Joining Arup

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The Opportunity

As a Grade 7 Associate Substation Civil Design Lead, you will play a pivotal role in delivering high quality civil and structural design for substation assets across major transmission programmes. You will lead design delivery within assigned bundles, act as a key interface across multidisciplinary teams, and ensure that civil engineering outputs meet the required technical, safety, and programme standards. You will lead design delivery within assigned bundles, act as a key interface across multidisciplinary teams, and ensure that civil engineering outputs meet the required technical, safety, and programme standards.

This role blends hands on design leadership with coordination, assurance, and mentoring responsibilities — ideal for an experienced civil engineer progressing into broader leadership within the UK Great Grid Partnership. Furthermore, similar opportunities are available globally on design leadership with coordination, assurance and mentoring responsibilities.

Is this role for you

1.Leadership & Strategy

Provide day-to-day technical leadership for civil and structural design activities across substation work packages.

Support the development and reinforcement of best practice civil engineering methodologies, processes, and templates across the programme.

Champion GGP Charter behaviours and foster a collaborative working environment across disciplines.

2.Project Delivery

Lead the production of civil and structural design deliverables — including drawings, calculations, reports, and models — ensuring compliance with project requirements, standards and assurance processes.

Manage and coordinate the integration of civil design with electrical, structural, geotechnical, and other disciplines to ensure spatially optimised and constructible solutions.

Support and conduct design reviews, providing technical input and supporting signoff at relevant assurance gates.

Identify design risks, issues, and opportunities, escalating them promptly and contributing to lessons learned processes. learned processes.

3.Team & Capability Development

Mentor and support junior engineers and designers, contributing to capability uplift and a high performing team culture. performing team culture.

Promote knowledge sharing activities across design package teams and the wider programme, supporting continuous improvement in civils delivery.

4.Stakeholder Engagement

Represent civil engineering in multidisciplinary meetings, client discussions, and internal coordination forums.

Support the Technical Project Lead and Package Design Lead in client updates, technical clarifications, and integration workshops.

5.Health, Safety & Wellbeing

Ensure all civil design work aligns with relevant health, safety, and wellbeing requirements.

Embed safe-by-design principles and contribute to risk mitigation across design and delivery. bydesign principles and contribute to risk mitigation across design and delivery.

Requirements

Essential

Degree in Civil or Structural Engineering (or related discipline).

Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng MICE preferred).

Strong experience in civil design for substations, converter stations, or similar energy infrastructure — including access, drainage, foundations, and spatial layout planning.

Experience delivering civil design within multidisciplinary design environments.

Proficiency in civil design tools such as AutoCAD or Civil 3D.

Experience coordinating civils design in complex infrastructure programmes.

Desirable

CDAE accreditation or familiarity with GGP assurance frameworks.

Experience with National Grid or other TSO/DNO standards.

Familiarity with assurance processes, temporary works, and construction logistics.

Experience developing or applying standardised design processes, templates, and typical details.

Ability to use digital tools or automation (e.g., Civil 3D, AutoCAD scripting, Dynamo, Python) to streamline design workflows.

Familiarity with BIM/CDE environments and data driven design. driven design.

Enthusiasm for continuous improvement, efficiency, and modern digital engineering methods.

Not ready to apply just yet, or have a few questions? Contact rebecca.davies@arup.com . Please note, to ensure we remain GDPR compliant do not send your CV directly to us via this email.

What we offer

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

We also provide Private medical insurance, Life assurance, Accident insurance and Income protection cover. In addition, you’ll have access to flexible benefits to help you look after all aspects of your wellbeing and give you the freedom and flexibility to find the best solutions for you, your family, and your individual needs.

Different people, shared values

Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.

Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference. Discover more about life at Arup at www.arup.com/careers/your-life-at-arup.

We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please contact rebecca.davies@arup.com to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application or interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you.

Our Application Process

To understand what to expect next, please visit https://www.arup.com/careers/arup-careers-uk-application-process

Stay safe online – Arup will never ask for your bank details as part of our recruitment process.

Recruitment Agencies - We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted partners to assist us when required and do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies not on the list.

Closing Date - We may close the role earlier than the advertised date should we receive a large number of applications, so please ensure you apply early