Senior, Principal or Associate Lighting Designer - (2051) in Oxford

About us

Hoare Lea is a human-centric and planet-conscious multidisciplinary building services consultancy. We offer intelligent and sustainable solutions to complex design challenges for the built environment throughout the UK and further afield. We provide a wide range of engineering and consultancy services, including acoustics, air quality, building services (MEP), fire, lighting, security and sustainability to name but a few. Together, our highly skilled teams use technical expertise and problem-solving skills to bring buildings to life. We ensure that whatever the building, its design is outstanding, and its operations meet the needs of the communities it serves.

We are as committed to providing an environment where everyone can realise their unique potential. So, in joining Hoare Lea, you will experience a business that enriches your knowledge, supports your wellbeing, and welcomes your individuality. 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, electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme, stock options, and up to 30 days of annual leave. Whatever your ambitions or circumstances, our aim is to enable everyone to develop their knowledge, give their best, and enjoy what they do.

About the role

Hoare Lea’s Lighting team creates leading lighting solutions for a wide range of buildings and spaces. We combine creative thinking with technical knowhow to deliver designs that look great and work in practice. We’re looking for an experienced Senior, Principal or Associate Lighting Designer with experience of exterior/ street lighting and lighting impact assessments, to join our London, Oxford, Bristol or Manchester office. This is a senior, hands-on role where you’ll own the technical and design delivery for your projects from concept to construction, with a particular focus on pre planning stage of design.

You’ll lead the lighting element of projects across the UK—while working closely with internal and external collaborators around the country. You’ll have autonomy over your workload, responsibility for maintaining design quality and technical accuracy, and a regular client-facing element to the role, especially during the planning process. Strong stakeholder management and clear communication are essential, as is a collaborative approach to working with multidisciplinary teams to keep projects moving smoothly. You’ll also have the chance to contribute to how our practice develops and to champion sustainable, innovative design solutions.

We offer a supportive, flexible working environment, clear development paths and the opportunity to work on high profile projects. If you’re a senior lighting designer with proven experience in planning stage lighting design who enjoys leading creative, technically robust work in a friendly, expert team, we’d love to hear from you.

In this key and varied role, you can expect to:

• Lead day to day technical delivery of lighting design and lighting impact services across multidisciplinary projects and building sectors.
• Create inspiring conceptual lighting concepts, calculations and reports for early-stage designs, and produce detailed integration information for construction.
• Support projects through all RIBA stages with a focus on Planning — attend and lead meetings, present to clients, and coordinate with design teams.
• Maintain strong, collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure smooth, timely delivery.
• Manage project commercials: support invoicing, WIP control, debt chasing and forward workload/resource planning for your projects.
• Mentor and support our ‘next gen’ professionals including apprentices and graduates.

About you

You should have relevant experience or qualifications in a design, or engineering discipline. You have lighting consultancy experience, with strong technical knowledge of exterior lighting design and the ability to communicate ideas clearly—both visually and verbally—especially within an Environmental Impact / Planning field. Experience with external artificial lighting and lighting impact assessments is required; preferably you have carried out such assessments.

You will require a thorough understanding of lighting design calculation tools (Relux, AGi32 & Lighting Reality), Revit, AutoCAD, Photoshop, InDesign and Office. You will care deeply about lighting impact on the nighttime environment and the wider environmental impacts that lighting can have, and a desire to create spaces that enhance people’s experience of the nightscape.

With excellent interpersonal and communication skills you will have proven ability in negotiating positive outcomes, accepting responsibility, meeting design deadlines and organising team members. It is important that the candidate demonstrates the experience of running numerous projects in an organised and efficient manner.

How to apply

To apply simply complete a CV profile and submit your application, or for further information please contact jessicamartin@hoarelea.com. If shortlisted, one of our recruitment team will be in touch to arrange an introductory call (about 30 minutes) to discuss the role and your experience in more detail. From there, successful candidates will be invited to attend a panel interview, either via Microsoft Teams or in person at one of our offices.

Adjustments and accommodations

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 (whether relating to disability, neurodivergence or anything else) please let us know. We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted partners who assist us when required. We do not acknowledge speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies not on the list.