Principal Electrical Engineer in Manchester

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

A Little More About Your Role… Due to continued growth and major national programmes in transport decarbonisation, EV charging, and energy systems, we are seeking a Principal Electrical Engineer to play a pivotal role in delivering complex multidisciplinary projects across the UK. This is a chance to influence some of the most exciting infrastructure and energy-transition programmes in the country while developing your own technical, leadership and commercial capability. If this role isn’t an exact fit, we still encourage you to apply — we are expanding rapidly and welcome talented engineers at all levels.

Key Responsibilities

• As a Principal Electrical Engineer, you will take technical leadership responsibility across a wide range of energy and electrical engineering projects, including:

• Decarbonisation & EV Energy Systems
• Feasibility studies, concept design and detailed design of EV charging projects — ranging from local authority LEVI schemes to megawatt-scale refuelling hubs and multi-vector energy systems.
• Designing integrated renewable energy systems (solar PV, battery storage, microgrids) to support clients’ net-zero ambitions.

• Leading low-voltage electrical design packages on complex projects, ensuring right-first-time delivery and compliance with CDM regulations.
• Conducting and leading technical reviews, ensuring your team has clarity of scope and produces high-quality design outputs.

• Managing programme, cost, risk and resource planning for your design packages.
• Proactively identifying risks, issues and opportunities to optimise delivery and value for clients.

• Coordinating with multidisciplinary teams, clients, contractors and stakeholders throughout all project stages.
• Facilitating workshops such as clash detection, design coordination and interface management.

• Supporting the growth and sector development of the support of the electrical operations lead through mentoring, coaching and technical leadership.
• Contributing to line management, annual appraisals and development planning for early career engineers.

• Supporting bid teams with technical scoping, estimation and solution development.
• Promoting WSP’s capability internally and externally, developing professional networks and raising the team’s profile.

What We Will Be Looking For You To Demonstrate…

• Strong experience delivering low-voltage electrical design, ideally within transportation, energy or infrastructure sectors.
• Hands-on experience in EV charging infrastructure, electrical design, energy systems or technical assurance.
• Ability to lead and mentor design teams, manage deliverables and drive high-quality outcomes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills with the confidence to influence decisions.
• Professional registration (IEng or CEng) or evidence of progressing toward it.
• 18th Edition Wiring Regulations (C&G 2382).
• Experience with AutoCAD and ElectricalOM (advantageous but not essential).

What’s In It For You

• Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.
• At WSP, we understand that work is just one aspect of your life. It’s important to make time for you, your family, friends, interests and your community. Our hybrid working policy offers the flexibility to work from home two days a week, while also providing opportunities to collaborate in our modern offices across the UK.
• We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences. We enable rewarding careers by encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work so that our work represents the fullest spectrum of society.
• We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.
• To enhance work-life balance, WSP offers the “WSP My Hour,” allowing you to take one hour each day for personal activities, with the flexibility to make up the time earlier or later that day.
• We understand the importance of development and training to you. That’s why we foster a supportive environment that invests in your growth, whether through training, mentoring, or Chartership.