Principal Highways Engineer

Job Description

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy committed to delivering impactful work that shapes the future.

We are a team of over 20,000 experts working across the world in more than 50 countries. We are proud to be part of an ever-changing global industry, delivering transformative work that’s defining our future. It’s our people who power that performance. As an employee-owned business, we invest in creating a space for everyone to feel safe and valued and empowered with the right tools and support.

Whether you want to pursue excellence in your specialism or broaden your experience with flexible roles across our business, you’ll be connected to a community of global experts championing you to be your best. Join us and shape your story with Mott MacDonald, where everyone has the opportunity to be brilliant.

Job Profile & Description:

About the role:

The successful candidate will have demonstrable experience of project team leadership in highways design projects. You will be expected to combine technical responsibilities and project management, promoting a collaborative approach to deliver projects to quality, budget and timescales.

Key responsibilities and duties are listed, but not limited to, the below:

• Lead the delivery of highway design projects with strong experience in local authority standards, procedures, and approval requirements, ensuring designs are developed in full compliance with applicable regulations.
• Manage and oversee the full design lifecycle in Abu Dhabi, from concept and preliminary design through to detailed design and authority submissions
• Act as the key interface for authority coordination in Abu Dhabi & Dubai, including engagement with DMT, ADM, RTA and other stakeholders to secure approvals
• Demonstrate strong familiarity with design standards, approval workflows, and submission processes in Abu Dhabi, with working knowledge of Dubai requirements considered an advantage
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to the team, ensuring designs align with local regulations, international standards, and project-specific requirements
• Lead multidisciplinary coordination across transport planning, drainage, utilities, and other disciplines to deliver integrated design solutions
• Review and ensure the quality of design outputs, calculations, and drawings in line with project and authority standards
• Experience in undertaking or coordinating Road Safety Audits (RSA) at various stages is desirable

Candidate Specification:

• BEng or MEng in Civil engineering
• Significant experience in UAE, with strong familiarity with Abu Dhabi design processes and authority requirements; familiarity with Dubai design processes is also desirable
• Able to demonstrate Technical (Design) skills
• Ability to demonstrate experience of supporting Traffic impact studies
• Experience of undertaking Highway design for major master-planning in the GCC
• Previous experience in Saudi projects would be an advantage
• Road Safety Audit (RSA) experience is preferable
• Enthusiastic and ambition
• Outward facing with good interpersonal skills
• Self-motivated with good organisational capability
• Effective in both verbal and written communication
• Experience within a Commercial Engineering environment.

Your benefits and rewards:

Our benefits vary by country and are subject to eligibility and local policy. We’ll confirm the details relevant to you as part of the offer process.

• Rewards and bonuses: we are owned by our people (no external investors) and through our employee ownership model success is shared through annual bonus opportunities and longer-term participation as your career grows (subject to local plan, eligibility and business performance)
• Medical insurance and life insurance as per local plan (standard and enhanced coverage may vary by country and policy).
• Annual leave in line with local policy (competitive within the market).
• Maternity leave above and beyond local provisions and paternity leave provisions where applicable
• Professional membership/ institution subscription support
• Learning and career development through project variety, technical networks and structured development opportunities.
• An inclusive culture: we’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.

Flexible working
At Mott MacDonald, we support our staff to create work-life balance which works for them and welcome candidates looking for career flexibility. We are open to discussing flexible working at interview stage.

Our benefits package is designed to enhance your experience:

• 90 calendar days paid maternity leave
• Competitive annual leave
• An annual professional institution subscription
• Annual company performance bonus scheme – Subject to company performance