Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer / Engineering Geologist in Brighton

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve.

Our Energy Unit leads WIN and DO work in all energy market and nuclear defence market projects, working at the forefront of the energy transition challenge to ensure safe, stable, sustainable energy is available for future generations. Our multidisciplinary teams provide a variety of services throughout the full project life cycle, from advisory services and feasibility studies through outline and detailed design to construction support and site supervision.

As a Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer in our growing Energy Unit geotechnical team, you will have the opportunity to expand your experience and work with a range of public and private sector clients on some key and major projects across what is a varied and diverse energy market in the UK, Europe and beyond.

You will lead the production of cost‑effective and buildable design solutions in line with current Eurocodes, reports, specifications and drawings covering a range of project requirements within energy‑sector geotechnics. You will deliver various geotechnical and ground engineering projects and provide technical leadership through leading the team, managing and overseeing their design work on complex projects.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Contributing to the setting of long‑term strategy for our Energy Unit engineering geology and geotechnics development and driving forward plans
• Ground characterisation oversight
• Design of foundations and substructures associated with energy projects such as earthworks, slope stability, foundations, retaining walls with experience of feasibility study design through to detailed design and construction
• Design of retaining wall systems
• Undertaking technical oversight of ground investigation (scope, specifications, supervision, GIRs, GBRs)
• Undertaking technical oversight of engineering geology design for projects such as deep basements, earthworks and slope stability
• Supporting business development activities, including inputs to bids and proposals
• Travel to project sites when necessary for project delivery and client liaison meetings
• Managing disciplinary design teams or acting as discipline lead as part of a larger team on major projects

As a Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer in the Energy Unit ground engineering team, you are able to direct and deliver multiple concurrent projects on time and within budget. You have designed various geotechnical and foundation elements using current standards and Eurocodes and have previously worked on large projects.

You will have strong interpersonal skills and are able to liaise with various clients and build professional relationships internally and externally. You are comfortable with your technical expertise in the ground engineering sector and have gained various project management skills throughout your career, as well as acted in a technical lead capacity.

Essential qualifications include:

• Masters degree in civil engineering with emphasis on geotechnics / engineering geology, or a Masters in a related subject
• Relevant geotechnical experience
• Chartered Engineer with the ICE or Geol Soc equivalent
• Experience of managing small teams of engineers
• Prepared to travel nationally and internationally as needed for any project
• Experience in the energy market, ideally in one or more of the following sectors: Transmission and Distribution (T&D) networks, Energy Generation (Renewables, Hydro, Thermal, Gas, Liquids), Nuclear (generation, disposal, other civil) or Nuclear defence
• Experience guiding and nurturing a team of engineers or engineering geologists in their technical development
• Has mentored early‑career professionals as a DE, SCE or similar

Desirable qualifications include:

• PhD in civil engineering with emphasis on geotechnics or engineering geology
• Offshore capability and experience beneficial

We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust. We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all.

We offer some fantastic benefits including financial wellbeing, employee ownership, health and wellbeing support, lifestyle benefits, and learning and development opportunities.