of project budgets and financial management of projects.
• Project management adhering to the Sweco Project Management Framework.
• Administering contract functions including management of change and risk.

People Management

• Support the Team Manager in leading a team with the required skills and knowledge to undertake all aspects of geotechnical engineering including (but not limited to) ground investigation and interpretation, infrastructure design and specification, and construction stage support.
• Mentor the individuals within the team to achieve the required blend of skills and a culture of continuous improvement.

Business Development

• Input as required into the preparation of PQQs and Tenders.
• Recognise opportunities for cross‑selling within current clients and manage commissions to realise these opportunities in consultation with others as appropriate.

To be successful in this role, you’ll have

• Successful record of project delivery in the area of major infrastructure geotechnical design.
• Significant demonstrable technical experience in geotechnical engineering applied to transportation, water, energy and development projects.
• Proven experience in the management of projects including programming, resourcing and monitoring.
• Proven ability in the leadership and motivation of individuals and teams.

In terms of qualifications, you’ll have

• A BEng / MEng in Civil Engineering or BSc / MSc in Engineering Geology or Earth Science.
• A MSc in Geotechnical Engineering or a related applicable field is desirable.
• Chartered Engineer (IEng / CEng) / Geologist (CGeol) status.

You’ll experience a diverse, inclusive, friendly and flexible working environment where colleagues are encouraged to grow and develop. A meaningful job where you'll help to transform society by being a trusted consultant to our clients.

If you believe you have the skill set required, are keen to join a business with genuine opportunities for career progression, then we’d love to hear from you.

Let’s transform society together at Sweco.