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Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer / Engineering Geologist

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Locations
Altrincham, United Kingdom / Brighton, United Kingdom / Glasgow, United Kingdom
Country
United Kingdom
Contract type
Permanent
Work pattern
Variable Hours, Part Time, Full Time
Market
Energy
Discipline
Geotechnical and tunnelling
Job ref
13258
Recruiter contact
Cassidy Browne
Apply now

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
Our Energy Unit leads WIN and DO work in all energy market and nuclear defence market projects, working at the forefront of the energy transition challenge to ensure safe, stable, sustainable energy is available for future generations.
 
Our multidisciplinary teams provide a variety of services throughout the full project life cycle, from advisory services and feasibility studies through outline and detailed design to construction support and site supervision, working across electrical transition (transmission, HVDC, solar, battery storage, onshore wind, tidal), nuclear (generation, disposal, other civil), nuclear defence, hydropower, offshore wind and thermal transmission (gas, liquids, hydrogen, thermal generation) projects across the UK and Europe.
 
Ready for your next challenge and looking to support the energy transition and growth of the company in a major growth area? We are a company and unit that actively fuels the creativity of our people, creating space for our people to grow their careers and take on the next challenge where headroom exists. We have had enormous success in some of our frameworks and are looking to expand upon this across all sub‑markets. We know that variety is key to job satisfaction, hence looking to grow our geotechnical team that will work across all our sub‑markets to help our clients and projects move towards Net Zero.
 
So take the next step in your career with a company and unit focused on supporting the development of our people through defined technical career pathways and supporting creativity with global and local mentors. You have the skills; now here is the opportunity to use them and grow your career in a team and company that values a different perspective.
 
 
Overview of the role
As a Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer in our growing Energy Unit geotechnical team, you will have the opportunity to expand your experience and work with a range of public and private sector clients on some key and major projects across what is a varied and diverse energy market in the UK, Europe and beyond.
 
You will lead the production of cost‑effective and buildable design solutions in line with current Eurocodes, reports, specifications and drawings covering a range of project requirements within energy‑sector geotechnics.
You will deliver various geotechnical and ground engineering projects and provide technical leadership through leading the team, managing and overseeing their design work on complex projects. You will also support larger projects, acting as lead client liaison whether that be internal or external.
 
You will have the opportunity to shape the future technical direction and delivery of our team and work with a range of public and private sector clients on key and major energy projects. You will be involved in overseeing our technical training to remain at the forefront of technology and managing our professional excellence activities. You will support various ground engineering projects as both peer reviewer and through some direct management of engineering geology design work. You will collaborate with account leads on business development activities, offering vital support to secure new projects.
 
Your responsibilities will include the following:
  • Contributing to the setting of long‑term strategy for our Energy Unit engineering geology and geotechnics development and driving forward plans
  • Ground characterisation oversight
  • Design of foundations and substructures associated with energy projects such as earthworks, slope stability, foundations, retaining walls with experience of feasibility study design through to detailed design and construction
  • Design of retaining wall systems
  • Undertaking technical oversight of ground investigation (scope, specifications, supervision, GIRs, GBRs)
  • Undertaking technical oversight of engineering geology design for projects such as deep basements, earthworks and slope stability
  • Supporting business development activities, including inputs to bids and proposals
  • Travel to project sites when necessary for project delivery and client liaison meetings
  • Managing disciplinary design teams or acting as discipline lead as part of a larger team on major projects
 
 
Candidate specification
As a Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer in the Energy Unit ground engineering team, you are able to direct and deliver multiple concurrent projects on time and within budget. You have designed various geotechnical and foundation elements using current standards and Eurocodes and have previously worked on large projects.
 
You will have strong interpersonal skills and are able to liaise with various clients and build professional relationships internally and externally. You are comfortable with your technical expertise in the ground engineering sector and have gained various project management skills throughout your career, as well as acted in a technical lead capacity.
 
You are an effective communicator and are able to collaborate with all levels of staff and clients. In addition to this, you are a relationship builder and understand the dynamics of working with a team as well as working autonomously.
 
Essential:
  • Masters degree in civil engineering with emphasis on geotechnics / engineering geology, or a Masters in a related subject
  • Relevant geotechnical experience
  • Chartered Engineer with the ICE or Geol Soc equivalent
  • Experience of managing small teams of engineers
  • Prepared to travel nationally and internationally as needed for any project
  • Experience in the energy market, ideally in one or more of the following sectors:
    • Transmission and Distribution (T&D) networks
    • Energy Generation (Renewables, Hydro, Thermal, Gas, Liquids)
    • Nuclear (generation, disposal, other civil) or Nuclear defence
  • Experience guiding and nurturing a team of engineers or engineering geologists in their technical development
  • Has mentored early‑career professionals as a DE, SCE or similar
 
Desirable:
  • PhD in civil engineering with emphasis on geotechnics or engineering geology
  • Offshore capability and experience beneficial

 

 

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.

 

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at reasonable.adjustments@mottmac.com and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

 

 

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.
  • 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.

 

 

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.
  • Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

 

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