Senior Structural Design Engineer

Senior Structural Engineer
Leeds City Centre | Building Structures | Hybrid Working
An established team, a varied portfolio of projects and an opportunity to play a much bigger part in where the business goes next.

I'm recruiting for a Senior Structural Engineer to join a well-established multidisciplinary consultancy in the centre of Leeds. Having recently spent some time with the team, it's clear this is an opportunity that offers considerably more than simply taking on another portfolio of structural design projects.

There's a real focus on the future of the Leeds structures team, with plans already in place for the next stage of its development. As part of that, they're looking for someone who can bring technical experience, take responsibility for their own work and, over time, become an increasingly influential member of the team.

The longer-term opportunity is particularly interesting. With progression taking place within the existing management structure, there's a natural route towards Principal level for someone who wants to develop in that direction.

And there's certainly no shortage of interesting work to get involved in.
The team has an unusually broad spread of projects, covering healthcare, education, residential, commercial, industrial and mixed-use developments. That includes everything from relatively modest structural alterations and surveys through to major new-build schemes and complex refurbishment projects.
They're also becoming increasingly involved in advanced manufacturing, adding another dimension to an already varied workload.
It's the sort of environment where you could be working on a significant healthcare development one week and dealing with the challenges of an existing building or a technically demanding refurbishment the next.
The consultancy has the resources and multidisciplinary support to deliver substantial projects, but the Leeds structures team retains the feel of a smaller, collaborative practice where individuals can make a noticeable contribution.

The role itself will give you plenty of freedom to take ownership.
You'll be responsible for managing structural design packages and projects from the early stages through to delivery, working directly with clients and coordinating with architects, contractors and other engineering disciplines.
Alongside the technical design work, there will be opportunities to become involved in the commercial side of consultancy life, including fee proposals, defining scopes of work, project budgets, contractual considerations and risk management.
This isn't a business where all those responsibilities sit exclusively with Directors. Engineers are encouraged to understand the wider picture, make decisions and develop the skills required to run projects properly.
You'll also have a part to play in supporting more junior members of the team, reviewing their work and helping them develop their technical abilities.

So, who would suit it?
Someone with a strong background in UK building structures consultancy, who has experience designing in steel and reinforced concrete and understands the practical challenges of delivering projects across a range of sectors.
You'll need to be comfortable taking responsibility for your own designs, communicating with clients and coordinating the work of other engineers and technicians.
Experience with refurbishment and existing buildings would be particularly useful, as would familiarity with structural design packages such as Tekla Structural Designer, TEDDS or MasterSeries.
Ideally, you'll be Chartered through IStructE or ICE, although someone approaching Chartership who is already operating at a strong Senior Engineer level would certainly be considered.
More importantly, they're looking for someone who enjoys the wider responsibilities that come with being a Senior Structural Engineer. Someone who wants to influence how projects are delivered, build relationships and help develop the people around them.

A few other things worth knowing about the opportunity...
The Leeds office is right in the city centre, with modern facilities, secure cycle storage, showers and changing facilities. A new car park is also being developed directly opposite.
Hybrid working is based around three days in the office, with the team generally encouraged to attend together. There's flexibility around starting and finishing times, including accommodating childcare and family commitments.
Professional development is taken seriously, with excellent support available through both ICE and IStructE. One of the senior team members sits on an IStructE committee, and the business has a strong track record of supporting engineers through Chartership, including arranging mock professional review interviews.
There's also a good social culture, both within Leeds and across the wider business.
Perhaps most importantly, this is a team with a clear idea of how it wants to develop. The intention isn't simply to recruit someone to deal with the current workload, but to bring in an individual who can become a key part of the team's future.
If you're an experienced Structural Engineer who's ready for more responsibility, or an established Senior Structural Engineer who wants a clearer route towards Principal level, I'd be keen to tell you more.

Contact Sam at Calibre Search for a confidential discussion.

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