Senior Civil Design Engineer - Rail

Senior Design Engineer (Civil Rail)

Doncaster (Hybrid – 1 day a month in the office)
Outside of IR35 contract opportunity

Want to work on major UK rail programmes that are changing the landscape of the industry?

If you enjoy being hands-on with design, want genuine project variety, and like the idea of working in a close-knit engineering team where your input actually matters, this could be the role for you.

My client is growing their in-house design capability and are looking for a Senior Design Engineer (Civil) to support a wide portfolio of rail infrastructure projects across the UK. You’ll join a collaborative team delivering ancillary civil engineering design across some of the industry’s most recognisable frameworks and programmes.

This is an opportunity to stay technically involved while working on projects that are shaping the future of UK rail infrastructure.

What you’ll be working on

You’ll support design delivery across a diverse range of live and upcoming projects, including:

• Scotland SPC Framework
• North West Signalling Programmes
• Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU)
• SRE (Southern Regional Enterprise)

You’ll play a key role in delivering ancillary civils solutions that support wider rail systems and infrastructure delivery.

What the role will involve

As a Senior Design Engineer, you’ll remain heavily involved in technical delivery rather than moving into a purely coordination-based role. Your work will include:

• Delivering civil engineering designs for rail infrastructure projects
• Designing ancillary civils including bases, troughing routes, access solutions and equipment supports
• Undertaking structural and geotechnical calculations and assessments
• Providing CRE-level technical input across projects
• Reviewing and checking design outputs in line with standards and project requirements
• Working closely with project delivery teams, CAD technicians and multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Ensuring designs are practical, buildable and aligned with real site constraints
• Supporting site surveys and integrating findings into design solutions where required

Why this opportunity stands out

A lot of senior engineering roles move away from hands-on technical work. This one doesn’t.

You’ll still be involved in meaningful design delivery while gaining exposure to a broad range of frameworks, disciplines and project environments. The team itself is small, collaborative and approachable, giving you visibility and influence rather than being another name in a large design office.

The hybrid setup also offers strong flexibility, with only one day a month required in the Doncaster office and accommodation/expenses covered when needed.

What they’re looking for

You’ll likely have experience within rail civil engineering design and feel comfortable operating in a contractor-led project environment.

Key experience includes:

• Civil design experience within the rail sector
• Strong understanding of ancillary civils, structural and/or geotechnical design
• CRE experience, or the capability to operate at that level
• Awareness of constructability and practical site delivery constraints
• Experience working for a contractor or subcontractor environment

Desirable experience:

• Chartered status or working towards Chartership
• Experience supporting or undertaking site surveys
• Familiarity with Tekla and GEO5

The team fit

This role would suit someone who enjoys collaboration and wants to be part of a team with a positive culture and good working dynamic. You’ll be someone who can communicate confidently with delivery teams, bring practical solutions to problems, and enjoy working closely with others to get projects over the line.

Interested?

If you’d like to find out more, apply directly or get in touch for a confidential conversation