Principal Bridge Engineer

Jacobs; Wellington; Hybrid; NZD 160,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacobs in New Zealand seeks a Technical Leader Bridge Engineer to shape infrastructure across roads, rail, water, and energy. You’ll act as a technical authority, review designs, and sign off on producer statements while guiding clients and teams.

Based in New Zealand with Hybrid working options across Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington, you’ll collaborate with Asia Pacific & Middle East teams to deliver innovative, cost-efficient solutions grounded in seismic design and safety.

Qualifications

• Seismic design expertise per NZ standards.
• Experience leading bridge engineering projects across diverse infrastructure.
• Strong client relationship and mentoring capabilities.

Skills

Seismic design

Bridge engineering

NZ Bridge Manual

Client relationship building

Project leadership

Education

CPEng

Engineering degree

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

Shape the future of New Zealand's infrastructure as a Technical Leader Bridge Engineer with our Transport Structures team. This principal position offers the opportunity to apply your deep expertise across diverse and challenging infrastructure projects throughout New Zealand, Australia and beyond. This role is based in New Zealand - Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington. You’ll serve as a technical authority within our team, providing expert guidance, design review, and professional sign-offs that ensure excellence in everything we deliver. In this role, you'll leverage your technical expertise to review (and challenge) designs, bring innovation, work closely with design teams, interact with clients and contractors, and sign off on producer statements. One of your core roles will be to provide high-level guidance on projects while building client relationships to secure new opportunities. Your work will span multiple infrastructure sectors including roads, rail, water, power, and energy. A strong understanding of seismic design is a must, where you would bring your expertise to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and deliver integrated, innovative solutions for complex projects. Additionally, you'll collaborate with other technical directors and technical leaders across the Asia Pacific & Middle East region and represent New Zealand in the global Jacobs forum for Transport Structures. You'll contribute to our comprehensive suite of services including conceptual, preliminary, and detailed design of bridges and transport structures; design checking and review; construction supervision; inspections, assessment and monitoring; maintenance, rehabilitation, strengthening and widening works design; client advisory on scheme development, planning and procurement.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Relevant engineering qualification + Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) status
• Proven experience in seismic design to the NZ Bridge Manual
• Auckland Council registration for design sign-off is preferred
• Deep technical knowledge across bridge engineering and horizontal infrastructure
• A reputation for excellence that clients and colleagues recognise
• The ability to work across diverse infrastructure projects
• Communicates effectively and builds enduring client relationships while supporting and mentoring team members
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with constructors to deliver innovative and cost-efficient solutions.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits and opportunities, from well-being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs here.

We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of diverse perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about ourJacobs Employee Networks here.

Our meticulously curated employee benefits support ALL employees throughout every stage of life. From paid parental leave to a lifetime financial allowance for you and your partner to access family forming Fertility & IVF treatment, adoption, and surrogacy assistance along with menopause and Low T treatment.

We are steadfast in our commitment to the wellbeing of you and your loved ones with a comprehensive suite of wellbeing resources supporting you physically, emotionally and financially. This is demonstrated in our company being recognised by WGEA for 12 consecutive years as an employer of choice for gender equality along with our industry leading GOLD employer status by the Australian Workplace Equality Index.

Cultural Support

Māori and Pasifika peoples are strongly encouraged to apply. Jacobs aims to provide cultural safety at our interviews. Māori and Pasifika people are invited to nominate a Whanau, family or cultural representative to participate on the interview panel; please let your recruiter know in your application. No matter what drives you, you'll discover a way to cultivate, nurture and achieve your goals – all at a single global company.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.