Lead Principal Civil Engineer

Base

Location:

Perth, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness

Salary: £78,400 - £117,600 + car / car allowance + performance-related bonus + a range of benefits to support your finances, wellbeing and family.

Working Pattern: Permanent | Full Time (Part Time options available) | Flexible First options available

The role: This isn’t just a job—it’s your chance to make a meaningful impact and shape the future of Civil engineering at a pivotal time for SSEN Transmission. As we deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious infrastructure projects and accelerate towards Net Zero, we’re looking for a collaborative and inspiring leader to join our Transmission Project Engineering team.

As Lead Principal Civil Engineer, you’ll provide technical leadership in the development of standardised designs and innovations across all Civil engineering projects. You’ll work closely with others, support and empower a talented team, and advocate for safety, consistency, and creativity while driving forward solutions that power a greener, smarter energy network.

• Provide technical leadership and accountability for all Civil engineering projects, ensuring solutions meet business, regulatory, and safety requirements.
• Guide and nurture a team of specialist engineers, fostering a supportive and inclusive culture and encouraging career growth.
• Oversee and coordinate resolution of technical issues, applying collaborative problem‑solving and thoughtful thinking across projects and work streams.
• Promote health, safety, and environmental excellence, ensuring compliance with CDM, ESQCR, and SSEN standards.
• Drive innovation by encouraging creativity and continuous improvement, implementing enhancements and engaging with industry forums to shape best practice.

• A proven track record of bringing out the best in people and delivering complex Civil engineering projects.
• A degree in an appropriate engineering discipline, with Chartered Engineer status (or equivalent) preferred.
• Deep technical knowledge of Civil engineering, relevant legislation (including CDM & ESQCR), and industry standards.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trust and simplify complex ideas.
• Strong problem‑solving ability, collaborative decision‑making skills, and a passion for supporting the growth of others.

SSE has a bold ambition – to be a leading energy company in a net zero world. We’re investing around £10 million a day in homegrown energy to help power a cleaner, more secure future. SSEN Transmission owns and operates the electricity transmission network across the north of Scotland, transporting energy from where it is generated to where it is needed.

We’re upgrading the grid to deliver cleaner, homegrown energy for the future and building a network for net zero to create secure power for generations to come.

Enjoy discounts on private healthcare and gym memberships. Wellbeing benefits like a free online GP and 24/7 counselling service. Interest‑free loans on tech and transport season tickets, or a new bike with our Cycle to Work scheme. Generous family entitlements such as maternity and adoption pay, and paternity leave.

SSE will make any reasonable adjustments you need to ensure that your application and experience with us is positive. Please contact Shirley‑Anne O'connor at o' / to discuss how we can support you.

We are dedicated to fostering an open and inclusive workplace where people from all backgrounds can thrive. We create equal opportunities for everyone to succeed and especially welcome applications from those who may not be well represented in our workforce or industry.

Start your online application using the Apply Now box on this page. We only accept applications made online. We’ll be in touch after the closing date to let you know if we’ll be taking your application further. If you’re offered a role with SSE, you’ll need to complete a criminality check and a credit check before you start work.