Job Title:
Senior / Principal Civil Engineer
Salary:
£50,000 - £65,000 (dependent on experience)
Location:
Brighton / Falmer
Type:
Permanent or Contract | Hybrid working available
About the Role:
Our client is strengthening their engineering design capability and is seeking an experienced Senior or Principal Civil Engineer to join their team in Brighton, with hybrid working on offer.
Reporting directly to the Principal Engineer, you will deliver high-quality civil engineering design solutions across water and wastewater projects. Your focus will be on minimising risk, maximising value, and ensuring designs are safe, compliant, buildable, and commercially sound across turnkey and engineering services contracts.
This is a senior-level role with real influence over design direction, standards, and team development.
About the Client:
Our client is a leading integrated design-and-build provider operating within the UK water sector. They deliver complex infrastructure projects through long-term frameworks and partnerships and are known for their strong technical capability, collaborative culture, and commitment to people development.
They genuinely invest in their workforce, value diversity of thought, and actively support wellbeing, inclusion, and long-term career progression.
Key Responsibilities:
Produce cost-effective, buildable civil design layouts that meet all specification and contractual requirements
Consider whole-project and whole-life costs, including design time, materials, construction, and cross-discipline impacts
Apply standard engineering practices wherever possible to maintain competitiveness
Provide estimates and technical feedback to support bid and proposal activity
Coordinate designs across all internal and external disciplines
Prepare, review, and maintain design documentation, drawings, and technical records
Develop, monitor, and continuously improve departmental procedures and processes
Ensure full consideration of health, safety, and environmental requirements in all designs
Mentor and support junior engineers and contribute to team development
Promote a customer-focused culture and ensure stakeholder satisfaction
Actively reduce waste and inefficiency across departmental activities
What Our Client is Looking For:
Essential:
Strong understanding of water and sewage treatment principles
Experience mentoring or managing engineers within water or wastewater design
Membership of a relevant professional institution (chartered or working towards chartership)
Minimum qualification: relevant engineering HND
Ability to rationalise designs and produce efficient, economical layouts
Broad technical knowledge across civil, mechanical, process, electrical, and project disciplines
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Confident communicator, able to present technical proposals clearly
Computer literate
Full UK driving licenceDesirable:
Relevant engineering degree or Master's qualification
Working towards Chartered Engineer status
What Our Client Offers:
Salary of £50,000 - £65,000
Hybrid working (role dependent)
Car or car allowance (role dependent)
25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to buy up to 5 additional days
Pension contribution scheme
Life assurance
Health and private medical insurance
Cycle to work scheme
Employee discounts and lifestyle benefits
Eligibility:
Right to work in the UK
Full UK driving licence
Opportunity for Growth:
This role offers genuine long-term progression, whether your ambition is technical leadership, chartership, or principal-level responsibility. You'll work on high-impact infrastructure projects and have real influence over engineering outcomes.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity in our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status