Principal Civil Engineer - Energy

Role focus: Technical leadership, civil engineering design, project scoping and quality assurance

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Principal Civil Engineer to provide technical leadership across a varied portfolio of energy infrastructure projects. The role will involve translating client requirements into clear, deliverable engineering scopes, developing practical and commercially aware solutions, and providing technical oversight and quality assurance across project delivery.

The successful candidate will bring a strong civil engineering background and the ability to apply sound engineering judgement to complex, multidisciplinary projects. They will work closely with clients, project leads and specialists across civil, structural, geotechnical, mechanical and electrical, environmental and project management disciplines.

This is a technically led position suited to an engineer who enjoys solving problems, supporting delivery teams and building trusted client relationships through the quality of their engineering advice. It is not primarily a business development role, although contributing to repeat business and the growth of the energy-sector portfolio will be important.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership and Engineering Delivery

• Provide senior technical leadership for civil engineering elements of energy infrastructure projects, from early-stage feasibility and concept development through detailed design and delivery support.
• Review client requirements, site constraints, design information and project objectives to identify appropriate engineering approaches and practical solutions.
• Develop, define and review civil engineering scopes of work, including deliverables, assumptions, interfaces, design responsibilities and key technical risks.
• Provide technical guidance to engineers and delivery teams, promoting consistent standards, robust design decisions and proportionate, buildable solutions.
• Review calculations, drawings, specifications, reports and other technical deliverables, ensuring they are fit for purpose and meet agreed quality requirements.
• Identify technical gaps, design constraints and opportunities to improve safety, efficiency, constructability and whole-life performance.

Energy Infrastructure Projects

• Provide civil engineering input across a range of energy-sector developments, which may include grid-scale substations, overhead transmission and distribution lines, underground cable routes, onshore wind farms, solar farms, battery energy storage systems (BESS), hydrogen infrastructure and carbon capture pipelines.
• Consider site layout, levels, earthworks, access roads, drainage, foundations, below-ground services, ground conditions and interfaces with other engineering disciplines, as relevant to each project.
• Support the assessment of site constraints and engineering options, helping clients and project teams understand the implications of different design choices.
• Coordinate civil engineering requirements with structural, geotechnical, MEP, environmental, project management and other specialist inputs.
• Help resolve technical issues that arise during design development and, where required, support responses to construction-stage queries and design changes.

Client and Stakeholder Engagement

• Engage with clients to understand their objectives, operational requirements, technical standards, programme constraints and project-specific challenges.
• Translate client needs into clearly defined engineering solutions and scopes that can be understood, resourced and delivered by project teams.
• Present technical advice and options clearly, explaining risks, assumptions, constraints and recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Build and maintain trusted working relationships through responsive communication, sound engineering judgement and reliable technical delivery.
• Work collaboratively with market and project leads to maintain alignment between client expectations, the agreed scope and the work undertaken by delivery teams.

Quality Assurance, Risk and Compliance

• Undertake technical reviews and quality assurance of project outputs in line with applicable procedures, client requirements and relevant standards.
• Identify and communicate design risks, technical uncertainties, interfaces and dependencies at an appropriate stage of the project.
• Ensure engineering recommendations take account of health, safety, environmental considerations, buildability, maintainability and whole-life value.
• Support design reviews, risk workshops and technical assurance activities, recording decisions and actions where appropriate.
• Promote clear documentation, traceable engineering decisions and effective management of design changes.

Team Collaboration and Technical Development

• Work closely with multidisciplinary colleagues to develop coordinated solutions and manage interfaces between civil engineering and other technical workstreams.
• Provide mentoring, coaching and technical support to engineers, helping strengthen capability and consistency across project teams.
• Share lessons learned, emerging good practice and technical knowledge to improve resilience and the quality of future project delivery.
• Contribute to the development of practical solutions to sector-specific engineering challenges and support the organisation's reputation for technical expertise in energy infrastructure.

Sector Growth and Repeat Business

• Support the development of long-term client relationships by delivering dependable technical advice and high-quality engineering outcomes.
• Identify opportunities to extend existing project relationships through relevant technical support and additional engineering services, working with the appropriate project and sector leads.
• Contribute technical insight to proposals, scope discussions and project planning where required, ensuring commitments are realistic and deliverable.
• Help strengthen the organisation's profile in the energy sector through technical credibility, collaboration and successful project outcomes.

Skills and Experience Required

• A degree or equivalent qualification in Civil Engineering.
• Substantial professional experience in civil engineering design, consultancy or the delivery of infrastructure projects, with the technical credibility to lead reviews and advise project teams.
• Experience in the energy generation, storage, transmission or distribution sectors is preferred. Relevant experience in other complex infrastructure sectors may also be applicable.
• Strong understanding of civil engineering design principles and the ability to assess site constraints, technical risks, design options and practical delivery considerations.
• Experience defining engineering scopes of work from client requirements, including deliverables, assumptions, interfaces and technical boundaries.
• Experience reviewing technical reports, drawings, calculations or specifications and providing constructive, evidence-based feedback.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused approach, with the ability to apply engineering experience to unfamiliar or evolving challenges.
• Strong client and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to explain technical issues and recommendations clearly.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary teams and coordinating civil engineering inputs with other technical disciplines.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to technical quality and detail.

Desirable Experience

• Chartered Engineer status, or actively working towards chartership, with a relevant professional institution.
• Experience across several energy infrastructure asset types, such as substations, cable routes, renewables, BESS or pipeline infrastructure.
• Experience supporting projects through multiple stages, from feasibility and concept design to detailed design and construction support.
• Experience mentoring engineers, leading technical reviews or acting as a technical authority within a project team.
• Familiarity with relevant design standards, statutory requirements and client-specific engineering specifications.

Benefits and Working Environment

The original role information describes a supportive and inclusive working environment with competitive rewards and opportunities for professional development. The stated package includes a pension contribution match of 5%, life assurance, long-service recognition, 25 days' annual leave rising to 28 days, the option to purchase additional leave, hybrid working with three office days, flexible core hours, healthcare cash-plan support, a Cycle to Work scheme, wellbeing initiatives, funded training, chartership support, paid professional subscriptions, volunteering days, social events and employee discounts. Confirm the applicable package and working arrangements at offer stage.

ersg are an equal opportunities employer; we are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all job applicants. We do not discriminate against applicants on the basis of age, sex, race, disability, pregnancy, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or religious background; all decisions are based on merit.