Principal/Associate Civil Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne

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

The Buildings Unit (BLD) has a major presence in Mott MacDonald’s regional offices throughout the UK and mainland Europe, providing a wide range of diverse and transferable cross‑sector skills across five key Sectors: Advisory, Built Environment, Energy, Transportation and Water. We also provide local services to customers and technical leadership to the rest of the Group in these sectors.

Overview of the role

Do you want to work for a company whose purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes, and to transform businesses, communities, and opportunities for its employees? Mott MacDonald is a global consultancy whose people do exactly that. We are looking to recruit talented Principal/Associate Civil Engineers to join our busy Infrastructure team working on a variety of exciting projects for a diverse range of clients and sectors. Project work across health, defence, regeneration, and leisure, among others. The right candidate shall be able to combine managerial and technical responsibilities, promote a cooperative approach and inspire teams to deliver projects to quality, budget and timescales. You will be offered, and be expected to take on, a high degree of autonomy and responsibility and contribute to growing the Infrastructure team’s profile and work portfolio through successful project delivery and participation in business development. The role offers the successful applicant the opportunity to develop their skills and progress their career working as a part of a team of innovative engineers and specialists.

Candidate specification

You will be responsible for managing projects and multi‑disciplinary design teams producing and assuring designs, controlling task budgets, and the development of staff competencies and career paths. You will also support our Practices in business development activities and take responsibility for developing commercial and technical responses to new opportunities. The successful candidate will be professionally qualified with an appropriate engineering institution (ICE, CIHT, PW| etc). The successful candidate must have experience in the following areas:

• Early‑stage optioneering
• Understanding of all stages of design (Feasibility Design through to Detailed Design)
• Demonstrate experience of leading infrastructure schemes through various stages (feasibility, concept design, detailed design, construction, commissioning, operations etc.)
• Project Management (Procurement, Requirements, Technical Assurance, Risk etc)
• Full awareness of Health & Safety Legislation and CDM Regulations and how it is applied to the design process

The candidate will be able to demonstrate practical skills in the following areas:

• Proven experience in project management of projects and leading teams across multi‑disciplines (from bidding stage through to delivery against contracted cost and programme)
• Excellent communication skills (good verbal, written and presentation skills) and confident in Client facing roles
• Previous experience of working on UK public sector on infrastructure projects
• Experience in infrastructure design with competence to independently check and approve the work of others (knowledge of key design standards and guidance)
• Experience of using Digital Design Tools for production of deliverables including BIM

The following would be seen as beneficial but are not essential to the role:

• Technical Excellence (someone experienced in coaching, mentoring and developing people & teams)
• Previous experience of working on UK public sector infrastructure projects
• Knowledge of contract preparation, procurement and risk management
• Appreciation of the operational and maintenance impacts of our design solutions

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 at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

Benefits

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x 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.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Employee Ownership

Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success. Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses. As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long‑term impact and contribution. Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future. For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

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 programme, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

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.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high‑street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.

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.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

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.