Principal Bridge Engineer - Durham
A respected civil and structural engineering consultancy is seeking a talented Principal Bridge Engineer with Highway Bridge Engineering experience to join their North East office on a permanent basis. This role requires a Chartered Engineer with significant experience to lead project delivery and technical oversight.
About the Role
You’ll be part of a dynamic bridges and highways structures team delivering projects across the North East supporting local authority frameworks as well as public and private sector clients. Our work covers a broad mix of assessments, designs, feasibility studies, and technical advisory commissions for major infrastructure programmes.
As a Chartered Bridge Engineer, you will play a key role in delivering bridge and multidisciplinary projects. You will work across superstructure, substructure, and articulation elements, and be involved from early-stage feasibility, surveys, and scheme design to detailed design and project delivery. You will also support business development and client liaison and be a signatory for approvals.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead the design and management of bridges of varying materials and forms, coordinating projects from concept through to completion.
* Participate in early-stage scoping, inspections, and optioneering, acting as the technical lead.
* Undertake and review complex calculations, modelling, and oversee drawing production in line with DMRB, Eurocodes, and other applicable standards.
* Prepare, review, and act as signatory for specifications, contract documents, and technical reports.
* Collaborate with clients, contractors, and other design teams to ensure effective project delivery, and represent the designer on site.
* Manage projects, finances, and teams, ensuring planning, budgeting, and quality control targets are met.
* Provide expert guidance and technical input to junior engineers and support technical delivery across the team.
* Liaise with clients, authorities, consultants, and contractors to support effective project and business development.
Essential Requirements
* Degree in Civil or Structural Engineering (BEng/MEng or equivalent).
* Chartered Engineer status (ICE, IStructE, or equivalent) is essential.
* 7+ years’ post-graduate experience in bridge or highway structures engineering.
* Strong technical knowledge of bridge design and a sound understanding of UK bridge design standards (DMRB, Eurocodes, CS/BD series).
* Proven experience managing projects, finances, and teams.
* Contract documentation and implementation experience (e.g., NEC contracts).
* Proficiency in structural analysis and design tools (e.g., LUSAS, MIDAS, AutoCAD).
* Excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and proven report-writing abilities.
Desirable
* Extensive experience in bridge inspections and assessments under LA frameworks.
* Familiarity with multidisciplinary collaboration (geotechnical, highways, drainage, rail interfaces).
* Strong understanding of asset management principles.
You’ll contribute to an exciting portfolio of North East infrastructure projects, including bridge strengthening, refurbishment, and replacement schemes, delivered through local authority and framework partnerships.
If you’re interested, please apply or contact Pete at ELB to learn more about this Principal Bridge Engineering opportunity.