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Job Opportunity: Principal Design Engineer
Murphy is recruiting for a Principal Design Engineer to work with our Applied Engineering Team based out of our London office.
Join Murphy as a Principal Design Engineer taking a leading role in delivering critical infrastructure across the UK.
From shafts and buried chambers to foundations, tanks, drainage, and roads, you’ll design the civil and structural elements of a variety of infrastructure projects across water, energy, power and transport. Based from one of our offices in Warrington, Cannock, or Kentish Town, you’ll collaborate closely with project and site teams to develop practical solutions that make a real impact - above and below ground.
Under the banner of Applied Engineering, our in-house teams include civil, structural, mechanical, geotechnical and process engineers. They design both permanent and temporary works for projects in all our locations and are a trusted source of expert advice for both Murphy colleagues and external customers.
A Day In The Life a Principal Design Engineer
- Be Applied Engineering's single point of contact to multiple projects with management responsibility for project deliverables and costs.
- Reporting to the Senior Engineering Manager.
- Representing the Applied Engineering team in collaborative project team meetings.
- Carrying out civil/ structural designs and acting as checker on other designs.
- Undertaking site visits when appropriate.
- Collating feedback on solutions and contributing to lessons learned meetings.
- Preparing appropriate fully integrated permanent works proposals/solutions to meet the company’s bid and project delivery stage requirements.
- Managing the design work of other staff members and external designers.
- Mentoring of all levels of staff including graduates within Applied Engineering.
- Work collaboratively with other Principal Engineers in the development and growth of the department.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
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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.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
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Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
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.
Still interested, does this sound like you?
- HND/Bachelor/ Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering
- A designer with the ability to manage projects from the design and cost perspectives.
- Experience of effective financial management and control of projects.
- Strong analysis and design skills with the ability to interpret design requirements and analyse complex structures.
- A person with an open-minded approach to solving civil and structural engineering challenges to find the best solution from all perspectives of a project.
- Preferably Chartered with ICE and/ or IStructE.
What's in it for you?
- 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays with the option to buy an additional 2 days holiday each year, holidays increase with length of service
- Discretionary annual bonus and annual salary review
- Above market rate contributory pension scheme
- Life assurance, health screening and enhanced sick pay
- Enhanced maternity and paternity pay and a maternity returners bonus
- Extra weeks holiday for all employees getting married and a wedding bonus
- Subsidised canteen facilities in core locations
- Dedicated and continued investment in your professional development
- Other Murphy benefits include retail discounts and cashback, discounted gym memberships, cycle to work scheme etc


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About Murphy
Murphy is formally recognised as a sector leading employer, Platinum Investors In People accredited along with reported operating profit up 57% on prior year. At Murphy, we are incredibly proud of our diverse workforce. Not only do our people represent over 60 different nationalities, but they also represent a wide range of backgrounds, ethnicities and ages. With a forward order book of £5.4bn and £23m Invested in environmentally friendly plant in 2024 there really is #MoretoMurphy
If you are unable to apply via the usual process, please call Colin Shaw on 07353134836 to discuss in more detail.
Murphy is unable to employ anyone who does not have the legal right to live and work in the UK
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