Engineering Manager (MEP) – HS2 Chiltern Tunnels

HS2 – Align Joint Venture Main Works Civils Contract

Salary:               £90,000 – £100,000 + 12% Pension + Healthcare + 25 Days Holiday
Location:          Rickmansworth / Maple Cross – typically 3 days per week on site
Programme:    HS2 – Align Joint Venture £1bn
MEP Package: £160m – MEP fit-out of 5 ventilation shafts & 5 headhouses
Progression:    Head of Engineering – c.£120,000 + package
Long-term:       HS2 programme through to 2039, with opportunities across multiple major                               London projects

The Opportunity

Are you an experienced Engineering Manager, Senior Project Engineer or MEP Engineering Lead looking to take technical responsibility for a major engineering package on one of the UK's most significant infrastructure programmes?

This is an opportunity to take a leading engineering role on HS2's £1bn Align Joint Venture Main Works Civils Contract, with technical responsibility for a £160m MEP package across five ventilation shafts and five associated headhouses.

The project is entering a key delivery phase, with detailed design progressing into installation from November, followed by testing, commissioning and technical assurance through to 2029.

You'll lead engineering delivery across the full lifecycle, from detailed design and technical assurance through construction, installation, testing and commissioning, while managing complex interfaces between the MEP package, tunnelling works and the wider HS2 railway systems.

The Long-Term Opportunity

The HS2 programme runs through to 2039, providing significant long-term career opportunities.

Experience gained on Align will position you strongly for future senior engineering roles across major London projects, including:

• Old Oak Common – £1.6bn
• Euston Station – approximately £4bn
• London Tunnels – approximately £4bn
• Nine major Rail Systems contracts, including the MEP Systemwide contract
• Further stations, systems and infrastructure packages across the HS2 programme

The Project

The Align Joint Venture is delivering approximately 21.6km of railway infrastructure, including the 16km Chiltern Twin Bored Tunnels, portal structures, ventilation shafts and associated infrastructure.

The £160m MEP package covers the fit-out of five ventilation shafts and five headhouses, incorporating critical systems including:

• High and low voltage electrical distribution
• Tunnel ventilation
• Fire detection, suppression and life safety systems
• Mechanical and public health services
• Lighting and emergency lighting
• Building Management Systems
• Pumping, drainage and associated services

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Engineering, you'll provide technical leadership across the MEP package, ensuring designs are coordinated, technically assured and successfully delivered on site.

You'll work closely with designers, construction teams, specialist contractors, HS2 technical specialists and the wider rail systems teams.

A major part of the role will be managing the technical interfaces between the MEP works and other HS2 systems contracts, ensuring individual packages integrate successfully into the wider railway.

You'll have responsibility across detailed design, technical assurance, construction, installation, testing and commissioning.

Engineering & Commercial Change

You'll also provide technical input into change management, assessing whether proposed changes are technically justified and represent value for money.

Working with commercial and project teams, you'll challenge and negotiate with Tier 1 contractors, helping minimise unnecessary Early Warnings (EWs) and Compensation Events (CEs) while ensuring legitimate change is properly managed.

The role therefore requires someone who is both technically credible and commercially aware, with the confidence to challenge contractors and protect the interests of the HS2 programme and taxpayer.

Key Responsibilities

• Take technical responsibility for the £160m MEP package across five ventilation shafts and five headhouses.
• Lead engineering coordination from detailed design through construction, installation, testing and commissioning.
• Provide technical assurance and review designs against HS2 requirements and relevant standards.
• Manage multidisciplinary MEP interfaces and ensure designs are coordinated and buildable.
• Manage technical interfaces between the MEP works and wider HS2 rail systems contracts.
• Work with designers, contractors, specialist suppliers and HS2 technical teams to resolve complex engineering issues.
• Challenge designs and delivery proposals where they do not meet technical, safety or performance requirements.
• Provide technical input into change management, Early Warnings and Compensation Events.
• Support commercial teams in challenging contractor claims and negotiating change.
• Support design review, acceptance and approval processes.
• Provide engineering input into construction planning, installation sequencing and commissioning.
• Identify technical risks that could affect programme, cost or delivery.
• Maintain technical assurance through installation, testing and commissioning.

About You

We're looking for an experienced engineering professional who can take ownership of a substantial MEP package within a complex infrastructure environment.

You could be an Engineering Manager, Senior Project Engineer, Senior MEP Engineer, Design Manager or similar, with the technical credibility and stakeholder skills to operate across design and construction.

Looking for:

• Significant MEP engineering experience within major infrastructure, rail, tunnelling, stations or other complex construction environments.
• Experience managing or coordinating complex multidisciplinary designs and engineering interfaces.
• Strong technical assurance and engineering management experience.
• Experience taking designs through review, acceptance and approval into construction.
• Experience across design, installation, testing and commissioning.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and confidence challenging designers, contractors and technical specialists.
• Commercial awareness and experience contributing to change management, contractor negotiations or NEC processes.
• Experience working under NEC contracts would be beneficial, as would an understanding of NEC Supervisor responsibilities.
• Previous HS2, Crossrail or other major rail infrastructure experience would be advantageous.

We're open to candidates from main contractor, consultant or client-side backgrounds, provided you have the technical depth and delivery experience to take responsibility for a major MEP package.

Career Progression

There is a clear progression route towards Head of Engineering, with the next-level role offering approximately £120,000 + package.

The combination of major MEP delivery, technical assurance, systems integration and commercial/change-management experience will provide a strong platform for progression within HS2 and the wider infrastructure sector.