Technical Lead (Civils & Structures Design )

AmcoGiffen; York and North Yorkshire; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company car or car allowance

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Wellbeing and charity leave

Company contributory pension

Life assurance

Medicash Health Cash Plan

Professional development and training

Support towards professional growth

Collaborative working environment

Work on nationally significant railin

Job summary

AmcoGiffen in York is seeking an experienced Technical Lead for Civils & Structures Design. You will lead the in‑house Design & Engineering team, delivering innovative civil/structural solutions for national rail infrastructure projects.

The role requires Chartered Engineering status, extensive rail design experience, and a focus on coaching and developing engineers within a collaborative, safety‑driven environment.

Qualifications

• Degree-qualified in Civil Engineering or related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) accreditation.
• Extensive civil/structural rail design experience.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary rail projects.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Develop innovative technical solutions and design checks.
• Lead and mentor engineers within the design team.
• Manage programme, budget, and resource planning.
• Provide technical assurance and risk assessments.
• Coordinate with E&P, Signalling, Telecoms, P-W and OLE disciplines.
• Ensure CDM compliance and industry standard adherence.

Skills

CEng Chartered

Rail civil/structural design

Multidisciplinary coordination

Leadership & mentoring

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Education

Degree in Civil Engineering

CEng accreditation

Job description

Technical Lead – Civils & Structures Design

Location: York

Sector: Rail ¦ Civils & Structures

Shape Technical Excellence Across Our In‑House Design Team

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Technical Lead to join our growing, specialist in‑house Design & Engineering team based in York.

This is a critical position within the business, offering the opportunity to play a central role in the delivery of technically challenging rail infrastructure projects across the UK.

As Technical Lead, you will be responsible for the development of engineering solutions, technical assurance, programme and budget management, SHEQ compliance, and the coaching and mentoring of engineers across the design team. You will act as a technical authority on complex projects, helping to drive innovation, maintain engineering excellence and support the continued growth of our design capability.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary, dependent on experience
• Company car or car allowance
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with service
• Additional company wellbeing and charity leave benefits
• Company contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Medicash Health Cash Plan and employee rewards scheme
• Professional development and training opportunities
• Support towards continued professional growth
• Collaborative and inclusive working environment
• Opportunity to work on nationally significant rail infrastructure programmes

About The Team

Our in‑house Design & Engineering team delivers multidisciplinary civil and structural engineering solutions across a broad portfolio of rail infrastructure projects.

Working closely with major clients and framework partners, we provide engineering expertise across bridges, earthworks, drainage, stations, property assets and wider rail infrastructure, supporting projects from feasibility and concept development through to detailed design and construction delivery.

The team is involved in a diverse range of work including:

• Bridge assessment, strengthening and renewal schemes
• Earthworks and geotechnical infrastructure projects
• Drainage and lineside civils improvements
• Station and property asset enhancements
• Rail infrastructure renewals and upgrades
• Multi‑disciplinary rail projects involving E&P, Signalling, Telecoms, Permanent Way and OLE interfaces

The Role

The Technical Lead has responsibility for the development of technical solutions, programme and budgetary control, SHEQ considerations, and the coaching and mentoring of colleagues.

Working as a senior technical authority within the team, you will challenge project briefs, develop robust and innovative engineering solutions, undertake technical reviews, and provide expert guidance across a range of civil and structural engineering disciplines. You will also play a key role in maintaining quality standards, supporting project delivery teams and developing future engineering talent.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of innovative engineering solutions from feasibility through to detailed design.
• Challenge project briefs and identify technically robust and commercially effective alternatives.
• Provide technical leadership on complex and non‑standard civil and structural engineering designs and assessments.
• Undertake and oversee technical reviews, design checks, Designer's Risk Assessments and Decision Logs.
• Lead site inspections and surveys to inform engineering solutions.
• Provide expert technical guidance and mentoring to engineers and technical staff.
• Promote technical excellence and continuous improvement across the design function.
• Ensure compliance with CDM Regulations, Safe by Design principles, company procedures and industry standards.
• Manage project programmes, budgets and resource requirements to achieve financial and delivery targets.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, stakeholders and project teams.
• Support the business through innovation, technical research, knowledge sharing and professional development initiatives.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for an experienced Chartered Engineer with a strong technical background and a passion for developing people and delivering engineering excellence.

Essential Requirements

• Degree‑qualified in Civil Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) accredited with a relevant Engineering Institution.
• Extensive experience in civil and structural engineering design within the rail sector.
• Significant experience across bridges, earthworks, drainage and associated rail infrastructure.
• Proven capability in developing and checking complex engineering designs and assessments.
• Strong understanding of construction methodologies and buildability considerations.
• Advanced knowledge of British Standards, Eurocodes and relevant railway engineering standards.
• Experience working on multidisciplinary rail projects and coordinating with E&P, Signalling, Telecoms, Permanent Way and OLE disciplines.
• Strong communication, leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven experience coaching, mentoring and developing engineers.

Desirable

• Detailed knowledge of CDM Regulations.
• Experience in railway bridge and station structure assessment and design.
• Higher academic qualifications or specialist technical expertise.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to take a leading technical role within an established and respected in‑house design team, influencing the delivery of critical rail infrastructure projects while helping to develop the next generation of engineers.

You’ll work on challenging and varied projects, collaborate with industry‑leading professionals, and play a key role in driving technical excellence, innovation and best practice across our engineering portfolio.

If you’re a Chartered Engineer who thrives on solving complex engineering challenges and developing high‑performing teams, we’d love to hear from you.

The Company

Why AmcoGiffen?

You will be joining a reputable and firmly established, engineering contractor operating nationally in rail, civils and engineering markets. AmcoGiffen are renowned in the market as a specialist civil, building, mechanical and electrical renewals and maintenance business with ongoing and successful projects and frameworks across the country, you will become part of our expert outfit.

AmcoGiffen has a wealth of experience working on sensitive, live assets in highly regulated environments, we deliver exceptional peace of mind for our customers, creating and maintaining assets across a growing range of high‑quality public and private sectors. These include rail, power generation, electricity distribution, flood defence, aviation, waterways and much more.

Diversity & Inclusion at AmcoGiffen

We value collective expertise, but also the spark that one person can bring. As part of us, you can be you, because your individuality is an asset to our business and the communities in which we work and represent.

We are working hard as part of the civil engineering and construction industry, to improve diversity & inclusion. Our Diversity and inclusion journey at AmcoGiffen, is constantly evolving and is designed to break down barriers and promote the principles of a diverse workforce through multiple channels. This includes delivering training, raising awareness, regular forums and sharing our engagement calendar of activities and events to encourage participation at all levels throughout our organisation.

Diversity & Inclusion is embodied throughout our SPIRIT core Business values and lies at the heart of our culture of Safety, Professionalism, Innovation, Respect, Integrity and Teamwork.

AmcoGiffen is an Equal Opportunities Employer, offering challenging, worthwhile careers to everyone and is pro‑actively committed to improving our understanding year on year to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for all employees as well as for the customers and communities in which we serve and operate within. It doesn’t matter to us what your age, disability, employment status, gender, health, marital status, sexual preference, membership or non‑membership of a trade union, nationality, race, religion or social class are, or indeed any other personal characteristics not directly related to the relevant job. Anyone who meets the requirements of the job is eligible for employment with AmcoGiffen.

Health & Wellbeing

Operating from a people first perspective we support safety and wellbeing in the workplace as a priority. We have a large number of colleagues that are trained and qualified mental health first aiders to support and listen where appropriate. We enrol all of the AmcoGiffen family onto an employee assistance programme which provides 24 hour, 7 days a week counselling and advice services.