Contractor’s Responsible Engineer

Role Description 

Provide civil engineering leadership across projects from tender through design, construction, and handback in the rail environment. We are seeking a CRE-C who brings a pragmatic, buildability-focused mindset, grounded in site experience, and capable of driving practical, delivery-oriented engineering outcomes. Act as the Contractor’s Responsible Engineer for Construction (CRE-C) for Civils and Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC). You will be supporting the CEM and wider project team in delivering engineering control and successful delivery.

At Spencer Rail Engineering we believe that by putting a strong focus on pre-construction activities, we create the best opportunity for successful delivery. By having key team members support the project all the way from ECI to hand back, we seek to leverage the early thinking and planning opportunity. You will be seeing projects through to completion, so this will inevitably regular site attendance (possibly full time) during the delivery phase. This is an important part of the role purpose – providing a technical support/guidance/ approvals to the construction team.

Responsibilities 

Design Management Support & Design Control

  • Develop and issue clear, concise procurement briefs aligned to intended outcomes, covering design, survey & delivery scopes, always ensuring: Scope clarity / alignment with main contract, Value for money, Realistic programme and cost alignment
  • Review design outputs to ensure: Satisfaction of the contract scope, Suitable quality of design submission, Buildability and constructability / alignment with construction methodology and phasing, Integration across disciplines, Over-engineered or unaffordable solutions are challenged / rejected

Temporary Works Coordination (TWC Role)

  • Act as Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC) in accordance with BS 5975
  • Establish and manage the Temporary Works Register
  • Ensure all temporary works: Have clear design briefs, are designed, checked, and approved appropriately, are implemented safely and in accordance with approved designs
  • Coordinate between: Designers Construction teams Site supervision
  • Ensure temporary works: Are fully integrated into construction methodology & Support safe, efficient delivery

Construction Phase Engineering Support

  • Provide day-to-day technical support to site teams
  • Technical approval of documents like WPPs
  • Ensure construction aligns with: Approved design, safe systems of work
  • Review and support: Technical Queries (TQs) / RFIs, Design changes and site-led adjustments
  • Proactively resolve: Buildability challenges, Interface issues
  • Support delivery of: Efficient construction sequencing, Practical engineering solutions

EIS & Handback Support

  • Plan for and support Entry Into Service (EIS) and handback: Early planning and readiness for handback, Quality documentation and records, Civils works are properly documented and evidenced

Risk, Standards & Continuous Improvement

  • Maintain and contribute to engineering risk management
  • Ensure awareness and application of: Network Rail standards, Changes in technical requirements

TRAM & Role Accountability

  • The Task Role Assignment Matrix (TRAM) framework is used to clearly allocate task responsibilities – you will be responsible for completion of all allocated tasks.
    Capability Development & Team Contribution
  • Support development of: Graduate engineers and the engineering function more widely on site, TWS / future CRE capability
  • Share lessons learned across projects, Contribute to building a Competent, confident, self-assuring engineering team

 


Requirements and Qualifications

Qualifications 

Essential 

  • Proven experience as Civil CRE (Contractor’s Responsible Engineer). Previous F0040’s will be requested as evidence.
  • Proven experience as a Temporary Works Coordinator (TWC). CITB TWC certificate.
  • Strong background in Civil engineering design and construction in a multidiscipline rail environment
  • Good working knowledge of Network Rail standards and assurance processes including IDC / IDR and engineering governance
  • Ability to assess and challenge design output, providing practical buildability input
  • Commercial awareness:
  • Understand scope boundaries and cost implications
  • Ability to challenge over-engineering

Desirable 

  • Working towards or holding Incorporated / Chartered Engineer status
  • Multi-stage project delivery (tender → design → construction) experience

 

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