Senior / Principal Structural Engineer

Recruitment Brands; Wellington; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Autonomy to shape new office

Mentorship from directors

Direct client exposure

National practice backing

Job summary

Recruitment Brands – Wellington, North Island is opening a new office in Wellington. This is a rare opportunity to build something from the ground up in the capital, backed by an established national practice with a strong project pipeline and reputation for practical, buildable design.

Work across apartments, hotels, health & aged care, education, commercial, industrial and residential sectors. You'll lead the Wellington presence, work with directors and principals, operate independently,

Qualifications

• CPEng with senior/principal-level structural design experience.
• Track record across commercial, residential, or multi-unit projects.
• Ability to lead and build a Wellington client base.
• Existing client relationships valued but not essential for a strong senior candidate.

Skills

CPEng

Autonomy

Client relationships

Structural design experience

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

Recruitment Brands – Wellington, North Island

Senior / Principal Structural Engineer — Wellington (New Office)

An award‑winning structural engineering practice with offices across New Zealand is opening a new office in Wellington. This is a rare opportunity to build something from the ground up in the capital, backed by an established national practice with a strong project pipeline and reputation for practical, buildable design. Work across apartments, hotels, health & aged care, education, commercial, industrial and residential sectors. Known for getting involved early and helping clients navigate complexity and de‑risk projects from concept through to completion, rather than treating engineering as a compliance box‑tick.

About the role

This isn't a standard senior engineer position. We're looking for someone who wants genuine autonomy to lead and grow a presence in Wellington. Someone who can operate independently, make sound technical and commercial decisions without heavy oversight, and take real ownership of client relationships. You'll be the face of the practice in Wellington, working closely with our directors and principals (who remain hands‑on across all our projects — no layers of disconnected management here).

You'll ideally bring:

• CPEng with strong senior/principal-level structural design experience
• A track record of practical, buildable design across commercial, residential, or multi‑unit projects
• The confidence and networks to operate autonomously and build a Wellington client base
• Existing client relationships you can bring with you (highly valued, though not essential for a strong senior candidate)
• A collaborative, solutions‑focused mindset, someone who sees engineering as a way to make projects easier, not harder

What's on offer

• Salary commensurate with experience. Potential for additional for client relationships brought to the practice
• Genuine autonomy and the chance to shape a new office from day one
• Backing, resources and reputation of an established, multi‑award‑winning national practice
• Direct access to working directors and principals — real technical mentorship, not corporate distance
• A career path with real upside for engineers who want to build something of their own within a bigger structure

If you're a self-driven structural engineer who's ready to lead rather than just deliver - and ideally has clients who'd follow you - we'd like to hear from you.