Canal & River Trust
Principal Civil Engineer
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
About the Trust
We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?
Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.
Join Our Team: Principal Engineer Opportunity (Non Core Asset Disposal)
We’re looking for a Principal Project Engineer, with a civil engineering background, to join our newly established Non Core Asset Disposal Project Team.
This team plays a critical role in addressing infrastructure problems concerning assets which lie outside the routine asset management process.
We need an experienced engineer who can work alongside fellow professionals to reduce CRT liability and exposure to risk, whilst enabling selective investment to support the appropriate mitigation and unlock opportunities. This can involve responsible disposal or transfer of non core assets, or arrange for others to manage, through legal agreements.
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
Working Hours & Location
This role follows a 37 hour, Monday–Friday working pattern with flexible working options. The role is home‑based, with attendance at Trust hub locations as required for collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
Relevant Hubs: Birmingham / Gloucester / Little Venice / Newark / Ellesmere Port / Leeds
The role requires significant travel across the national waterway network. Travel patterns will be discussed at interview, but regular accessibility to the network is essential.
Role Overview
You’ll be responsible for providing professional engineering expertise to help assess asset condition, risk and value, and to identify practical strategies that enable safe and viable disposal or transfer. You’ll implement a structured and financially disciplined approach to managing non core assets. This includes targeted capital investment, works to enable adoption, and structured dowry arrangements to facilitate transfer to third parties.
Your role is to assess risks, define and develop technical solutions, pull together business plans and support delivery through agreeing specifications and contributing to Contract documents.
You will be working closely with internal teams and external partners to progress robust, acceptable and sustainable outcomes and reducing the overall levels of risk to the Trust.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical support to the Non Core Asset Disposal Project Team
- Provide expert engineering analysis and advice, for solutions to reduce infrastructure risks and /or improve asset condition.
- Investigate and develop cost effective design and construction solutions, ensuring best value and whole life cost considerations.
- Engage with the allocation of design resource, either within the Trust or through the contract supply chain
- Write briefs for the Trust’s Professional Services Consultant and manage the design process.
- Oversee the production of Specifications and Contract documents for any works required on the portfolio of Non Core Assets that aid disposal or transfer.
- Ensure works on the portfolio of Non Core Assets that aid disposal or transfer align with statutory, technical and operational requirements.
- Act as Client in accordance with CDM 2015, for interventions on the portfolio of Non Core Assets.
- Where required, act as Designer and/ or Principal Designer in accordance with CDM 2015, for interventions on the portfolio of Non Core Assets.
- Manage the contractors commissioned for works of the portfolio of Non Core Assets
- Develop and coach colleagues to maintain capability and competence.
- Display the Trust values and behaviours at all times, ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life.
About You
You’re an experienced civil engineer with strong judgement, excellent communication skills and a commercial mindset. You’re comfortable assessing risk, balancing competing priorities and working collaboratively to enable successful asset transfer or disposal. You will have strong interpersonal skills to work across teams within and outside the Trust to achieve outcomes.
Skills & Qualifications
- Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng). Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status will also be considered.
- Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. MICE).
- Experience of civil engineering design and construction.
- Substantial experience delivering complex engineering solutions.
- Knowledge of historic infrastructure and the natural environment.
- Experience in Asset Disposal / Asset Transfer
- Demonstrable experience of cross functional working and risk based decision making.
- Ability to negotiate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience working within diverse, multi disciplined project teams.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues to non technical audiences.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Contact & Application
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
We offer a starting salary of £53,750 - £58,750 plus £450 per month car cash allowance. Enjoy a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits. For a full breakdown of our benefits, check out our brochure here: EVP - 1.
Learn more: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits
#INDHP
Our values
We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.
We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments - whether for a disability, neurodiversity, or health condition - please let us know what you need and how we can support you. We’ll work with you to make any necessary changes.
All of our jobs can be considered on a part time, flexible or job share basis.
We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. You are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We recognise not everyone who is classified as disabled under the Equality Act personally identifies this way, or with this definition of disability. Please do not let this discourage you from applying under the scheme.
At Canal & River Trust, we are committed to fair, transparent, and ethical recruitment practices. As part of our hiring process, we may use AI to analyse applications and support us work more efficiently. However, all hiring decisions – without exception - are made by our hiring managers.
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location