Principal Highways Engineer

Marston Holdings Limited; England; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development opportunities

25 days annual leave

Holiday purchase scheme

Healthcare cash plan

Discounts on retail and travel

Cycle-to-work scheme

Enhanced parental leave

Job summary

Project Centre is seeking a Principal Highways Engineer to lead a varied portfolio of highways and civil projects. You will develop detailed designs, approve technical delivery, and guide a Civil 3D team from inception through construction. Hybrid role with three days in the office.

You will bring 10+ years in highways, a Civil Engineering degree, and Chartered status or progress toward it, along with NEC4/CDM experience and strong budgeting skills.

Qualifications

• 10+ years' experience in highways, construction, or detailed design.
• Degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent professional qualification.
• Chartered membership or progress towards Chartered status with ICE/CIHT.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate multiple highways projects from inception to completion.
• Develop detailed design and build packages for construction.
• Provide technical delivery oversight, budget, and programme control.
• Direct civil 3D design teams and ensure design standards compliance.
• Prepare fee estimates, tender submissions and technical proposals.
• Support business development through high-quality submissions.

Skills

Highways design

Project leadership

Client liaison

Budget management

Quality assurance

Technical approvals

Team leadership

Civil 3D

AutoCAD

DMRB standards

NEC4

CDM duties

Education

Civil Engineering degree

Chartered ICE/CIHT

Tools

AutoCAD

Civil 3D

Job description

We're looking for a Principal Highways Engineer to join PCL and take a leading role across a varied portfolio of highways, civil engineering and public realm projects - from smaller schemes of around £25k through to major projects exceeding £10m.

This is a role for someone who combines technical excellence with construction knowledge, great team ethic and strong leadership. You'll have the opportunity to lead projects from inception through to completion, develop detailed designs, oversee technical delivery, build client relationships and help shape the future of our team.

This is a hybrid working role, with three days per week expected in the office.

What you'll be doing

• Developing detailed design and build packages for clients to enable construction.
• Providing technical approvals, design reviews and quality assurance across project deliverables.
• Taking responsibility for technical service delivery, including budget, programme and quality performance.
• Providing hands‑on technical input and solving complex engineering challenges.
• Leading and coordinating multiple projects, managing competing priorities and resources from inception through to construction.
• Providing technical direction and support to engineers, technicians and project teams.
• Liaising confidently with clients and stakeholders, communicating technical solutions to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Preparing fee estimates, proposals, activity schedules, work programmes and resource plans.
• Supporting competitive tenders through the preparation of high-quality technical submissions.
• Identifying opportunities to grow our services and actively contributing to business development.
• Leading and developing a high-performing Civil 3D team, ensuring the right skills and resources are available to deliver our project portfolio.
• Managing and developing of the Highways team.
• Developing strategies for Civil 3D training, user requirements, technical specifications and design standards.
• Ensuring compliance with the Quality Management System and relevant health and safety requirements, including CDM duties.

What you'll bring

• 10+ years' experience in consultancy or equivalent working in highways, construction, detailed design etc.
• A Civil Engineering degree or equivalent professional qualification.
• Chartered membership of ICE or CIHT, or demonstrable progress towards Chartered status.
• Extensive experience applying DMRB design standards.
• Significant experience delivering highways detailed design projects.
• Vast experience working with AutoCAD and Civil 3D, to complete tasks and oversee junior staff completion of tasks.
• Experience providing technical oversight and approval of project deliverables.
• Experience managing multiple projects from both a technical and financial perspective.
• Experience preparing fee estimates, proposals and tender submissions.
• Strong financial, commercial and contractual understanding.
• NEC4 Experience and knowledge of discharging duties.
• An understanding of CDM duties and responsibilities.

Project Centre is a leading design, engineering, and landscape architecture consultancy whose highly talented people are passionate about creating places that are attractive, innovative, sustainable, and safe.

Our approach to integrated design produces award winning results that have won international recognition. Led by a forward-thinking management team, we work together in multi-disciplinary teams that provide services that are well thought out and sustainable.

Competitive salary

• Career development opportunities, including LinkedIn Learning
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Up to 5 days' holiday purchase scheme
• Healthcare cash plan
• Discounts on retail, travel and social activities
• Cycle-to-work and Green Car scheme
• Enhanced maternity and paternity package, subject to eligibility

New starters will be subject to clearance through the Disclosure and Barring Service and a County Court Judgment check. In addition, the post holder is expected to keep the Company updated if their personal circumstances change.