Principal Structural Engineer

Waterman Group; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Diverse, high‑profile projects

Supportive, collaborative team

Clear progression opportunities

Competitive salary & benefits

Commitment to professional development

Job summary

Waterman Group in the UK is seeking a Principal Structural Engineer to lead our Building Structures team on projects across residential, commercial, healthcare, education, industrial and life sciences sectors. You will guide multi-disciplinary teams, manage client relationships, oversee design delivery from concept to construction, and mentor junior engineers to support the firm’s growth.

You’ll champion sustainable, low‑carbon design, ensure compliance with industry standards, and contribute to

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil or Structural Engineering is required.
• Chartered Engineer status (MIStructE or MICE) or working towards chartership.
• Significant experience delivering building structures projects in a consultancy.

Responsibilities

• Lead structural design and delivery of multiple projects from feasibility to construction.
• Manage project programmes, resources and budgets while ensuring technical quality.
• Provide technical leadership across a range of projects and disciplines.
• Coordinate with architects, contractors and other engineers for integrated solutions.
• Attend client meetings and represent Waterman in a professional manner.
• Review and approve calculations, reports and drawings created by team members.
• Mentor and support development of graduates and engineers.

Skills

Leadership

Client management

Mentoring

Project management

Stakeholder management

Commercial awareness

Team leadership

Education

Bachelors in Civil or Structural Engineering

Chartered Engineer (MIStructE or MICE)

Working towards chartership

Job description

We are looking for a Principal Structural Engineer to join our Building Structures team. This is an excellent opportunity to take a leading role in the delivery of a diverse portfolio of projects across sectors including residential, commercial, healthcare, education, industrial, life sciences and mixed-use developments.

As a Principal Structural Engineer, you will lead multidisciplinary project teams, manage client relationships and play a key role in the technical delivery of projects from concept through to construction. Alongside project delivery, you will mentor and develop junior engineers while supporting the continued growth of the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the structural design and delivery of multiple projects from feasibility through to construction.
• Manage project programmes, resources, budgets and technical quality.
• Provide technical leadership across a range of structural engineering projects, ensuring designs are safe, practical and commercially viable.
• Coordinate with architects, contractors and other engineering disciplines to deliver integrated design solutions.
• Attend client meetings and represent Waterman in a professional and proactive manner.
• Review and approve calculations, reports, drawings and specifications prepared by other members of the team.
• Mentor and support the development of Graduate, Engineer and Senior Engineer colleagues.
• Contribute to business development by maintaining existing client relationships and identifying opportunities for future work.
• Assist with the preparation of fee proposals, resource planning and project forecasting.
• Champion sustainable and low-carbon design solutions throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance with relevant design standards, legislation and company quality procedures.

About You

You’ll be an experienced Structural Engineer who enjoys leading projects, working collaboratively with clients and supporting the development of others.

You will have:

• A degree in Civil or Structural Engineering.
• Chartered Engineer status (MIStructE or MICE), or be working towards chartership.
• Significant experience delivering building structures projects within a consultancy environment.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary projects across a variety of sectors.
• Strong knowledge of structural design in steel, reinforced concrete, masonry and timber.
• Experience with refurbishment, new-build and structural appraisal projects.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience managing project programmes, budgets and resources.
• A collaborative approach with a passion for developing others.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to build lasting client relationships.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to work on diverse and high-profile projects
• A supportive and collaborative team environment
• Leadership responsibilities with clear progression opportunities
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Commitment to ongoing professional development