Principal Civil Engineer

Published
November 3, 2026
Location
Bicester, United Kingdom
Category Civil Engineering
Job Type Permanent Reference
BS03/11/26

PCE1 Salary
70000 - 80000 per annum Start date
 Contact Name
Benjamin Symonds Contact Email
a Description Principal Civils Engineer – Major Energy Infrastructure Project Locations:
Abingdon, Oxfordshire Sector:
Nuclear / Fusion Energy / Major Infrastructure Up to 80,000 plus company package

Kenton Black are working with a leading infrastructure contractor to recruit an experienced Principal Civils Engineer to join a major, nationally significant UK energy infrastructure programme.

This is an exceptional opportunity to become involved in the development of the UK's next generation of fusion energy infrastructure, working on a first-of-a-kind engineering programme that will help shape the future of clean energy.

The successful candidate will become fully embedded within the programme's Design Authority team, providing authoritative civil and structural engineering expertise across the design and integration of buildings, infrastructure, facilities and civil structures.

The Role As Principal Civils Engineer, you will play a key role in defining, integrating and assuring the civil and structural engineering design for a prototype fusion energy power plant.

Working within the Design Authority, you will provide independent engineering judgement, technical leadership and assurance, ensuring design integrity across the wider programme.

Your responsibilities will include:

Defining and maintaining the civil engineering design vision, engineering principles and controlled design basis.

Acting as the technical authority for the review and acceptance of civil and structural design outputs.

Ensuring design integrity and integration across buildings, civil structures, infrastructure and wider plant systems.

Establishing and maintaining engineering governance, standards, technical reviews and design controls.

Providing technical leadership across civil engineering, structural design, groundworks and site-wide infrastructure.

Supporting safety case development, regulatory scrutiny and construction readiness.

Providing authoritative advice on civil and structural engineering safety, compliance and technical requirements.

Working closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, designers and programme stakeholders to resolve complex technical challenges.

About You We are looking to speak with experienced Principal Civils Engineers or senior civil and structural engineering professionals who have operated within complex, safety-critical or highly regulated environments.

You will ideally have:

A degree-level qualification in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering or a closely related discipline.

Chartered Engineer status with an appropriate professional institution.

Significant civil and structural engineering leadership experience.

Previous experience operating as a Technical Authority, Design Authority specialist, Intelligent Client Engineer or Independent Assessor.

Strong understanding of civil and structural design governance, verification, validation and technical assurance.

Experience integrating buildings, structures, groundworks, infrastructure and multidisciplinary engineering interfaces.

The ability to exercise independent engineering judgement and make robust technical decisions where design information is evolving or incomplete.

Experience with in nuclear, energy, defence or other safety-critical infrastructure environments would be highly advantageous.

Project Locations Abingdon:
Culham Campus, Oxfordshire The position will involve travel between programme locations.

Working Arrangements Full-time, permanent opportunity.

Based across Oxfordshire Programme-related travel required.

Some flexibility around working hours is available.

Please note:

Unfortunately, visa sponsorship cannot be offered for this position.

The Opportunity This is a rare opportunity to take on a senior engineering position within a nationally significant energy programme, contributing to the design and development of a first-of-a-kind fusion energy facility.

For an experienced civil or structural engineering professional looking to apply their expertise to one of the UK's most exciting infrastructure and energy programmes, this represents an excellent next career opportunity.

For further information or a confidential discussion, please contact Ben Symonds at Kenton Black Birmingham or get in touch now!