Principal or Associate Geotechnical Engineer

Location

Cardiff or Bristol, UK

Recruiter Contact

Ainsley Anstess

Overview of the Role

As a Principal or Associate Geotechnical Engineer in our Foundations and Geotechnics team, you will broaden your experience and work on key public and private sector projects. You will manage and produce design solutions in line with current Eurocodes, report specifications, and drawings covering foundations and geotechnics. You will lead teams, support larger projects through client liaison, risk assessments, sustainability, budgeting and cost control.

Key Responsibilities

• Client liaison
• Foundation, retaining wall and earthwork design
• Management and delivery of Ground Investigation (scope, specifications, supervision, GIRs, GDRs)
• Manage small and medium projects and develop client relationships
• Travel to project sites when necessary for delivery
• Managing medium to large single and multi‑disciplinary design teams
• Opportunities to work on major national and international projects
• Lead and manage numerical modelling activities

Candidate Specification

As a Principal or Associate Geotechnical Engineer you will direct and deliver multiple concurrent projects or one large project on time and within budget, have designed various geotechnical and foundation solutions using current standards and Eurocodes, and have led technical teams on numerous projects.

Additional Requirements

• Masters or PhD degree in Civil Engineering with emphasis on geotechnics
• Relevant geotechnical experience with technical project delivery
• Chartered Engineer with the ICE or equivalent
• Experience managing medium to large teams of engineers
• Experience managing ground investigations, GIRs, and GDRs
• Experience guiding and nurturing a team of engineers in their technical development
• Has mentored early career professionals
• Prepared to travel nationally and internationally as needed
• Numerical modelling experience
• Knowledge and experience in programming/scripting (VBA, Python, etc.) is advantageous

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK that do not require sponsorship.

Agile Working

We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces 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 and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

Accessibility

If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at and we will discuss how we can support you.

Benefits

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6x 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, recognizing 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 everyday 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 programme, 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, 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.

Employment Details

Contract Type: Permanent

Work Pattern: Full Time

Market: Transport

Discipline: Geotechnical and tunnelling

Job Ref: 15050

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