Market
Transportation
Highways Principal Engineer (UK Wide)
Bristol, UK
Posted on Jun 30, 2026
At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.
Your impact
This isn’t just another engineering role—it’s your chance to shape how the UK moves.
As a Principal Highways Engineer, you’ll lead the design and delivery of major transport projects that connect communities, boost economies, and improve everyday journeys. You’ll drive smarter, safer, more efficient design solutions—while mentoring the next generation of engineers and influencing how we deliver projects at scale.
From national programmes to local schemes that make a real difference, your expertise will directly elevate performance, innovation, and outcomes across our highways capability.
About the opportunity
We know great people want more than just a job—so here’s what you can expect:
🚀 Real influence – Lead high-profile projects and shape technical decisions that matter
🌍 Variety & impact – Work on everything from local authority schemes to global mega‑projects
📈 Career growth – Opportunities to step into leadership, grow your team, and expand your impact
? Flexibility – Balance your work and life in a way that works for you
💡 Innovate & improve – Champion new approaches, automation, and better ways of working
👥 Supportive culture – Collaborate with talented, passionate people across the UK and beyond
Jacobs is a market leader in transport, working with clients like National Highways, Transport Scotland, and the Welsh Government, alongside global contractors. From world‑scale projects like NEOM and King Khalid International Airport to local schemes with councils and transport authorities across the UK, we deliver work that truly makes an impact. Across the North, Midlands, and South‑West, you’ll be part of projects for organisations such as Manchester Airport Group, Birmingham City Council, and the West of England Combined Authority—combining national scale with meaningful local delivery.Provide your feedback on BizChat
Here's what you'll need
- Attained a relevant professional qualification, for example a degree in engineering /CEng/ IEng or equivalent qualifications
- Technical experience of delivering local and/or major highways projects or the land side alignment elements in adjacent markets such as Water or Aviation.
- Ability to lead small project teams effectively and support their technical development.
- Thorough understanding of commonly used design standards such as Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) or international equivalents.
- Sound knowledge of UK Health & Safety legislation and a passion for fostering safety and wellbeing.
- Experience of the financial management and control of projects.
#UKTransportation #LI-DC1
Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.
With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well-being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs.
We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here.
Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit https://www.vercida.com/uk/employers/jacobs to view and access our roles.
As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.
We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.
Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.
Locations
| City | State | Country |
|---|---|---|
| London | Greater London | United Kingdom |
| Manchester | Greater Manchester | United Kingdom |
| Birmingham | West Midlands | United Kingdom |
| Leeds | West Yorkshire | United Kingdom |
| Glasgow | Lanarkshire | United Kingdom |
| Edinburgh | East Lothian | United Kingdom |
| Stockton on Tees | County Durham | United Kingdom |
| Cardiff | South Glamorgan | United Kingdom |
| Bristol | Bristol City | United Kingdom |
