Senior / Principal Bridge Engineer – Leeds
A leading multidisciplinary civil and structural engineering consultancy is seeking a Chartered Bridge Engineer to join their growing Leeds office.
This is a key senior appointment within a highly respected bridges team delivering a diverse portfolio of infrastructure projects across the UK and Ireland. The role offers genuine progression into client-facing leadership and business development, with structured support to develop beyond purely technical delivery.
About the Role
As a Senior / Principal Bridge Engineer, you will take a leading role in the design, assessment, and delivery of bridge and civil structures projects across a range of materials and structural forms.
You will be involved across the full project life cycle - from early feasibility and option development through to detailed design, construction support, and completion. The position also offers significant exposure to clients and stakeholders, with the opportunity to develop into a trusted client representative and project leader.
Business development, relationship management, and wider strategic involvement are actively encouraged and supported, with training and mentoring provided to help you build confidence in winning and shaping work.
Typical Project Experience
Projects span a wide range of bridge and civil infrastructure schemes, including:
* Major highway and transport corridor upgrades
* Large-scale river and waterway crossings
* Urban infrastructure and regeneration bridge schemes
* Active travel and sustainable transport structures
* Complex maintenance, strengthening, and refurbishment programmes
* Operational and asset management frameworks for key bridge networks
(Projects include a mix of high-profile national infrastructure, city-centre works, and long-term framework commissions.)
Key Responsibilities
* Lead the design and technical delivery of bridge engineering projects
* Undertake and check structural analysis, calculations, and design modelling
* Oversee drawing production and multidisciplinary coordination
* Contribute to early-stage optioneering, feasibility studies, and site inspections
* Prepare specifications, reports, and contract documentation
* Act as technical authority and signatory for design approvals where appropriate
* Represent the business in meetings with clients, contractors, and stakeholders
* Support junior engineers through mentoring and technical development
* Engage in client relationship management and contribute to business growth activities
Essential Requirements
* Chartered Engineer (ICE, IStructE, or equivalent)
* Strong technical expertise in bridge design and assessment
* Experience delivering projects through design and construction stages
* Proven ability to manage workloads, budgets, and multidisciplinary teams
* Familiarity with UK bridge design standards and contract procedures
* Excellent communication skills with strong attention to detail
* Proficiency in structural analysis and design software
Desirable Experience
* Exposure to multidisciplinary infrastructure projects (highways, rail, geotechnical, water)
* Experience working in client-facing or consultant representative roles
* Interest in developing business development and project winning capability
Career Development
This role is ideal for an engineer looking to move beyond purely technical delivery into a broader leadership position, with structured progression toward:
* Increased client-facing responsibility
* Project leadership and strategic input
* Business development and work-winning capability
* Mentoring and team leadership opportunities
Full support will be provided to develop these skills within a collaborative and experienced team environment.
Apply
If you are a Chartered Bridge Engineer looking for a senior role with strong technical variety and clear progression into client leadership, please apply. Alternatively, to discuss current bridge engineering opportunities in confidence, please contact Pete at ELB.