Principal Engineer

Description:

Sweco, Europe’s leading design, engineering, environment, and regulatory consultancy, is seeking a highly experienced Principal Engineer (Civil Structures) to join its growing team in Leeds. Sweco is at the forefront of designing sustainable cities and communities of the future, tackling the challenges of urbanisation, digitalisation, and climate responsibility.

As a Principal Engineer, you will take the lead in designing, checking, and delivering high-quality solutions across bridges and ancillary civil structures. This role requires strong technical expertise, project leadership, and the ability to provide mentorship and guidance to colleagues. You will collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring innovative and efficient solutions are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead design engineer on bridges and civil structures projects, overseeing technical delivery and outputs.

• Undertake detailed design and review calculations, drawings, reports, and other technical deliverables.

• Provide technical leadership, guidance, and training to colleagues while mentoring junior engineers.

• Support project managers in defining project briefs, deliverables, milestones, and methodologies.

• Establish and maintain project quality assurance, control strategy, and approval arrangements.

• Assess, document, and communicate design changes to project managers.

• Deliver projects within agreed cost, time, and quality parameters.

• Conduct project reviews on completion, implementing improvements in technical processes and design approaches.

• Represent Sweco with clients and stakeholders, ensuring strong, productive relationships.

Requirements:

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Structural Engineering.

• Chartered membership of ICE or IStructE (or working towards chartership).

• Extensive experience in civil structures design, including bridges and ancillary civils structures.

• Strong track record of successful project delivery under tight timescales.

• Proficiency in structural design and analysis software (e.g., Autodesk Structural Bridge Design, LUSAS, or equivalent).

• Experience in design to Eurocodes and DMRB.

• Previous experience of project governance and managing multidisciplinary projects.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt to different audiences.

• Experience across tendering, project management, engineering drawings, statutory approvals, and project administration.

• Client-focused mindset with ability to identify opportunities beyond immediate project needs.

Benefits & Working Environment:

• Flexible hybrid working (minimum 3 office days per week, flexible start/finish times).

• Relocation to a modern, riverside Leeds City Centre office in mid-2026.

• Diverse, inclusive, and collaborative workplace culture.

• Strong focus on professional growth, career development, and work-life balance.

• Recognition as a Disability Confident Committed Employer and signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant, ensuring inclusivity and fair treatment.

About Sweco:
Sweco is shaping the future of sustainable societies by combining global expertise with local presence. With a commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and excellence, Sweco helps solve societal challenges through urban planning, infrastructure development, and digital transformation. The organisation prides itself on a collaborative culture that empowers employees to thrive and contribute meaningfully.