Senior Engineer (Tunnels & Culverts)

Closing date: 14/07/2025

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. 

Our team and opportunity

Our Engineers play a key role in supporting our vision and in delivering our Waterways and Wellbeing strategy across the country. We are open and committed to develop, train and support people in their personal and professional development, at all stages of their careers.

We currently have a permanent opportunity for a Senior Tunnel & Culvert Engineer within our Asset Management team. 

The role of the Engineers in the asset management team is to maintain, the Trust’s infrastructure through their entire life cycle to enable visitors to safely enjoy our canals and rivers and safeguard them for future generations. Our asset engineers do this by inspecting and assessing the condition of our built assets, prioritising repair and renewal works specifying works that are required, and support of the operations team on minor repairs and reactive repairs.

Working as part of a team of Engineers and Inspectors, our Engineers provide an important role across the Trust supporting works delivery and the implementation of the asset strategy. See more about our specialist teams here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/specialist-teams/engineering). 

Location & coverage

The role will be based working from home, with the allocation of a nearby Hub for collaborative working. This is a national role and there will be an expectation that the successful candidate will be able travel to attend meetings or fieldwork throughout the waterway network of England and Wales.

See our network here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network). 

Most relevant regional hubs include: Ellesmere Port, Burnley, Birmingham, Newark, Gloucester & Leeds.  

About the role

We're very proud to be the custodians of one of the largest collection of industrial heritage, covering 2,000 miles of the UK's canals and rivers and over 8,500 different structures, many of them listed.   The majority of our canals and navigable rivers are over 200 years old, and they still work as they were designed to. This is quite remarkable and reflects the innovation and skill of the original engineers and the continuing dedication and expertise of our team today.

As a Senior Tunnel & Culvert Engineer you will work closely with the Asset Engineers in the regional teams along with colleagues across other departments, and with a variety of partners internally and externally, to deliver works programmes and supports the implementation of the asset strategy for the Trust. You will support decisions on asset investment priorities which are driven by a risk management approach. 

Key accountabilities:

• Responsible for undertaking scheduled asset inspections, with regular confined space entry, and processing CCTV inspections completed by our subcontractors, ensuring that they are completed to plan, approved and recorded in the prescribed format, to the prescribed quality.
• Support delivery of the Trust’s 10 year culvert inspection plan.
• Contribute specialist technical advice during the feasibility, design, construction and commissioning phases for projects to our direct labour force (Direct Services), framework contractors and volunteers.
• Support internal and external enquiries associated with the Trust’s tunnels and culverts. Respond as appropriate by reference to relevant information sources.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the Trust’s Asset Management Strategy for Tunnels and Culverts.
• Build relationships with local representatives of partnerships, regulators, and stakeholders to protect, maintain, and continually improve levels of service and improve data held by the Trust.
• Provide practical advice and support to the wider Trust in regard to confined space working.
• Where appropriate actively participate in the Trust‘s “Stand-by” and” Call-out rotas”. 

About you

As you will work in a multi-disciplinary environment & teams as part of your day to day work, it is important that you really enjoy being part of a team and that you have a collaborative approach to your work.  You will, of course, work alone under your own initiative too, however engaging with others across all levels of the organisation and with a variety of external partners is how you will get the job done.

Technical:

• Professional qualification in a relevant technical discipline, i.e. Degree or HND in Civil Engineering.
• Knowledge and understanding of historic infrastructure, preferably in a water environment.
• Experience in assessing infrastructure risk; utilising cross-functional working delivering performance across range of functions. 
• Experience of planning and working in confined spaces, including the preparation of risk assessment, Safe Systems of Work etc, advantageous. 
• Medium Risk Confined Spaces training, desirable. 
• Proven experience in the design/delivery of culverts or large diameter pipelines.
• Membership of relevant professional body at an appropriate level ICE, CIWEM.
• Desirable: Incorporated/Chartered Engineer (MICE) (or working towards Incorporated or Charted status, the Trust Operate an ICE accredit training agreement) or equivalent professional qualification (ICE). 

General: 

• Able to negotiate with internal and external contacts. 
• Able to support other areas of the business in an appropriate manner, taking account of overall business priorities and negotiating resources as appropriate.
• Able to provide a good standard of written communication and proven ability to present technical data to non-technical audiences.
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development.
• Proficient in the use of a personal computer and business applications software e.g. MS Office.
• Experience of GIS or mapping systems.
• Valid driving licence appropriate for vehicle to be driven.
• Confirmation of right to work in the UK. 

If you have any questions about the role please contact [email protected]

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

What we offer

In addition to your annual base salary of £44,750 - £50,750, we also offer Car Cash Allowance (£425 per month), a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits we are also open to flexible working arrangements. These include:

• Competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, where we will double your contribution to a maximum of 10%.
• 25 days paid holiday (plus paid Bank Holidays), increasing to 30 days after 5 years.
• Home working status with ‘hub’ facilities available should you need the flexibility to work outside of home.
• Annual £200 personal learning & growth award to spend on any learning related activity.
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues, e.g. health, financial, well-being and domestic matters.
• Access to a range of employee benefits including store discounts, boating holiday discounts and holiday purchase scheme.
• 2 days paid volunteering leave per annum, allowing you to volunteer for a local community project etc.
• Free fishing facilities across our canal network.

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.

We are an ICE approved employer, providing structured learning and professional development support. 

At the Trust, we empower our people to flow and thrive both on and off the water. Our colleagues enjoy a variety of benefits that enhance their lives while working in a place that positively impacts others.  We take pride in our people, protecting heritage and preserving wildlife, and we’re all about the future of our colleagues and the future generations who love and use our network.  Inspired by people, we harness the different ways of working and thinking, ensuring our teams grow and reach their full potential.

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