Blast Technical Lead

Are you passionate about protecting people and infrastructure? Do you have a talent for blast analysis and design? AECOM is looking for a driven Blast Associate Technical Lead to join our world-class team and deliver a better world. Our team specialises in providing practical and cost-effective protective design solutions across diverse markets, including high-rise buildings, petrochemical facilities, aviation, defence, transportation infrastructure, and more. We excel in structural hardening to improve the survivability of people and structures against accidental or intentional blast and impact events, integrating these solutions seamlessly into a structure's design while preserving its cost-efficiency and aesthetics.

What you’ll do! We are seeking a full-time Blast Associate Technical Lead to join our Building Engineering Division, based in one of our UK offices (London, St Albans, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, or Bristol). As a key member of AECOM’s Specialisms Operating Unit within the Security & Technology engineering group, you will provide specialist blast design and support services. You will collaborate closely with our Security and Structural teams, enhancing their design activities across a wide array of projects, from office fit-outs and mixed-use developments to industrial facilities and critical government and commercial organisations. Your role will be pivotal in delivering cutting-edge blast protection solutions.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Technical Leadership & Design: Provide expert technical input on blast and protection engineering. Lead the design of blast protection provisions, including CFD modelling of effects on building structures and complex structural analysis.
• Project Delivery: Oversee the production and workload management for blast-related projects. Develop work plans, define tasks, and ensure quality management and technical assurance.
• Client & Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with clients to understand their business practices and goals, identify challenges, and formulate effective solutions. Engage with sector leads within our Building & Places Business unit and liaise with general Building Engineering teams.
• Business Development: Contribute to business development initiatives, including sales and work winning.
• Risk & Threat Assessment: Undertake detailed assessments of threats, likelihood, and consequences to determine risk severity and appropriate treatments.
• Documentation & Reporting: Produce high-quality documentation, including employer’s requirements, specifications, feasibility studies, and concept/scheme designs.
• Project Management: Manage projects on behalf of clients, including progress reporting and contract administration where applicable.
• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Promote best practices in Safety, Health & Environment (SH&E) and contribute to knowledge management within the team.

Qualifications: Ready to push the limits of what’s possible? We’re looking for a candidate with a strong foundation in client business practices and the ability to develop innovative solutions. You should possess:

• Essential skills & experience: A broad technical knowledge of security with in-depth expertise in blast analysis and design. Proven ability to determine operational and strategic requirements to form a basis of design. Expertise in blast modelling and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to accurately capture blast wave-structure interaction. Proficiency with ANSYS, AutoDyn, or similar software for advanced 3D finite element modelling and fluid-structure interaction. Strong understanding of physical security solutions (doors, locks, walls, fencing, glazing) and relevant performance standards. Experience in threat reduction, structural vulnerability analyses, façade and glass evaluation, collision and high-speed impact analysis, and the effect of fire on structures. Excellent document writing skills with meticulous attention to detail. Solid project management capabilities. Strong technical and design skills in structural design and security assessment. Good numerical and analytical abilities. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage at senior levels and with diverse stakeholders (architects, contractors, etc.). Tact, persuasive ability, and a collaborative team spirit. Proficient IT skills and self-motivation. The ability to hold or obtain Security Clearance.

Key responsibilities will involve:

• Stakeholder engagement.
• Gathering data and technical information.
• Writing employer’s requirements and specifications.
• CFD Modelling and complex structural analysis.
• Completing feasibility studies and design reviews.
• Developing concept/scheme designs and detailed designs.
• Tender management and vetting.
• Presentations and sales support.

Preferred Qualifications: A relevant qualification in a security or engineering-related discipline. Professional certifications such as RSES, CSyP, PSP, MSyl. Experience using AutoCAD and Revit.

At AECOM, we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives. If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Additional Information: Interested in the role or curious about life at AECOM? Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to explore our AECOM voices, employee stories, latest projects, and much more!

Location & Travel: This role will involve hybrid working, with occasional travel to project sites and other AECOM offices as required. The successful candidate should be self-motivated and capable of effective remote working alongside office-based collaboration.

Join Us: If you are ready to apply your expertise to protect communities and infrastructure, and to be part of a global team driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world, we want to hear from you. Apply today and help us build a safer future.

About AECOM: AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities.