Principal Civil Engineer – Roading

AECO; Auckland; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

AECO is seeking an experienced Principal Civil Engineer – Roading to lead Section One delivery of the Northland Corridor, a nationally significant transport PPP project. You will coordinate design, construction, maintenance and operations to deliver an integrated roading solution that aligns with client requirements and project objectives.

The role demands strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and the ability to balance technical, commercial and contractual needs across NZ and Australia

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, or related discipline.
• Extensive experience delivering major transport or infrastructure projects in New Zealand or Australia.
• Strong design management and project coordination expertise.
• Proven ability coordinating with contractors, maintenance teams, designers and clients.
• Balance technical, operational, commercial and contractual requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead coordination and delivery across Section One Package of the Northland Corridor project.
• Define project requirements, scope work packages and establish clear delivery pathways.
• Manage interfaces between contractors, designers, project partners, technical specialists, maintenance teams and client representatives.
• Provide design management and package leadership.
• Identify risks, constraints and opportunities, developing practical solutions for the project and wider team.
• Ensure maintenance, operational and construction considerations are integrated into design outcomes.
• Support multidisciplinary teams in delivering practical, efficient and buildable infrastructure solutions.
• Champion collaboration, communication and delivery excellence across the wider team.

Skills

Leadership

Project coordination

Design management

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Multidisciplinary coordination

Risk management

Technical reporting

Contract interfaces

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Job description

What if your next role wasn't defined by a single discipline, but by your ability to bring people, projects and outcomes together?

What if you could play a pivotal role in delivering a once-in-a-generation transport project that will improve safety, strengthen resilience, unlock economic growth and redefine how Northland connects to the rest of New Zealand?

Work on one of New Zealand's most significant infrastructure investments. Its impact will be felt for generations, creating stronger connections between communities while helping future-proof one of the country's most important transport links.

This is infrastructure that matters.

Job Description

The Opportunity

AECOM is seeking an experienced Principal Civil Engineer – Roading to play a key leadership role in Section One deliveryof the Northland Corridor, a designated Road of National Significance being delivered through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

This is far more than a traditional design role.

You'll sit at the centre of a complex, multidisciplinary project, leading the coordination and delivery of key roading packages while bringing together design, construction, maintenance and operational requirements into a fully integrated transport solution.

Success in this role will come from your ability to navigate complexity, build strong relationships, and align technical, operational and delivery requirements to achieve outstanding project outcomes.

You will work alongside some of the industry's leading transport specialists across New Zealand and Australia, helping deliver infrastructure that will have a lasting impact for generations.

How You'll Make an Impact

As a senior leader within the project, you will:

• Lead the coordination and deliveryacross Section One Package ofthe Northland Corridor project.
• Define project requirements, scope work packages and establish clear delivery pathways.
• Manage critical interfaces between contractors, designers, project partners, technical specialists, maintenance teams and client representatives.
• Provide design management and package leadership.
• Identify risks, constraints and opportunities, developing practical solutions to support the project and AECOM’s wider team.
• Ensure maintenance, operational and construction considerations are integrated into design outcomes.
• Support multidisciplinary teams in delivering practical, efficient and buildable infrastructure solutions.
• Champion collaboration, communication and delivery excellence across the wider team.

Qualifications

What you’ll bring

We're looking for an experienced infrastructure professional who combines strong technical capabilities with exceptional coordination, leadership, and design management skills. Your background may include highways, roading, pavements, utilities, transport infrastructure or other related civil engineering disciplines within major New Zealand or Australian projects.

To be considered for this role you must have:

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, or a related discipline within a tertiary institute
• Extensive experience delivering major transport or infrastructure projects in New Zealand or Australia.
• Strong design management and project coordination expertise.
• Proven ability to successfully coordinate and engage with:
  • Contractors
  • Maintenance and operations teams
  • Designers and technical specialists
  • Multiple design disciplines
  • Clients and project stakeholders
• Experience defining project requirements and scoping work packages.
• Strong technical reporting, drawing review and specification development capabilities.
• Demonstrated experience managing interfaces across complex multidisciplinary projects.
• Excellent communication, facilitation and relationship-building skills.
• Experience in design management and multidisciplinary project coordination.
• The ability to balance technical, operational, commercial and contractual requirements to achieve successful project outcomes.

The following, though not essential, would be highly advantageous:

• Experience working within a PPP environment.
• Experience in contractor or client organisations, and/or client-side roles
• Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) status or equivalent New Zealand recognised professional registration.
• Experience delivering large-scale transport infrastructure projects in New Zealand or Australia.
• Understanding of maintenance and operational requirements for major infrastructure assets

Additional Information

This is your opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.

Opportunities to influence infrastructure of this scale and significance are rare.

At AECOM, you'll join a high-performing multidisciplinary team delivering one of New Zealand's most important transport projects. You'll collaborate with industry-leading experts across New Zealand and Australia, solve complex engineering challenges and help shape infrastructure that will benefit communities for generations.

If you're ready to take a leading role in a nationally significant project and leave a lasting legacy, we'd love to hear from you.

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

If you're excited by the opportunity to shape a growing national practice, influence the future of critical infrastructure and build a legacy that extends beyond individual projects, we'd love to hear from you.

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, additional health or mental health needs, and/or neurodiverse conditions. If you require any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know.

Applications are reviewed as they come in, and the role may close earlier than expected, so if this opportunity sounds like you, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity serious. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absences, voluntary benefits, perks, flexible work options,well-being resources, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan, and employee stock purchase plan.

AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients’ complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. Learn more at aecom.com.

What makes AECOM a great place to work

You will be part of a global team that champions your growth and career ambitions. Work on groundbreaking projects - both in your local community and on a global scale - that are transforming our industry and shaping the future. With cutting-edge technology and a network of experts, you’ll have the resources to make a real impact. Our award-winning training and development programs are designed to expand your technical expertise and leadership skills, helping you build the career you’ve always envisioned. Here, you’ll find a welcoming workplace built on respect, collaboration and community - where you have the freedom to grow in a world of opportunity.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in your potential and are here to help you achieve it. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.