Engineering Manager (MEP

Position: Engineering Manager (MEP)
Location: West Hyde

Engineering Manager (MEP) – HS2 Chiltern Tunnels

HS2 – Align Joint Venture Main Works Civils Contract

Salary: £90,000 – £100,000 + 12% Pension + Healthcare + 25 Days Holiday

Location:

Rickmansworth / Maple Cross – typically 3 days per week on site
Programme: HS2 – Align Joint Venture £1bn
MEP Package: £160m – MEP fit-out of 5 ventilation shafts & 5 head houses
Progression:
Head of Engineering – c.£120,000 + package
Long-term: HS2 programme through to 2039, with opportunities across multiple major London projects

The Opportunity

Are you an experienced Engineering Manager, Senior Project Engineer or MEP Engineering Lead looking to take technical responsibility for a major engineering package on one of the UK's most significant infrastructure programmes?

This is an opportunity to take a leading engineering role on HS2's £1bn Align Joint Venture Main Works Civils Contract, with technical responsibility for a £160m MEP package across five ventilation shafts and five associated head houses.

The project is entering a key delivery phase, with detailed design progressing into installation from November, followed by testing, commissioning and technical assurance through to 2029.

You'll lead engineering delivery across the full lifecycle, from detailed design and technical assurance through construction, installation, testing and commissioning, while managing complex interfaces between the MEP package, tunnelling works and the wider HS2 railway systems.

The Long-Term Opportunity

The HS2 programme runs through to 2039, providing significant long-term career opportunities.

Experience gained on Align will position you strongly for future senior engineering roles across major London projects, including:

* Old Oak Common – £1.6bn

* Euston Station – approximately £4bn

* London Tunnels – approximately £4bn

* Nine major Rail Systems contracts, including the MEP Systemwide contract

* Further stations, systems and infrastructure packages across the HS2 programme

The Project

The Align Joint Venture is delivering approximately 21.6km of railway infrastructure, including the 16km Chiltern Twin Bored Tunnels, portal structures, ventilation shafts and associated infrastructure.

The £160m MEP package covers the fit-out of five ventilation shafts and five head houses, incorporating critical systems including:

High and low voltage electrical distribution

Tunnel ventilation

Fire detection, suppression and life safety systems

Mechanical and public health services

Lighting and emergency lighting

Building Management Systems

Pumping, drainage and associated services

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Engineering, you'll provide technical leadership across the MEP package, ensuring designs are coordinated, technically assured and successfully delivered on site.

You'll work closely with designers, construction teams, specialist contractors, HS2 technical specialists and the wider rail systems teams.

A major part of the role will be managing the technical interfaces between the MEP works and other HS2 systems contracts, ensuring individual packages integrate successfully into the wider railway.

You'll have responsibility across detailed design, technical assurance, construction, installation, testing and commissioning.

Engineering & Commercial Change

You'll also provide technical input into change management, assessing whether proposed changes are technically justified and represent value for money.

Working with commercial and project teams, you'll challenge and negotiate with Tier 1 contractors, helping minimise unnecessary Early Warnings (EWs) and Compensation Events (CEs) while ensuring legitimate change is properly managed.

The role therefore requires someone who is both technically credible and commercially aware, with the confidence to challenge contractors and protect the interests of the HS2 programme and taxpayer.

Key Responsibilities

* Take technical responsibility for the £160m MEP package across five ventilation shafts and five head houses.

* Lead engineering coordination from detailed design through construction, installation, testing and commissioning.

* Provide technical assurance and review designs against HS2 requirements and relevant standards.

* Manage…