Senior Design Engineer - Design & Asset Standards

Heathrow; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based bonuses

Share in Success bonuses

Generous annual leave

Market-leading pensions

Private health insurance

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Heathrow is seeking a Technical Standards and Assurance specialist to help shape and enforce standards across major infrastructure projects, supporting safety, resilience and sustainability for the UK's hub airport.

You will collaborate with design engineers, programme teams and external partners to ensure standards underpin Heathrow’s ambitions while enabling innovation and value delivery.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree with Chartered Engineer status or working towards it.
• Experience in large infrastructure design, ideally in a regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of technical standards and assurance processes.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and update Heathrow’s technical standards to reflect regulatory requirements, best practice, and innovative solutions.
• Review and assure design submissions for compliance with Heathrow’s standards, safety requirements, and operational objectives.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and external consultants to resolve technical queries and promote innovative thinking.
• Lead technical reviews and contribute to governance processes for high-profile projects.
• Champion continuous improvement in design standards, incorporating lessons learned and emergent technologies.
• Influence sustainability within standards development and provide expertise on resilient, adaptable solutions.

Skills

Engineering expertise

Chartered Engineer status

Large infrastructure design

Technical standards & assurance

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

BIM

Job description

Introduction

When it comes to pioneering ambition, there's no place like Heathrow.

Introduction

When it comes to pioneering ambition, there's no place like Heathrow.

Our Heathrow Expansion programme offers a unique and exciting opportunity to play a defining role in one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure projects.

You’ll help shape a national legacy that millions will experience for decades to come, as we deliver the third runway, improve passenger experience, stimulate jobs and opportunities across the UK, and strengthen the global connectivity that powers trade and travel.

Modernising and expanding the UK’s only hub airport and critical national infrastructure whilst keeping it fully operational and safe, creates a pace and complexity unlike other major programmes. It demands collaboration, resilience, problem solving and a desire to take on challenges that genuinely matter.

From securing planning consents to designing a new runway, modernising terminals and improving public transport access, and delivering on environmental and community commitments - the scale is unmatched.

You’ll be part of a diverse team of talented colleagues, built on mutual respect and where excellence thrives. It’s an inspiring place to work, with unlimited opportunities to make a difference as you help to shape the future of our world-class airport.

Job Description

This role sits within our Technical Standards and Assurance team and is critical to ensuring design excellence, operational resilience, safety, and sustainability across large-scale airport projects.

You’ll collaborate with design engineers, programme teams, and external partners to develop and enforce standards that underpin Heathrow’s infrastructure ambitions, ensuring compliance while enabling creativity and innovation. Success in this role means delivering future-proof standards that minimise risk, achieve best value, and support Heathrow’s commitment to world-class passenger experiences and carbon reduction goals.

Your role will involve

• Develop and update Heathrow’s technical standards to reflect regulatory requirements, best practice, and innovative solutions.
• Review and assure design submissions for compliance with Heathrow’s standards, safety requirements, and operational objectives.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and external consultants to resolve technical queries and promote innovative thinking.
• Lead technical reviews and contribute to governance processes for high-profile projects.
• Champion continuous improvement in design standards, incorporating lessons learned and emergent technologies.
• Influence sustainability within standards development and provide expertise on resilient, adaptable solutions.

These Skills Are Essential

• Degree in engineering (or equivalent) with Chartered Engineer status or working towards it.
• Proven experience in large infrastructure design, ideally within a regulated environment.
• Strong knowledge of technical standards and assurance processes.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills to manage complex technical challenges.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement capabilities.

Ideal Skills

• Experience in aviation or major programme environments.
• Familiarity with BIM processes and digital engineering tools.
• Knowledge of sustainability principles and carbon-reducing design strategies.

About Us

There’s something so special about working at the world’s most iconic airport. Its sights. Its sounds. Its constant air of excitement. Heathrow is an amazing backdrop to a career filled with unique opportunities.

Every day, you’ll discover a world full of fresh possibilities and end the day buzzing with stories to tell, as you encounter people from all cultures, nationalities and experiences. A world full of pride for what we do and no end of exciting career prospects to explore.

It brings out the best in all of us. And inspires everyone to deliver on our ambitious plans. Together, we’re working to welcome millions more passengers while ensuring aviation can continue to be a force for good by leading global efforts in sustainability.

Join us on that journey and we'll help you achieve your ambitions too. Supporting you to learn, encouraging you to be yourself, backing you to achieve more than you might ever have imagined. Because there’s no place like Heathrow.

Our rewards

We offer competitive salaries and excellent benefits that will support you now and in the future. As well as performance-based annual bonuses and our longer-term Share in Success Bonus plans, we also offer generous annual leave allowances and market-leading pensions. With family friendly policies, access to private health insurance and a wide range of wellbeing tools, we’ll support you to be at your best inside and outside work. And of course, we’ll provide varied learning and development opportunities too. Here you’ll find everything you need for a fulfilling career journey that can take you in exciting directions.

Working Location

Our Hybrid working approach offers the opportunity for colleagues in some roles to work from home for an average of two days a week, providing the flexibility to work in an agile way whilst ensuring we deliver for the operational needs of Heathrow . Working arrangements vary from team to team and will be confirmed during the recruitment process. You’ll need to be based in the UK and within a commutable distance to Heathrow.

Sustainable Travel to work

Heathrow’s Sustainable Travel Guide sets out easy and sustainable travel options that everyone can access.

Equal Opportunities

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applications from all. We believe that diverse talent makes us stronger - not least because we welcome passengers from all corners of the globe, every single day. Heathrow is an accessible place to work. With five diversity networks, we champion inclusivity and celebrate individuality.