Senior Project Engineer [Civils] - Cardiff

Network Rail; Cardiff; Hybrid; GBP 56,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Staff travel discount

Rail season ticket subsidy

GWR passes

Healthcare benefits

Pension schemes

Flexible working

Armed Forces leave

PROUD recognition

Job summary

Network Rail Wales & Western region seeks an experienced Civil Engineer to lead engineering standards across projects, ensuring compliance with Railway Group Standards and Network Rail policies. You will oversee design and construction, and ensure competent personnel are in place for civil works.

You will undertake CEM responsibilities and PD duties, monitor safety, quality, and environmental controls, and contribute to audits and design reviews while working with cross-disciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Experience in Civils engineering across multi-discipline projects.
• Experience with DPE, CEM and Principal Designer duties.
• Knowledge of safety management and quality assurance.
• Understanding of independent assessment of works.

Responsibilities

• Lead the application of engineering standards across projects; ensure compliance with legislation and standards.
• Provide assurance that suitably qualified personnel are in place to manage civil engineering aspects.
• Carry out CEM and Principal Designer representative duties; oversee DPE responsibilities.
• Undertake reviews and audits of civils design and execution; monitor safety and quality.

Skills

Civils engineering

DPE duties

CEM oversight

Safety awareness

Education

HNC in Civils Engineering

ICE/IMechE/IET member

Job description

IRC2371755

Who We Are

At Network Rail, we're part of a large family serving millions of passengers and freight users throughout the UK every day. Our service impacts millions of people and we strive to become more efficient as we enhance, maintain and operate our network. Now is a fantastic time and join our team in Wales and Western region as we finalise the reforms to our maintenance organisation which will deliver:

• A safer and more reliable and punctual service for passengers and employees - quicker fault fixes by more agile multi-disciplined response teams.
• Individual rostering - enabling us to send the right number or people to fix a fault.
• Multi-skilling - investing in the knowledge and skills of our people so they are better equipped to fix the most common faults themselves.
• Accelerated and improved technology deployment - we have a raft of labour and life-saving technology ready to be rolled out.

Our passengers and freight users are at the heart of everything we do. We help connect people to their friends and families and get goods to their destination safely and efficiently. We're an organisation where people matter. When your part of our team, you matter to us and you matter to millions. Watch our video to find out more!

About our people and the recruitment process - We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We look for opportunities to offer great opportunities to learn and grow through personal and professional development. And, if you make the grade then you can look forward to a rewarding and fulfilling career with a company that joined the top 50 in the Glassdoor's 2021 Best Places to Work.

You’ll lead and oversee the application of appropriate engineering standards across projects within the national programme, ensuring that design and construction activities comply with relevant legislation, Railway Group Standards and Network Rail standards.

You’ll also provide assurance that suitably qualified and experienced people are in place to manage and control the civil engineering aspects of projects. Following successful assessment, you’ll also have the opportunity to undertake key engineering responsibilities, including:

• Acting as Network Rail’s Principal Designer representative where undertaking the CEM role.
• Acting as Contractors Engineering Manager (CEM) for Network Rail self-delivered works across the Wales Works Delivery Track & Civils portfolios.
• Undertaking Designated Project Engineer (DPE) responsibilities on other civil engineering projects.

Overall, you’ll play an important role in ensuring civil engineering works are delivered safely, compliantly and to the required engineering standards.

Your Main Responsibilities will be to

• ImplementNetwork Rail systems and procedures to deliver a cost effective, high quality and safe approach to design, construction, commissioning and other technical activities on relevant projects. Review all relevant legislation and liaise with relevant governmental departments.
• Monitor the competence of all Project Engineers working on projects within the Civils discipline and provide functional guidance, direction and briefing.
• Apply engineering controls and procedures to all projects so all design and construction contracts include reference to appropriate Railway Group and Network Rail Company standards applicable to the Civils discipline.
• Apply relevant techniques and procedures of quantified and qualitative risk assessment and HAZOP analysis to all projects and check whether the environmental aspects of all projects are managed in accordance with Network Rail Environmental Policy.
• Monitor all projects for compliance with Railway Group and Network Rail Company standards and Network Rail project control procedures.
• Advise project and programme management in respect of all construction activities, testing and commissioning, and site supervision. Monitor whether the design and construction elements meet the requirements of legislation, including construction design management (CDM) regulations. Carry out CEM and Principal Designer representative duties (NR is the PD) within the projects you are CEM
• Monitor the competency of contractors’ design, construction and specialist personnel.
• Undertake reviews of civils design and construction activities. Arrange audits of contractors to monitor whether safety and quality of design, construction testing and commissioning and management systems are adequate.
• Undertake the duties of nominated design and construction / design construction engineer.
• Carry out the duties of designated project engineer (DPE, CEM & PD).
• Undertake accident investigations when remitted to by the relevant designated competent person.

Pay and Rewards

Salary: This role is a band 3C, £55,596 - £67,813 per annum.

35 hours a week. The role can be based at any location within the Wales & Borders route.

As a Network Rail employee, you will enjoy a wide range of benefits!

• Privileged staff travel - Leisure travel discount of 75% on all leisure travel and includes family members.
• A subsidy of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets if you travel to work on the train.
• GWR ticket alliance, Heavily discounted all day passes for you and up to 3 friends and family to use across the GWR network (48 passes per year)
• Benefits package including healthcare offers, a cycle to work scheme, discounted healthcare club membership, and a discounted offers and benefits including childcare, healthcare and online shopping site.
• A range of Pension schemes to choose from
• Effectively manage work-life balance wit h a 35hrsper week contract,hybrid working, flexible working, flexible leave,and enhanced family friendly support.
• 2 weeks paid reserve leave for the Armed Forces community.
• In Wales and Western region, you will have the opportunity to join PROUD, our reward and recognition scheme where you can say thanks and recognise colleagues across the region who have demonstrated outstanding values and behaviours.

More about the role and your application

Closing date: 24 November 2026. Late applications will not be accepted.

This role requires working in the office for a least 60% of the working week.

We want to ensure everyone has an equal opportunity. Therefore, s hould you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please do let us know by contactingthe Resourcing helpdesk.

Your experience and skills

You will ideally have

• Significant experience in Civils engineering, ideally with involvement in construction and design projects across multi discipline areas inc DPE (Designated Project Engineer and CEM(contractor's engineering Mangers) and Principal Designers representative duties.
• Technical qualifications to at least HNC level or equivalent in civils engineering
• Membership of a relevant professional institution (ICE, IMechE, IET)
• Experience of contracting
• Knowledge of structuring safety cases in support of projects
• Knowledge of safety management and quality assurance
• Understanding of the arrangements required for the independent assessment of works
• Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. Safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail.You should demonstrate your personal dedication to safety within your application.

What could set you apart

• Chartered status or equivalent in [Discipline] engineering
• Appreciation of environmental issues in engineering works
  

Not sure if you meet all the requirements? Let us decide. Some of these criteria may be learnt in role. Therefore, if you do not meet all the criteria, please submit your application. We will screen your application against these criteria to assess the best match.

Key Information

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hours:

Full Time

Location:

Cardiff St Patrick's House, Cardiff

Geographical Area:

Closing Date:

24-NOV-2026

Job Category:

Engineering and Asset Management

Function:

Organisation:

EI Wales Route CS Engineering (474012) G5