Principal Design Engineer (Roads and Highways)

Principal Engineer - Active Travel, Highways & Public Realm

Location: London (Central)
Salary: £55,000 - £65,000
Type: Full-Time | Permanent
Hybrid Working: Minimum 3 days per week in the office

Principal Engineer - London

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Principal Engineer to join a growing transport and infrastructure consultancy in Central London.

This role is ideal for an experienced engineer looking to take a leading position within a highly regarded team delivering active travel, highways, public realm and sustainable transport projects across London and the wider UK.

You'll play a key role in shaping projects from concept through to construction, working closely with local authorities, developers, stakeholders and multidisciplinary design teams to create safer, more sustainable and people-focused places.

The Role

As a Principal Engineer, you'll take ownership of project delivery while providing technical leadership across a broad range of transport infrastructure schemes.

• Lead the design and delivery of active travel, highways, junction improvement, public realm and streetscape projects from feasibility through to detailed design and construction support.
• Act as a technical lead, reviewing designs, drawings and reports to ensure solutions are safe, practical, buildable and compliant with industry standards.
• Manage multidisciplinary project teams, providing technical guidance, mentoring and support to engineers and technicians.
• Oversee project programmes, budgets, resources and risk management to ensure successful project delivery.
• Apply industry guidance and standards including DMRB, Manual for Streets, LTN 1/20 and CDM 2015.
• Build strong relationships with local authorities, clients, elected members and wider stakeholders.
• Support business development activities including bids, fee proposals, framework submissions and client relationship management.

What We're Looking For

• Degree qualified in Civil Engineering, Transport Engineering or a related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer status (CEng) or actively working towards Chartership through ICE, CIHT or a similar professional institution.
• Strong experience delivering transport infrastructure projects within the UK consultancy sector.
• Demonstrable experience in active travel, cycling, walking, highways and public realm design.
• Excellent understanding of Healthy Streets principles, inclusive design and sustainable transport initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of DMRB, Manual for Streets, highway design standards and technical approval processes.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and mentoring junior engineers.
• Strong commercial awareness with experience managing project budgets, resources and programme delivery.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working closely with local authorities, combined authorities or public-sector clients.
• Knowledge of NEC contracts and construction-stage project support.
• Experience delivering public consultation and stakeholder engagement activities.
• Understanding of highway legislation, statutory processes and utility coordination.
• Experience incorporating road safety, accessibility and equality considerations into scheme design.

Why Apply?

• Opportunity to lead high-profile active travel, highways and public realm projects.
• Significant influence over project delivery and technical direction.
• Clear progression opportunities within a growing consultancy environment.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Professional membership fees paid.
• Ongoing training, development and Chartership support.
• Competitive pension scheme.
• Generous annual leave allowance.
• Collaborative and supportive company culture focused on innovation and professional growth.

If you're an experienced Senior or Principal Engineer looking to play a leading role in the delivery of sustainable transport and public realm projects, we'd love to hear from you.

Michael Finch
Aldwych Consulting

07787 736 270

Aldwych Consulting values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business.