Westonbirt Arboretum - Forestry England
Civil Engineer
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Civil Engineer
Job Title: Civil Engineer
Location: Forestry England Office, Bellingham, Hexham, NE48 2HP Salary: £33,854 per annum Contract Type: Permanent Hours: 37 hours per week Closing Date: 11th July 2026, 23:58
About Forestry England
We live and breathe forests. Here at Forestry England, we are foresters, professionals, and experts—passionate about forests and making a positive difference for people and the planet.
Together, we’re using our scale and expertise to:
- Grow the nation’s forests for everyone
- Create inspiring places and experiences to enjoy
- Provide vital habitats for wildlife
- Improve air quality through sustainable landscapes
- Produce sustainable timber
By adapting landscapes for tomorrow, we deliver real impact today.
About the Role
You will support the district’s Civil Engineering Programme, delivering construction and maintenance projects across bridges, reservoirs, dams, and forest roads by:
Establishing clear plans for engineering delivery
- Specifying and overseeing technical requirements
- Managing project delivery through external contractors
- Maintaining civil engineering assets routinely
- Overseeing works while complying with legal, health & safety, and environmental obligations
- Engaging and informing internal stakeholders across Forestry England
You will collaborate, advise, and advise—ensuring that civil engineering supports our environmental, social, and commercial goals.
This is an opportunity to make a real difference through hands-on engineering that benefits both nature and people.
Daily Responsibilities
Planning & Delivery
- Planning and meeting budgets for routine civil engineering works
- Managing employment of contractors and maintaining schedules
- Inspecting all aspects of civil construction to ensure high engineering standards
Asset & Environmental Maintenance
- Routine inspection of roads, bridges, assets, and geohazards
- Reporting on conditions and uplifting sustainable design principles
- Ensuring land use supports ecological goals
Compliance & Safety
- Meeting Health & Safety, property inspection, environmental obligations (incl. riparian management)
- Ensuring projects comply with national protocols, legislation, and Forestry England policies
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Collaboration & Communication
- Supporting senior officers with project management when required
- Ensuring design/risk decisions align with priorities
- Developing reporting documents, minutes, or forecasts as needed
Requirements
Skills & Qualities
- A strong civil, environmental or forest engineering background is essential
- Direct experience of civil engineering works in the public sector, local authorities, or within large industrial sites is highly desirable
- Experience of managing projects, specifying works for delivery, and handling asset maintenance
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of stakeholders
- Strong health & safety awareness and knowledge of ecological & environmental compliance
Professional Development
- Commitment to continue professional development and to join a scheme member body (e.g., CIOB, ICE, IMAM, or CIHT)
- The ability to apply sustainability principles to infrastructure
About You
We’re looking for a professional with hands-on engineering skills who shares our enthusiasm for making forests work better for people and wildlife.
We pride ourselves on a work-hard, play-hard environment. Our team is warm, active outdoors, and committed to addressing climate change challenges and biodiversity loss.
Where You’ll Work
Forestry England Office, Bellingham, Hexham, NE48 2HP
Benefits
At Forestry England, we treat our people well and offer a generous array of benefits:
Rewarding Compensation
- Competitive salary: £33,854
- Decent inflation-busting pension contribution of 28.97% of salary, joining the Civil Service Defined Benefits Scheme
Work-Life Balance
- 25 days holiday per year + rising by one day annually (up to 30 days max) + bank holidays included
- Flexible leave to balance career goals and responsibilities
Discounts & Extras
- Eligibility to join STaR employee benefits scheme—for supermarket savings, fleet car rentals, clothes, pet insurance or medical scheme discounts
- Free on-site parking and discounted access to National Arboretums at Westonbirt and Bedgebury
- Personal lifelong learning and career development support through self-development opportunities
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How to Apply
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Candidates are required to submit a confidential [200-word] statement on relevant experience and career history PLUS a 500-word personal statement. Both parts will be assessed during sifting.
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Interview process will assess:
- Technical skill-based questions
- Relevant behaviours being assessed:
- Delivering at pace: prioritising good results against tight deadlines
- Working together: welcoming and leveraging diversity, plus show teamwork
- Making effective decisions under pressure
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Expressions of interest will also allow you to share alternative career adjustments that may be needed for a successful application.
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Following selection, you’ll undergo a criminal record check and government baseline personnel security check.
If you require any reasonable adjustments for equality or inclusion, please contact: fcrecruitmentteam@forestryengland.uk
[Read our AI application guidelines before applying.]
Government Requirements
- As part of the Civil Service, Forestry England works in alignment with UK employment law and will check eligibility for employment within the UK.
- Nationality requirements: Read more [here].
- This role involves frequent trekking, continual travel (including parts not serviced by public transport), seasonal work in adverse weather, and potential outdoor evening work.
Note on Applications Process
Following the Civil Service Commissioners’ recruitment principles, if issues arise with your application or perceived unfairness, please contact: englandhr.services@forestryengland.uk
Diversity & Inclusion
Forestry England actively supports:
- Disability Confident Scheme – applicants with disabilities who meet minimum criteria will be guaranteed an interview.
- Great Place to Work for Veterans
- Prison Leaver Recruitment initiative
Within the organisation’s Immigration Act 2016, candidates must have the ability to communicate proficiently in English.
A word of introduction: Come join our incredible team of people who are as committed to growth as you.
[Download the official Forestry England Civil Engineer Job Description for full details: Forestry England Job Description - Civil Engineer (PB5).pdf]
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