Principal Geotechnical Engineer in Edinburgh

We are currently looking for talented and motivated Principal Geotechnical Engineer to join our Ground Engineering team. This role will be based at our Edinburgh office and can be worked flexibly with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office/on site and the option of adjusted start and finish times.

What does the role involve?

In this role, you’ll be an active member of the Ground Engineering team helping to deliver a diverse portfolio of projects across the UK for a range of market sectors including highways, water, energy and development. The Ground Engineering team provide a wide range of geotechnical design services across all project stages including feasibility studies, ground investigations, geotechnical interpretation, preliminary and detailed design, and construction supervision for geotechnical works.

Sweco offer diverse experience for their engineers including projects spanning various industry sectors, as well varied geotechnical activities included ground investigation specification and management, earthworks and structures designs, and construction stage support.

You will be joining a very experienced and enthusiastic team that have recently supported the British Antarctic Survey’s £100M Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme and delivered the detailed geotechnical design for prominent projects such as the Queensferry Crossing, Stockholm Metro Extension, A47 improvement programme, major junction improvements for the M2, M25 and M27 motorways, and Beauly HDVC Convertor Station.

This is an exciting time to join Sweco and if you want to be part of a company who is small in all the best ways but large enough to provide a diverse and exciting workload, this job is for you.

Responsibilities include:

• Health & Safety: Ensure that Health & Safety is considered as an integral part of any design and construction solution including adherence to statutory and company procedures to identify and mitigate risk and to inform others of any residual hazards.
• Client Relationship Management: Manage relationships with individual client contacts to maximise opportunities across the business whilst providing a high service level on the individual project. Build market base in the field of Geotechnical opportunities.
• Project Delivery: Provide high quality technical delivery and technical governance on geotechnical projects to ensure a “technically excellent” delivery in accordance with the client’s brief. Adopting the role of geotechnical discipline lead for multi-disciplinary projects. Directing geotechnical teams and liaising with the project team and client as necessary. Supporting the team manager with the management of workload and resourcing of the ground engineering team.
• Financial/Commercial Management: Preparation and tracking of project budgets and financial management of projects. Project management adhering to the Sweco Project Management Framework. Administering contract functions including management of change and risk.
• People Management: Support the Team Manager in leading a team with the required skills and knowledge to undertake all aspects of geotechnical engineering including (but not limited to) ground investigation and interpretation, infrastructure design and specification, and construction stage support. Mentor the individuals within the team to achieve the required blend of skills and a culture of continuous improvement.
• Business Development: Input as required into the preparation of PQQs and Tenders. Recognise opportunities for cross-selling within current clients and manage commissions to realise these opportunities in consultation with others as appropriate.

To be successful in this role, you’ll have:

• Successful record of project delivery in the area of major infrastructure geotechnical design.
• Significant demonstrable technical experience in geotechnical engineering applied to transportation, water, energy and development projects.
• Proven experience in the management of projects including programming, resourcing and monitoring.
• Proven ability in the leadership and motivation of individuals and teams.

In terms of qualifications, you’ll have:

• A BEng/MEng in Civil Engineering or BSc/MSc in Engineering Geology or Earth Science.
• A MSc in Geotechnical Engineering or a related applicable field is desirable.
• Chartered Engineer (IEng/CEng) / Geologist (CGeol) status.

You will experience a diverse, inclusive, friendly and flexible working environment where colleagues are encouraged to grow and develop. A meaningful job where you will help to transform society by being a trusted consultant to our clients.

If you believe you have the skill set required, are keen to join a business with genuine opportunities for career progression, then we’d love to hear from you.

Let’s transform society together at Sweco.

About Us

Transforming society together, we are planning and designing sustainable communities and cities of the future. Solving the great societal challenges of our time is more relevant, demanding and inspiring than ever before. At Sweco, we bring together experts with different perspectives and skills to develop solutions that address the challenges of urbanisation, harness the positive power of digitalisation and make societies more sustainable. We offer our clients a combination of global expertise and local presence, adapted to their business and reality. Our ambition is to be our clients’ most relevant partner, working together to help them solve their challenges, today and into the future.

Sweco is committed to enabling all its colleagues to achieve a great balance between work and their other priorities, such as caring responsibilities, leisure activities, further learning or other interests. We offer flexible start and finish times, part time and hybrid working options so that you can flex your hours around your day to day needs.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

It’s important to us that all our colleagues thrive at work - we strive to have a friendly and inclusive culture which respects the contribution individuals can bring to Sweco. We aim to promote equality, inclusivity and diversity for everyone.

Here at Sweco we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity.

We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant to ensure those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly.

We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer, and will interview applicants covered by the Equality Act 2010 that opt into the guaranteed interview scheme on the application form and meet the minimum criteria for the role.

Please note: we reserve the right to close vacancies before the advertised closing date. Sweco UK&I have an internal resourcing team who are responsible for all recruiting activity. We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted agencies who we work with on those “hard to fill” roles. We have defined processes for recruitment applications and it is company policy not to accept speculative CVs.