Principal Electrical Engineer (Permanent) in Cardiff

Hoare Lea is a human-centric and planet-conscious engineering consultancy. We provide a wide range of engineering and consultancy services, including acoustics, air quality, building services (MEP), fire, lighting, security and sustainability. We ensure that whatever the building, its design is outstanding, and its operations meet the needs of the communities it serves.

You’ll have the opportunity to participate in our 9-day fortnight scheme, thriving community groups, varied social and networking events, and extensive professional and technical development schemes. We also offer an extensive benefits package, including private medical cover, an electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, stock options, and 25 days of annual leave (increasing with service), alongside flexible and hybrid working.

We have an opportunity for a Principal Electrical Engineer to play a key role in delivering high quality, sustainable electrical engineering solutions across multiple projects in the built environment. You will join our Electrical team based in either our Bristol or Cardiff office.

We have a well-established reputation for delivering outstanding design on built environment projects throughout the Southwest and further afield. Bristol is a vibrant, dynamic city with a rich cultural heritage and ambitious plans to become carbon neutral within the next ten years; our team of more than 100 MEP engineers and growing specialist disciplines has worked on many of the city’s landmark projects. Cardiff is an equally thriving creative capital with a similar heritage and bold growth and carbon neutrality ambitions.

We are a recognised leader in the built environment, shaping some of the most ambitious and technically demanding projects across the residential, hospitality, leisure, commercial, and complex engineering sectors. Our work spans cutting-edge healthcare and research facilities, high-performance data centres, critical infrastructure and state-of-the-art manufacturing and technology environments projects that push boundaries and deliver real-world impact.

Driven by a commitment to excellence, we combine innovation, technical expertise, and practical delivery to create solutions that are not only robust and reliable, but forward-thinking and sustainable. Our teams work at the forefront of the industry, collaborating with leading clients across the public and private sectors, both locally and internationally.

Working alongside a range of specialist engineers and consultants, you will be joining a collaborative, knowledgeable, highly engaged team who love what they do, and offer a supportive, flexible, and high-performing work culture.

You will take the lead design role on significant and complex building services projects, owning the design delivery from inception to completion. As the technical lead, you will manage and prioritise the internal Hoare Lea delivery team, coordinate with other disciplines and external consultants, and represent Hoare Lea at client and project meetings.

• Lead the design delivery for significant and complex schemes, taking responsibility for achieving design objectives and technical quality.
• Represent Hoare Lea at project meetings and actively promote our services to support client projects and future business.
• Manage, prioritise and motivate the internal project team (including specialist groups); host and chair internal project meetings.
• Contribute to the professional development of team members.
• Monitor project expenditure, costs and resource requirements; identify, highlight and manage project and commercial risks.
• Ensure deliverables meet quality standards, technical accuracy and programme deadlines.
• Share technical knowledge across the business and work collaboratively with other professionals to deliver coordinated building designs.
• Proven, in depth technical knowledge in electrical/building services design and applied experience of relevant regulations and design guides.
• Demonstrable experience leading design teams on complex projects and delivering to demanding timescales.
• Commercial awareness: experience monitoring project costs, identifying commercial risks and contributing to profitable delivery.
• Strong organisational and planning skills with the ability to prioritise and manage multiple demands.
• Confident communicator — excellent written and spoken English — with experience representing a consultancy externally.
• IT literate with proficiency in industry software (Revit, AutoCAD, Dialux, OM Electrical).
• Committed to continuous professional development and supporting the career growth of others.

From there, successful candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview, either via Microsoft Teams or in person at one of our offices.

If there are adjustments or accommodations that we can put in place to help you participate and give your best at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know.