Principal Civil Engineer (Rail CRE)

Overview

As a Principal Engineer at Arcadis, you will lead rail infrastructure design and delivery across the UK within a multidisciplinary team. You will provide technical leadership, ensure quality and safety standards, and act as a key client contact to solve complex challenges. The role combines hands-on design oversight with mentoring and business development, contributing to Arcadis’ mission of sustainable, high-impact projects. You will work closely with clients and peers to shape robust, integrated rail solutions.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor design teams across rail projects
• Oversee technical delivery from concept to completion ensuring quality and compliance
• Champion SHE practices across projects
• Collaborate with local/global multidisciplinary teams to deliver integrated solutions
• Act as primary client contact for updates and technical issue resolution
• Provide technical leadership and approve design deliverables and reviews
• Prepare and present technical proposals and recommendations
• Manage production and quality assurance of analyses, design docs, and reports
• Support commercial management and maintain project records
• Maintain CPD and contribute to team capability and growth

Key requirements

• BSc/BEng or MSc/MEng in Civil Engineering or related discipline
• Experience delivering rail infrastructure projects and leading design teams
• Proven CRE on Network Rail projects
• Strong knowledge of Eurocodes, Network Rail standards, and design software (LUSAS, MIDAS, Bentley products, ProjectWise)
• Experience with stations, structures, and lineside assets
• Knowledge of site surveys, construction challenges, and CDM Regulations
• Strong technical, report-writing, and client-facing skills
• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status, or working towards chartership (desirable)

• leadership and mentoring
• clear communication with clients and stakeholders
• team collaboration across disciplines
• Eurocodes
• Network Rail standards
• LUSAS

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