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Principal Engineer [Building & Civil]

On-site in London·Full-time·Added today (last checked 13 Nov)

Network Rail

145 open roles

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Our summary

Salary: £85,395 - £104,160 a year
About £5,010 - £5,840 a month after tax.
Work mode: On-site, London
Contract: Permanent, full-time hours
Experience: Senior level
Closing date: Apply by Thursday 26 November

Skills

Requirements

What we're looking for

You'll combine technical knowledge with the ability to provide clear engineering direction and support the professional development of others.

Chartered Engineer status, or demonstrable equivalent experience at Level 7.
Sound knowledge of applicable policies, standards and national legislation.
Experience of developing technology and product strategies.
Knowledge of safety management and risk assessment processes.

Nice to have

A formal Project Management qualification, such as APMP, PRINCE2, PMIP or MSP.
Strong commercial awareness and financial acumen.
Broad and extensive experience in the development of engineering technology.
Experience of railway infrastructure management or a similar safety-critical environment.

The role

Bring your expertise. Shape engineering standards. Lead with influence.

Are you ready to take a leading role in Buildings and Civil engineering across Network Rail's Southern Region?

This is an opportunity to apply your technical expertise, influence the delivery of capital projects and support the development of fellow engineers.

As our Principal Engineer [Buildings and Civil], you'll provide technical leadership and direction for the discipline, helping to ensure capital projects meet client requirements. From shaping engineering standards to championing innovation, your expertise will guide decisions and support effective project delivery.

Based at London Blackfriars, you'll be the lead Buildings and Civil engineer for Capital Works within the Southern Region. These works are delivered through the Southern Renewals Enterprise, with Project Engineering resources embedded directly within the Southern Integrated Delivery team.

This is a role centred on technical leadership, assurance and collaboration rather than direct line management of the wider Project Engineering team. Your line management responsibilities will be limited to a number of graduate engineers and Assistant Project Engineers, giving you the opportunity to support their development while providing professional leadership across the discipline.

What you'll do

Lead technical expertise and project assurance: Provide expert advice to customers, suppliers and delivery teams, manage Engineering Verification activities and help ensure capital projects meet client requirements.
Shape strategy, standards and compliance: Lead the development of engineering policies, standards, specifications and operational processes, including asset management requirements, system risk, Product Acceptance and vehicle/infrastructure interfaces.
Champion safety: Lead technical input into accident and incident investigations and safety verification, including CIPs, and respond to changes in legislation, requirements and industry practice.
Develop engineering capability: Mentor engineers towards professional registration, support cross-discipline collaboration, and shape competency frameworks, training needs and technical development programmes.
Support delivery and drive improvement: Act as Delivery Manager for specific projects or portfolios, delivering to time, cost and quality requirements, while identifying opportunities for innovation and developing business cases and Investment Papers where needed.
Collaborate and represent Network Rail: Work with internal and external experts, regulatory bodies and industry partners to shape technical strategy, representing Network Rail through relevant forums, publications and contributions to European issues as required.

Ready to make your expertise count?

If you're looking for a role where you can influence engineering practice, guide capital project delivery and help develop other engineers, we'd like to hear from you.

Salary: £85,395 - £104,160 plus £3,270 Location Allowance

Closing Date: 26 November 2026

About Network Rail

Industry: Transportation

In their own words

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At Network Rail, we're dedicated to keeping passengers and freight moving safely and efficiently across the country. When you join us, you're not just part of a team - you're part of something that matters to millions. We believe that our people are at the heart of what we do, and every role plays a vital part in building a better, more connected railway. Click here to learn more.

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