Principal Structural Engineer

United Infrastructure is a dynamic and rapidly expanding business, focused on delivering critical infrastructure projects, across the utility and social infrastructure sectors. Our team of highly skilled and hardworking specialists deliver innovative solutions to the complex challenges our clients face. Our company is split into two business areas: Utility Infrastructure – Our team of Utility Infrastructure specialists design, build and maintain critical water, energy (gas), power and telecoms infrastructure, for the UK’s largest network owners and operators. Social Infrastructure - Our team of Social Infrastructure specialists revitalise homes and communities by carrying out a wide range of work, from retrofit to refurbishment, and maintenance. Equal Opportunities Statement - At United Infrastructure, we are committed to making every interaction a positive and inclusive experience. If there is anything we can do to support you, remove barriers, or make the process more accessible, please let us know — we want this to be the best possible experience for you.

Role Overview

UIPTD is seeking a Principal Structural Engineer to lead structural design and technical governance across our overhead line and substation structures portfolio, supporting EPC delivery for SSE, SPEN, NGED, and National Grid. The successful candidate will work closely alongside the incumbent team during a structured handover period to absorb corporate knowledge and technical authority. OHL structural experience (lattice towers, wood pole lines, or similar guyed/self-supporting structures) is strongly desired given how specialised this discipline is, but UIPTD will also consider candidates from adjacent structural disciplines — steel lattice/mast structures, telecoms towers, bridges, or other slender/dynamically-loaded structures — where the underlying engineering principles and analytical approach transfer well to OHL. Full training and mentoring into OHL-specific practice will be provided where required.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the senior structural design authority for OHL lattice tower, wood pole, and steel pole structures across UIPTD's EPC portfolio
• Provide structural design authority for substation equipment support structures — gantries, busbar supports, plant support steelwork, cable sealing end structures
• Lead complex or non-standard structural assessments, including heritage/legacy tower types, uprating studies, and load reassessment for line refurbishment or reconductoring schemes
• Review and approve structural calculations and reports produced by senior and intermediate engineers within the team
• Set and maintain UIPTD's structural design standards, procedures, and calculation templates for OHL and substation structures
• Provide technical sign-off on structural elements of tender and PQQ submissions for OHL and substation framework contracts
• Represent UIPTD at client technical governance meetings on structural matters (SSE, SPEN, NGED, National Grid)

OHL Structural Design

• Structural analysis and design of lattice towers, wood pole (single, H-pole, trident) and steel pole structures
• Tower/pole capacity studies for reconductoring, uprating, and line diversion schemes — assessing existing structures against revised loading
• Review of PLS-CADD / PLS-POLE structural outputs and integration with the wider OHL design process
• Structural input to feasibility studies and options assessments for new-build and refurbishment OHL schemes

Substation Structures

• Structural design of substation gantries, busbar support structures, plant support steelwork, and cable sealing end structures
• Structural assessment of existing substation structures for plant replacement or uprating schemes
• Coordination with electrical and civil disciplines on substation structural interfaces

Mentoring, Succession & Team Development

• Work directly alongside incumbent senior structural engineers during a structured handover period, to capture corporate knowledge, historic design precedent, and client-specific practice
• Mentor and technically supervise Senior and Intermediate Structural Engineers within the team
• Support recruitment, onboarding, and development of the wider structural engineering function
• Champion structural engineering competency development across the OHL and substation design team

Quality, Safety & CDM

• Ensure all structural design outputs comply with technical specifications, and client-specific standards
• Author and review Designers Risk Assessments and structural design intent documentation under CDM 2015
• Contribute to Temporary Works design and checking where structural expertise is required (tower propping, guying, temporary support systems)
• Champion safe-by-design principles across all structural outputs

Requirements

Essential

• Essential Degree in Structural, Civil, or Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent); Chartered Engineer (CEng) with IStructE, ICE, or equivalent professional body
• Minimum 10 years structural engineering experience, with demonstrable experience of slender, guyed, or dynamically-loaded structures (lattice towers, masts, poles, or similar)
• Strong working knowledge of structural steel design and structural analysis principles applicable to lattice and pole structures
• Experience of foundation design principles for structures subject to overturning, uplift, and lateral loading
• Demonstrated ability to lead technically complex structural assessments and provide design authority sign-off
• Strong mentoring and team leadership capability, with experience developing less experienced engineers
• Full UK driving licence

Desirable

• Direct experience of OHL lattice tower, wood pole, or steel pole structural design
• Experience of PLS-CADD / PLS-POLE or equivalent OHL structural analysis software
• Experience of substation structural design (gantries, plant support steelwork)
• Experience of structural design in adjacent disciplines — telecoms masts, transmission towers, bridges, or other wind/dynamically-sensitive structures — where transferable to OHL
• Experience of tower/pole capacity assessment for reconductoring or uprating schemes
• Experience of SSE, SPEN, NGED, or National Grid framework delivery CDM 2015
• Principal Designer or Designer experience

What UIPTD Offers

• Senior-level salary package commensurate with experience
• Hybrid working arrangement — Horsham preferred, Glasgow or Warrington considered
• A genuinely succession-critical role with direct handover from long-standing incumbent technical authorities
• Structured mentoring into OHL-specific structural practice for candidates from adjacent disciplines
• Chartership support and CPD funding
• Company pension scheme
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays