Principal Engineering Consultant - Structures

The Vacancy Principal Structural Engineer – Manchester, UK

Salary: £55,000 - £62,000 per annum

Hours: 35-hour working week

Location: Manchester (Hybrid Working Available)

Are you an experienced structural engineer with a passion for complex infrastructure projects? Do you have a background in bridges, heavy civils, or large-scale concrete and steel structures? This is an exciting opportunity to join a newly formed team and shape the future of our structural engineering division, with a focus on innovative and high-impact civil works across a variety of sectors.

We are looking for a Principal Structural Engineer who will be responsible for leading and delivering infrastructure projects, providing technical expertise, and building strong client relationships. This role offers the chance to influence the growth of the team and drive excellence in structural engineering.

Why Join Us?

• Diverse, High-Impact Projects: Work on a variety of challenging projects including bridges, flood defence schemes, retaining walls, and heavy civil engineering works.
• Shape the Team: As a Principal, you'll play a key role in building and shaping a team of specialists and bringing in both new and existing clients.
• Professional Development: Access to tailored support for continued development and professional growth, with opportunities to work towards becoming a technical leader in the industry.
• Flexible Working: We offer a hybrid working model to support work-life balance, with flexibility on office presence (minimum 2-3 days in the office).
• Competitive Salary & Benefits: A strong salary package with benefits including pension contributions, paid professional memberships, and modern office facilities.

The Role

As a Principal Structural Engineer , you will lead the design and delivery of structural engineering projects, with a focus on heavy civils, bridges, and large-scale concrete/steel works. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality solutions and help grow the practice.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead Structural Designs: Manage the design and delivery of bridges, retaining walls, flood defence structures, and large-scale civil engineering projects.
• Modelling Expertise: Apply your expertise in structural analysis and modelling tools to produce accurate designs and resolve complex engineering challenges.
• Client & Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain relationships with clients, managing project delivery, budgets, and timelines to ensure long-term success and repeat business.
• Team Leadership: Mentor junior engineers and technicians, providing guidance and technical support to help them develop their skills and progress towards chartership.
• Business Development: Contribute to business growth by identifying opportunities, supporting bid writing, and bringing in new projects from both existing and new clients.

What We’re Looking For

Essential:

• BEng/BSc or MEng in Civil or Structural Engineering.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status
• Approx 8+ years of experience in structural engineering, with a strong background in bridges, heavy civils, or large-scale concrete and steel structures.
• Proficiency in structural analysis and modelling tools (e.g., LUSAS, STAAD Pro, or similar).
• Proven ability to lead projects, manage budgets, and deliver high-quality technical outputs.
• Strong communication skills and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Experience with temporary works is also of interest for candidates who are open to hybrid responsibilities between structural design and temporary works design and management.

Desirable:

• Experience in nuclear, flood defence, or retaining wall projects.
• Knowledge of temporary works design and management.
• Experience working with clients in both the public and private sectors.
• Mentoring experience, guiding junior engineers towards technical excellence and chartership.

Work Environment & Expectations

Manchester office – flexible hybrid working model (minimum 2-3 days in the office expected). Occasional travel to site and client meetings required. Career progression to Associate or leadership positions available for those seeking to grow into senior roles. The role offers the opportunity to influence project delivery and the strategic direction of the business.

If you're ready to lead a growing structural team and make an impact on high-profile infrastructure projects, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and help shape the future of structural engineering in the North West!

About Us

In January 2022, we joined the RSK group: a merger that mirrors each company’s commitment to an engaging and open company culture. We highly value our people’s input, building strong and mutually beneficial relationships with our clients, and the desire to grow a strong and sustainable business. SCP will continue to serve its clients without any fundamental changes except by expanding our geographical capabilities and our team.

SCP is a specialist transportation planning, highway, and drainage infrastructure design consultancy that has been offering multi-disciplinary professional services to the private and public sectors since 1991. We have offices located strategically around the UK, including offices in Manchester, Leeds, and London. Our service grouping includes advising and supporting at the master-planning stages of development proposals, conducting detailed assessments for approvals processes and the implementation stages. The business also has long-established expert witness relationships with planning barristers across the UK.

RSK was founded in 1989 and has grown considerably since then. At RSK, we operate as a group of businesses that work together seamlessly, aiming for growth through diversification. Our strategy helps us build a strong and resilient business, capable of weathering external challenges, while also providing greater value to our clients and more opportunities for our employees. Since the beginning, our philosophy has remained the same: employ, develop and reward talented individuals. People are crucial to our company, and we recognise that our success hinges on our colleagues' growth. We're committed to preserving RSK's people-first culture, promoting innovation, and fostering a supportive and caring environment for collaboration.

At RSK, we want you to be part of our successes and help you reach your career aspirations. We take pride in offering employees fulfilling and challenging careers by promoting ongoing growth and empowering individuals to excel. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace that welcomes individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We firmly believe that embracing and celebrating the diversity in our workforce makes us a stronger and more innovative company. By providing workplace adjustments, we make it easier for people to confidently explore and pursue our career opportunities and recognise that flexibility is key to fostering a dynamic and thriving workplace.

Many of our office-based positions benefit from a flexible working arrangement, allowing our team members to achieve a balance between professional and personal commitments. We actively encourage applications from candidates of all genders, races, ethnicities, ages, neurotypes, religions or beliefs, sexual orientations, and those with disabilities.

If you're passionate about making a difference, join us as we work together to build a brighter, more equitable, and sustainable future for all. Do you have what it takes?