Senior / Principal Civil Engineer in Edinburgh

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 people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

About the business unit: We help conceive, drive, and implement transport solutions for cities, regions, and asset owners/operators around the globe. From preparing the business case and advising on related issues – such as revenue, procurement, and environmental legislation – to delivering the completed infrastructure and helping maintain it. Our planning, engineering, environmental and management skills cover the whole project cycle.

Overview of the role: Do you want to be part of an employee‑owned company where our unique independence affords us the opportunity to focus on projects that matter – those delivering positive social outcomes and enhancing the environment? Do you want to harness digital innovation and push the boundaries of current practice in pursuit of technical excellence? Working for a company like ours, with technical excellence at our core, offers you access to industry‑recognised experts in a variety of disciplines and the support and opportunities you need for your career progression.

We deliver a wide variety of engineering and advisory projects to address the challenges faced by the transportation sector. As part of this, we are committed to ensuring that highways are resilient to the effects of climate change, safeguarding and enhancing the environment for future generations, and providing our clients with asset management advice.

We are seeking a Senior or Principal Civil Engineer with a focus on drainage design to strengthen our technical teams and lead a team of drainage engineers based in the UK. This is a fantastic professional opportunity for driven individuals to take the lead on a range of projects in the UK and worldwide. As part of our team, you will be able to make a difference by leading a team of drainage design engineers in the design of sustainable drainage infrastructure on prestigious projects, contributing to innovative grey and blue‑green solutions and climate change resilience as well as embracing and enhancing digital drainage design delivery solutions.

In this role, you will lead a team of drainage engineers on prestigious UK projects, be responsible for the delivery of project(s), coordinating project team(s) to ensure excellent technical delivery within budget and programme and produce and review engineering calculations, specifications, drawings, and reports, proactively managing design risk to deliver constructable solutions. There are opportunities to represent the company in meetings, both virtually and in person, to build strong relationships and deliver projects in close partnership with our clients that will enhance our reputation and help secure further work.

Candidate specification: We are looking for someone with the following skillset:

• Essential: Strong technical background in drainage design. Proven ability to deliver complex technical projects, ensuring compliance with relevant quality assurance and technical standards and supporting the development of less experienced staff. Demonstrable experience in the management of small teams. Strong communication skills with experience in effective collaboration across internal multi‑disciplinary teams. Good understanding of designers' responsibilities under Construction (Design and Management) Regulations.
• Desirable: Experience designing to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges. Experience in asset management and prioritising maintenance activities. Able to travel to other offices and sites, as required. Experience in preparing successful bids and in undertaking client engagement.

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. We recognise that differences in ability, skills, and experience are a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. If you meet 80% or more of what we’re looking for, please still apply. We understand not everyone will meet all the requirements, but you might have skills we didn’t know we need.

Why Join Us? Mott MacDonald offers a highly innovative and collaborative environment within which to further develop your career. We can offer career opportunities in technical, management, or client‑facing directions. You will have control of your own career path and great prospects for progression as the business continues to grow. Join us in making a positive impact on the world through engineering excellence and sustainable solutions.

UK Immigration: Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working: At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well‑being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion: 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 encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility: We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

• Health and wellbeing: Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues. Health cash plan to support you with everyday health costs and treatments. Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues. A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Financial wellbeing: We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%. Life assurance equal up to 4 × your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 × your salary. Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long‑term illness or injury.
• Lifestyle: A minimum of 33–35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Enhanced family and carers leave: Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Learning and development: Primary annual professional institution subscription. A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self‑development options.

Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities. Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.