Principal / Associate Lighting Engineer

Location/s: Any UK Mott MacDonald office
Recruiter contact: Ainsley Anstess

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. 

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee-owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the business unit 
We help conceive, drive, and implement transport solutions for cities, regions, and asset owners/operators around the globe. From preparing the business case and advising on related issues - such as revenue, procurement, and environmental legislation - to delivering the completed infrastructure and helping maintain it. Our planning, engineering, environmental and management skills cover the whole project cycle. We play a major role in developing and delivering the Global Transport Sector Strategy.

Overview of the role

We are looking for a Principal / Associate Engineer (Infrastructure Lighting) to lead our Infrastructure Lighting Team and support a growing workload of exciting projects located in the UK and around the world.

Mott MacDonald’s Transport and Mobility Solutions (TMS) Division delivers services across the entire project lifecycle. Whether we are planning, designing and implementing new civil infrastructure such as highways, railways and airports, or maintaining, managing, improving and operating existing assets, we deliver innovation, cost certainty and added value through collaborative working with clients and a culture of continuous improvement.

TMS is primarily based in the UK delivering projects to clients such as National Highways, Network Rail, HS2 and Transport Scotland. We specialise in design and construction, progressing schemes from option identification and appraisal through preliminary & detail design to supervision of works on site.

Our Infrastructure Lighting Team is involved in several significant projects working closely with our highway and rail colleagues delivering excellence for our clients. We are providing highway lighting designs for several major highways’ projects including Lower Thames Crossing and A428 Caxton to Gibbet, as well as designs for lighting on HS2 and East West Rail.

In addition to this, we are also increasing our presence in the aviation sector, with several projects coming online where we will be supporting the design of airfield ground lighting (AGL). The successful candidate will be expected to support this and help the team to grow into this area, working alongside our highways and aviation colleagues.

Furthermore, we are also supporting clients across the UK with assessing the environmental impact of existing lighting infrastructure, as well as aiding them with managing the maintenance of their lighting infrastructure assets.

We are looking for an agile and well-motivated infrastructure lighting specialist to act at Principal or Associate level with a genuine passion for infrastructure lighting design and analysis, and a desire to make a difference in the world. We are looking for a person who is enthusiastic about leading and developing a team of talented infrastructure lighting engineers and help to coordinate the delivery of designs to a variety of Clients in different environments e.g. street lighting asset management, Design & Build, design direct for public sector clients, environmental lighting impact assessment, etc.

In addition to ensuring technical excellence and providing leadership across the team, you will also support the management team with securing new work, building and developing the team and diversifying the team’s workload to provide team members with opportunities for growth and development.

Responsibilities will include technical management and development of a team of infrastructure lighting engineers as well as infrastructure lighting analysis and design/assessment involving:

• Performing advanced analysis for a wide variety of often complex scenarios
• Undertaking options selection and preliminary designs of infrastructure lighting
• Designing or assessing all types of infrastructure lighting to develop cost-effective solutions
• Providing infrastructure lighting asset management advisory services to clients
• Recruiting, mentoring, leading and supporting new team members at all levels to grow and develop the team
• Engaging with other Mott MacDonald offices and divisions to generate new work and support the diversification of the team’s workload and opportunities for development
• Engagement externally with our clients to promote the team’s capabilities and secure new and interesting work for the team to support development and workload diversification
• Line management of team members assisting with day-to-day management and career development
• Engaging with the TMS Division’s resource management process to monitor the team’s workload
• Undertaking the role of Infrastructure Lighting Discipline Lead on major schemes
• Building client relationships, business development, bids and proposals
• Engaging with the Highways Practice developing technical excellence for the Division

The role will be challenging, demanding, varied and offer fantastic opportunities for your skill set and career development.

Candidate specification

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience managing a technical team, winning work and engaging with clients, internally within the business and externally
• A strong personal interest in infrastructure lighting which will be utilised in a broad range of engineering projects
• Strong technical focus and IT skills using a digital modelling approach to delivery by default
• Methodical approach to problem solving including sustainability and decarbonisation
• Excellent written communication and attention to detail and be able to produce accurate technical deliverables
• Excellent verbal communication and engagement skills and a strong interest in growing and upskilling your team and diversifying their workload to develop their skills and experience

Desirable:

• MEng, MSc or similar degree
• Chartered with a UK professional institution or equivalent (ILP, ICE etc.)
• Detailed understanding of DMRB design standards
• Asset management background / expertise
• Desire to drive your own career and development including relevant CPD and professional qualifications
• A desire to work alongside other technical disciplines and engage with our Early Career Professionals network

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. We recognise that differences in ability, skills and experience are a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. 

Please be advised that offers for this role are conditional upon obtaining the appropriate level of Security Clearance.

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

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.

AI Usage

At Mott MacDonald, we see the value AI can bring, but we take a people-first approach to hiring. While AI tools can help candidates prepare and build confidence, every application and hiring decision is reviewed by our recruitment and hiring teams. We encourage the responsible use of AI while ensuring we get to know the real person behind the application.

Accessibility

We want you to feel supported and able to perform at your best throughout our recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to make applying or interviewing with us more accessible, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we'll be happy to discuss how we can help.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

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 every day 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 program, 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.
• 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
• 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.
• We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.

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.
• We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.