Principal Signalling Engineer

Principal Signalling Engineer 

Amey is a leading provider of full life‑cycle engineering, operations and decarbonisation solutions for transport infrastructure and complex facilities. 

Working for us, you’ll be delivering sustainable infrastructure solutions that enhance life and protect our shared future.

Our people are driven by a set of strong values, based on safety, insight and collaboration.

The Opportunity

We have a fantastic opportunity for a permanent Principal Signalling Engineer / IRSE Principles Designer (1.1.550) to join our Consulting Rail team in Bristol or Cardiff.

Our signalling teams are improving connectivity, bringing better journeys to passengers, and engineering the future of rail safety, reliability and efficiency.

Key Projects

As an appointed Design Partner on some of the UK’s most significant and complex rail infrastructure projects including Wales & Borders. We are proud to support major programmes such as Northern Powerhouse Rail, Eastern Routes Partnership, Northwest & Central Framework, Core Valley Lines, Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade, and Cardiff Crossrail. Our in-house engineering team delivers design solutions across all Network Rail stages and disciplines, driving improved connectivity, enhancing passenger journeys, and shaping the future of rail safety and efficiency.

These projects also provide a diverse range of opportunities for personal and professional development, whether you are working on long-term, high-value programmes or smaller, community-focused initiatives. With these frameworks in place, you will have the chance to influence infrastructure projects that shape the region’s future.

The Role

To act as a Technical Team Leader, providing advice, guidance and supervision to technical teams, operational managers, clients and suppliers; managing or influencing technical teams across locations and within multidisciplinary delivery environments; and taking the people manager role when required. In addition, the role is accountable for delivering and/or leading signalling design activity at “first principles” level, consistent with IRSE 1.1.550 Principles Designer scope – i.e., changing fundamental operating principles and considering the full implications, not merely repeating established changes.

Responsibilities include:

• Delivering integrated signalling designs from first principles, ensuring operational, technical and safety principles and interlocking logic are fully satisfied.
• Developing or modifying operational signalling principles, including controls, routes, locking, flank protection and system behaviours, with full assessment of system-wide impacts.
• Leading design production, calculations and verification activities, maintaining configuration control, design traceability and requirements compliance.
• Managing, leading and mentoring signalling design teams, allocating work, reviewing outputs and supporting professional development.
• Acting as Engineering Lead or CEM where appropriate, providing system-level technical assurance across multidisciplinary interfaces.
• Managing project delivery including quality, programme, budgets, risk and commercial performance.
• Undertaking design risk assessments, hazard identification and CDM responsibilities, and acting as Principal Designer where required.
• Identifying constraints, non-standard elements or operational implications; producing and documenting non-standard, principles‑level solutions with full justification.
• Completing robust self‑checks and ensuring all design decisions, assumptions, options and operational implications are clearly traceable.
• Ensuring design outputs comply with cyber/data security, EMC and operational safety requirements.
• Responding to review comments, test logs and installation feedback, resolving issues with root‑cause analysis and preventative actions.
• Issuing and storing designs securely, ensuring correct configuration control and lifecycle record management.
• Supporting technical elements of bids and work-winning activity.
• Collaborating effectively with clients, suppliers and multidisciplinary teams, maintaining clear, authoritative technical communication.

What You Will Bring to Us

• Incorporated or Chartered Engineer status or working towards it.
• IRSE 1.1.550 Principles Designer licence, or clear capability to achieve it.
• Strong signalling experience at Senior/Lead Engineer level.
• Proven ability to deliver first‑principles signalling designs.
• Experience leading design teams and checking design deliverables.
• Experience as Engineering Lead (e.g., CEM) or main technical contact.
• Good commercial awareness across budgets, costs and programme.
• Ability to solve complex signalling problems and develop non‑standard solutions.
• Strong skills with signalling tools, standards and assurance processes.
• Solid understanding of CDM, hazards and design‑risk management.
• Ability to manage discipline and multi‑discipline interfaces effectively.
• Strong communication skills for presenting, influencing and mentoring.
• Good knowledge expected of an IRSE 1.1.550 designer (standards, approvals, interlocking, testing, security).

What we can offer you:  

At Amey, we recognise that our biggest asset is our people. That’s why when you join us, we offer flexibility, career development, a choice of benefits and support that help you through all life’s ups and downs. It’s the reason why Investors in People put us among the top 1% of employers. 

Career Development

Our dedicated progression framework identifies your career pathway and progress within the organisation, and with dedicated mentoring and support on hand to ensure you hit your career milestones. We strongly encourage the development towards a professional qualification with a recognised Institution and pride ourselves on mentoring our staff. To show our commitment to development of our staff we offer a comprehensive Chartership bonus.

Work-life Balance

Work-life balance and flexibility are key for our success. We empower our people to make choices that are right for them, with hybrid, part-time and flexible work patterns. And with a network of offices across the UK, we’re open to discussing working options that suit you. 

Wellbeing

Health cash plan, 24 GP, support and assistance programmes, wellbeing ambassadors and Wellbeing Wednesday, dental vouchers 

EDI

At Amey we celebrate our people and all that they are. This is reflected in our Affinity Group networks, providing a community of support and connection, a safe space to share experiences, learn from one another and generate ideas – Women @ Amey, NeuroDiversity, Armed Forces, Multicultural Network, Pride, Diversability and Parents & Carers.  

Social Value

You’ll get 2 Community Involvement Days each year to volunteer for a charity of your choice and further opportunities to support fundraising initiatives. 

Plus, a range of other great perks and benefits including: 

• Pension – Generous Pension scheme which we will contribute to  
• Holidays – Minimum 24 days holiday + Bank Holidays 
• Choices – Our flexible benefits scheme is tailored by you, including buying additional annual leave, cycle2work scheme, charity giving and gym membership  
• Save with Amey – Our online voucher portal gives you access to thousands of discounts from leading retailers to help you save on shopping, days out, or nights in.  

Your Career at Amey Consulting  

At Amey Consulting, we value collective expertise, but also the spark one person can bring. As one of us, you can really be yourself, because your individuality is an asset.  

You’ll be stretched but always supported. Well recognise your hard work and look after your well-being too. You’ll be empowered to play your part and achieve, encouraged to fulfil your own ambition as well as the shared one.  

Application Guidance 

Amey is committed to Inclusion and Diversity. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview, if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. 

Please contact our recruitment team at peopleservices@amey.co.uk to discuss any access needs, reasonable adjustments or additional application support that may be required at any point during the recruitment process. 

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