Principal Engineer

Location: Hybrid - Crossness (STW) - SE2 9AQ, Hybrid - Maple Lodge (STW) - WD3 9SQ, Hybrid - Slough (STW), Hybrid - Swindon (STW)

Contract type: Permanent

Full/Part-time: Full-time or part-time

Hours: 36 Hours

Salary: Competitive salary from £52,000 per annum to £75,000 per annum depending on the skills and experience of the successful candidate.

Job grade: C

Closing date: 22/04/2025

Principal Engineer – Major Infrastructure Projects (up to £300m). Be a Leader. Drive Innovation. Deliver Impact.

Are you ready to take on a career-defining role in one of the UK’s most complex and high-value infrastructure projects? Thames Water seeks an experienced Principal Engineer to lead and build a world-class technical team and modernise key Water Treatment Works across our water network. This is a unique opportunity to work on projects up to a £300 million infrastructure programme, driving cutting-edge engineering solutions that will shape the future of water treatment.

What you’ll be doing as a Principal Engineer:

• Plan the design activities for a small portfolio of projects, from concept design through feasibility and de-risking activities to contract award.
• Manage and monitor these activities to meet or outperform the project milestones and allocated budgets.
• Responsible for the Technical Assurance of detailed designs by contractors, design change reviews and waiver applications during construction.
• Provide the Project Teams with the technical support they need during the commissioning and handover of assets.
• Act as the key contact for the Contract Design Management regulations designer or Principal Designer role as required.
• Conduct health and safety inspections of construction sites and collaborate with the construction assurance team engineers to continually improve our health and safety performance.
• Competent in risk management, including risk identification, mitigation, and control.
• Building strong internal and external stakeholder relationships.
• Applying your commercial and contractual acumen alongside commercial and project management to guide project delivery strategy.

We are recruiting for four roles. The successful candidates will be based at Hybrid–Slough, Maple Lodge, Crossness, and/or Swindon Wastewater Treatment Works. As part of this role, you will be required to be on-site or in the office up to 3 days a week as the business requires.

What you should bring to the role:

• A degree in civil or mechanical engineering, or degrees or master’s degrees in other engineering disciplines.
• Hold chartered status or working towards it.
• A background in managing successful, relevant activities, e.g., capital projects.
• Experience in delivering high-quality work with an excellent customer focus.
• Capability with risk-based and analytical decision-making and excellent verbal and written skills, along with exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Excellent internal and external stakeholder communication skills.
• Knowledge and experience in delivering major engineering infrastructure projects up to £100m in value in an infrastructure regulatory environment.
• A background in risk-based and analytical decision-making for complex investment decisions.
• A background in people management and leading a team.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary from £52,000 per annum to £75,000 per annum depending on the skills and experience of the successful candidate.
• This role will come with a car allowance of £5,800.
• 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Annual Bonus.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% - 2x employee contribution.
• Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year.
• Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing.

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits. So, if you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family.

Why choose us?

Our overarching aim is to ensure that Thames Water is a great, diverse and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process. Our aim is to remove any real or perceived barriers to success, so if you need assistance, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business, meet colleagues and earn some extra money along the way.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.