Technical Director - Civil/Structures - Substations in Ewell

The Power Energy Systems (PES) Practice of AtkinsRéalis is seeking a Civil Engineering Structures Technical Director to join our team in the UK. We are looking for an energetic and experienced civil structures engineer who can both lead as a technical expert in the design of civil structures in the power sector and drive business results. AtkinsRéalis specialises in all aspects of civil structures engineering within the energy, defence, and nuclear sectors in the UK and internationally.

We’re committed to providing industry‑leading engineering solutions right through the project lifecycle, from feasibility to commissioning, with value added through client‑side support as well as the construction phase. Our team is currently delivering work across the Transmission and Distribution sector in the UK, as well as supporting other energy and infrastructure business sectors.

By providing technical leadership across the organisation you’ll drive results, by contributing to functional strategy, influencing senior stakeholders, and leading within the civil structures group and multidisciplinary project teams, to deliver measurable outcomes. In this role, you will set direction for complex, high‑impact projects and initiatives, anticipate business and regulatory challenges or changes, and develop innovative solutions and offerings that move the business forward.

Become part of a team where every voice matters, and together we can tackle our clients’ toughest challenges. We foster a diverse and inclusive environment where world‑class talent thrives without boundaries. For us, collaboration isn’t a buzzword. We value the different perspectives our people bring and recognise everyone for their contributions equally.

Being a technical director with us involves UK‑wide travel. We offer hybrid working which involves three days per week travelling/office‑based. This position can be based at any of our key locations: Epsom, London, Bristol, Leeds, Birmingham, Manchester, or Glasgow. Other locations will be considered on a case‑by‑case basis.

• Provide technical leadership on detailed design projects across the power and transmission & distribution sector.
• Influence practice‑wide initiatives and recommend best practice to improve internal processes and services.
• Develop the discipline strategy, technical delivery, and assurance across a growing portfolio of front‑end and detailed design projects for AIS/GIS HV substations (up to 400 kV), HVDC converter stations, etc.
• Serve as the recognised expert and technical authority in civil structural engineering of power and T&D‑related structures across the PES Practice and the wider AtkinsRéalis business.
• Building strong and trusted relationships is a key part of this role. You’ll enjoy working with others, sometimes directly at client sites, sometimes from our offices.
• Collaborate with stakeholders at all levels, including internal and external clients, operational staff, project teams, or external stakeholders.
• Recommend and drive improvements to processes, services, and technical practices while ensuring robust engineering governance is consistently upheld.
• Oversee technical input into bid proposals, defining the delivery strategy and working with cross‑functional teams to prepare high‑quality, compliant, competitive submissions.
• Proactively identify opportunities for cross‑selling and business growth, using commercial insight to strengthen and expand client relationships and selling our value proposition to clients.
• Grow, develop, and manage the Civil Structures engineering capability, particularly in the context of the UK T&D Sector, supporting talent development and succession planning.
• Anticipate emerging business, regulatory, and technology challenges, identifying risks and opportunities early and advising senior leadership.
• Provide strategic oversight across multiple complex, multidisciplinary projects, ensuring technical excellence, safe delivery, and alignment with client and practice objectives.
• Work independently even in the most challenging situations.
• Act as the point of escalation for the most complex technical matters and exercise personal judgement to find solutions.

You have a proven track record of leading others to produce complex designs and drawings to applicable engineering codes and standards. You are comfortable working in new and changing environments and have a desire to contribute to the success of the business. You are comfortable liaising with stakeholders at all levels, both internally and externally.

Degree qualified. Master’s degree (MEng/MSc) qualified civil or structural engineer. Chartered engineer and a member of ICE or IStructE. Proven leadership delivering FEED and detailed civil/structural design for EHV (33‑400 kV) substation projects. Strong safety, regulatory, and environmental compliance focus, including experience of discharging principal designer duties under CDM 2015. Strong structural design capability in steel and reinforced concrete using recognised software and relevant UK/international codes. Ensures technically compliant deliverables through effective design assurance, issue identification, and problem solving. Excellent stakeholder communication – able to influence senior clients across multidisciplinary and international teams. Commercially astute builds client relationships, supports bids, coaches others, and champions continuous improvement.

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive - at every stage of your life and your career. Enjoy competitive salaries, employee rewards and a brilliant range of benefits you can tailor to suit your own health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle choices. Make the most of a myriad of opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise. And combine our hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to balance a great job and fulfilling personal life.

We strongly believe that world‑class talent makes no distinctions based on gender, ethnic or national origin, sexual identity and orientation, age, religion or disability, but enriches itself through these differences.