Senior Sustainability and Physics Engineer

Join our team as a Senior Environmental Design Engineer. This person can be based in our London office on a hybrid working model. We are seeking a talented Senior Environmental Design Engineer to join our Sustainability and Physics team in London. In this role, you’ll help shape the design of buildings that achieve net zero carbon targets while delivering exceptional environments that support occupant wellbeing. With a world-class reputation, our creativity and expertise deliver positive change for clients, communities, and the environment. If you’re ready to be part of something bigger, this is your opportunity.

About The Role:

Our Sustainability team operates at the forefront of net zero carbon, building performance, and occupant wellbeing. From complex retrofits to world-leading new developments, we deliver integrated, performance-led design solutions. You’ll collaborate with architects, engineers, and clients, helping to create buildings that respond intelligently to climate, regulation, and human comfort. We are also active contributors to industry bodies such as the UK Green Building Council, shaping guidance on sustainability and building performance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Delivering environmental design and building performance consultancy from concept through to technical delivery.
• Undertaking and coordinating building physics analysis, including:
• Energy modelling
• Thermal comfort and overheating assessments
• Daylight and façade performance analysis.
• Supporting parametric modelling and performance-led design optimisation.
• Assessing and integrating renewable and low-carbon energy solutions.
• Delivering whole life and embodied carbon assessments.
• Supporting the delivery of Net Zero Carbon strategies.
• Working as part of multi-disciplinary teams, engaging with clients and design partners.
• Communicating design solutions clearly, including risks, opportunities, and trade-offs.
• Producing high-quality technical reports, models, and presentations.
• Presenting technical work to clients and stakeholders.
• Supporting bids, proposals, and design competitions.
• Mentoring and reviewing work of junior engineers.
• Maintaining high standards of technical quality and QA compliance.
• Progressing toward (or maintaining) professional accreditation.

What We Are Looking For:

Essential:

• Strong background in environmental design, building physics, or performance engineering.
• A solid understanding of passive and low-carbon design strategies.
• Experience delivering performance analysis on complex building projects.
• Ability to work independently and manage workload to deadlines and budgets.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Proven experience working in multi-disciplinary teams.
• Experience mentoring or supporting junior team members.
• A relevant STEM or engineering degree.
• At least 5 years’ experience in environmental design or sustainability engineering.
• Knowledge of UK regulations and frameworks (e.g. Part L, BREEAM, NABERS, Net Zero standards).

Desirable:

• Experience using tools such as IES-VE, Rhino/Grasshopper.
• Knowledge of energy systems, thermal modelling, daylight and carbon analysis.
• Experience with scripting (Python, C#, JavaScript).
• Familiarity with LEED, BREEAM, and planning requirements.
• Progress toward Chartered status.

At Buro Happold, we believe in creating a better, more sustainable world. You’ll be part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and excellence. We offer a supportive environment where your contributions make a real difference.

What we offer you:

• Hybrid working arrangements.
• Attractive salary.
• Discretionary bonus.
• Holiday entitlement of 25 days per annum (exclusive of bank holidays) and flexible holiday arrangements.
• Generous company pension scheme, life assurance and income protection.
• Flexible benefits including cycle scheme, dental insurance, optical cover, travel insurance, season ticket loans, and corporate discounts.
• Enhanced parenthood leave policies.
• A strong commitment to continuous development.
• Entitlement to two memberships to professional bodies or subscriptions.
• A commitment to your wellbeing through a comprehensive employee assistance programme and wellbeing activities.
• An opportunity to support your local community and those in society that are most in need, wherever they are located in the world through our Share Our Skills (SOS) programme.
• A supportive and inclusive environment that will welcome you through social and outreach activities from the Young Employees Forum to mentoring.
• An international culture that wherever your career takes you at Buro Happold, you won't be far from exceptional.

Apply now and be where exceptional is everywhere.

A place for everyone:

Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of the way you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers. Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive. We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment and are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing difference allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.