Engineering
We’re one of Britain’s largest engineering companies, responsible for running, maintaining and developing the country’s entire rail infrastructure
Our engineers are shaping the future, designing and building transport infrastructure that will transform the railway for future generations – and there are so many different engineering opportunites with us.
For example, commercial roles, perhaps managing engineering procurement and suppliers; or in design - from concept to reality, from entry level to director oversight. When you have as ambitious a programme of modernisation to deliver as we do, “engineering” really does represent a host of potential professional avenues.
Right now, we’re working on some of the most visionary and challenging engineering projects in Europe, redefining Britain’s travel network and our future economic growth.
From inspiration to realisation
From major architectural developments to simple overnight repairs, everything we do requires expertise and efficiency, with safety at the heart of every project.
We’re delivering more frequent and reliable services along with brighter, improved stations thanks to modernisation and smarter ways of working. There's never been a better time to join us and help to make our vision of a better railway for a better Britain reality.
Learn more about our engineering role families
Working to engineering specifications, drawings, standards and legal regulations
Our people working in this area are involved in the construction and/or the construction assurance of a product or piece of railway infrastructure in accordance with the requirements detailed within the Engineering specifications, drawings, standards and legal regulations.
It could include roles involved in construction and installation, construction assurance and sub-system or whole system acceptance testing and commissioning, including assessment, verification and validation. You may also be involved in construction management, operational testing, evaluation, improvement and auditing Engineering and Safety Systems.
Designing for the future with a primary emphasis on functional utility
Engineers who work in this area are responsible for optimising the design solution based on safety, performance, sustainability and cost by applying an engineering design process to develop new products or scheme designs.
It includes roles involved in research, conceptualisation, feasibility assessment, those establishing design requirements, those creating preliminary designs and detailed designs, production planning, design for manufacturing and operation and tool design.
You will demonstrate the ability to ensure requirements are specified, correctly interpreted and incorporated into design solutions as well as think creatively to balance whole life cost versus first capital cost. You may also be involved with management, compliance, verification and assurance in accordance with the engineering design process.
Taking engineering projects through to day-to-day operation and maintenance
Our operational and maintenance engineering people are involved with signalling and regulation of trains, together with planning and delivery of failure response, inspections, maintenance and renewals of assets in line with specified requirements. A key output of these roles is to achieve a safe and reliable infrastructure that meets corporate targets on safety, performance, capacity and budget.
Typical activities would include analysis of asset condition leading to necessary interventions for the repair or replacement of components utilising specialist equipment. You may also require knowledge and experience of people management as the leadership of large and complex teams is a fundamental enabler to delivering the success criteria in this role family.
Our project engineers bridge the gap between engineering and project management, contributing and leading teams that build products, railway infrastructure and larger systems
A Project Engineer optimises the balance between quality, cost and performance, ensuring all work is delivered to schedule. They undertake the day-to-day management and co-ordination of technical and engineering aspects of projects, ensuring that a systems engineering approach is rigorously applied.
This role family includes roles that act as a primary technical point of contact for the customer, undertake detailed engineering and other technical activities relating to the project, and technical management of sub-contractors.
You may also be involved with daily operations of field work activities, reviewing engineering deliverables, producing reports and project development assistance including design integration within multidiscipline projects.
Strong people managers who lead by example and manage complex teams
This career route represents those with broad engineering expertise who manage a team of people, a department or a function. You will be involved with driving and leading policy and decision making on engineering strategy as well as determining the future of the business’ technical and engineering strategy, control plans and future funding decisions.
People following this career route will be able to liaise with a wide range of key stakeholders, external political decision makers and industry experts.
Leading on innovation with new ways of working and developing new products and processes
Deep technical experts will take a lead on technical expertise, new innovations, new ways of working and the development of new products and processes. You will use your expertise to inform major decisions and drive future growth by developing new products or processes that will improve and expand the businesses operations.
A key requirement of a technical expert is to share expertise with a wide audience within Network Rail and cross function/industry where relevant, mentoring and developing individuals and teams in their expert area. A person following this career path will be acknowledged as an expert in their field and contribute to the development of knowledge and innovation across Network Rail and the wider rail industry.