Principal Engineer

About Network Rail

At Network Rail, we're part of a large family serving millions of passengers and freight users throughout the UK every day. Our service impacts millions of people and we strive to become more efficient as we enhance, maintain, and operate our network.

Our passengers and freight users are at the heart of everything we do. We help connect people to their friends and families and get goods to their destination safely and efficiently. We're an organisation where people matter. When you're part of our team, you matter to us, and you matter to millions. Watch our video to find out more!

The Wales & Western region includes more than 2,700 miles of railway and we serve communities and businesses of Wales, the Thames Valley, West of England, and the Southwest Peninsula.
Our ambition to be responsive to passengers and freight users drives us every day and we're empowered to do the right thing for those who use the rail network. We actively challenge unsafe practices and take responsibility for addressing risks, resolving issues, and protecting safety and wellbeing.

About our people and the recruitment process - We're an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone!

As a Network Rail employee, you will enjoy a wide range of benefits!

1. Privileged staff travel - Leisure travel discount of 75% on all leisure travel and includes family members.
2. A subsidy of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets if you travel to work on the train.
3. GWR ticket alliance - Heavily discounted all day passes for you and up to 3 friends and family to use across the GWR network.
4. Benefits package including healthcare offers, a cycle to work scheme, discounted healthcare club membership, and a discounted offers and benefits including childcare, healthcare and online shopping site.
5. A range of Pension schemes to choose from.
6. Effectively manage work-life balance with a 35hrs per week contract, hybrid working, flexible working, flexible leave, and enhanced family friendly support.
7. 5 days paid volunteering leave.
8. 2 weeks paid reserve leave for the Armed Forces community.

In Wales and Western region, you will have the opportunity to join PROUD, our reward and recognition scheme where you can say thanks and recognise colleagues across the region who have demonstrated outstanding values and behaviours.

We want to help deliver a railway which is safe, reliable, affordable and that provides great customer service to everyone . For more information about Network Rail click here

Brief Description

Develop the company fire risk strategy and policy, and loss control strategy to reduce the risk from fire and comply with statutory fire safety legislation. Deputize for the Head of Profession Fire Safety.

About the role (External)

Your Main Responsibilities will be to:

1. Develop, review and maintain risk-based fire safety policy and loss control strategies designed to comply with the requirements of fire safety legislation and Railway Group Standards, protect Network Rail's extensive property portfolio and minimise business disruption.
2. Develop fire safety training policy and oversee the technical input into fire safety and fire awareness training courses for the business to improve the competency of relevant Network Rail staff.
3. Lead the integration of fire safety requirements into engineering standards and be the key contact for the Business-Critical Rules program for fire Safety to avoid conflicting requirements and confusion to internal or external end users of Network Rail's fire safety and engineering standards.
4. Lead the development and implementation of competency frameworks and specify the engineering discipline training needs and integrate and co-ordinate activity across different engineering disciplines and contribute to the development of engineers within the Practice.
5. Develop and implement methods and systems to measure the effectiveness of fire safety management across the business in providing visibility of our fire risks. Lead and report on the integration of this activity into line management responsibility to assess the effectiveness of fire safety within Network Rail and identify potential risk to the business.
6. Set strategy within the technical engineering area, in liaison with experts internally and externally including regulatory bodies.
7. Lead and support on a broad range of both internal and external project teams in the delivery of relevant programs within cost, time, and budget to support the business in meeting safety policy and standards, whilst acting as the Technical Authority for deviations from NR standards in conjunction, provide technical leadership in the application of legislative codes and standards.
8. Lead stakeholder engagement in context of the development and implementation of fire policies and standards to improve fire performance across the business.
9. Manage the Review of fire safety aspects of the Railway and Other Guided Transport Systems Regulations (ROGS) and the applications of train operating companies (TOC) in full, to provide oversight of fire safety arrangements to Network Rail.
10. Develop the policy and strategy for fire investigation and fulfil the role as a competent person for the closure of accepted recommendations related to Fire Safety to share learnings and to reduce Network Rail's fire risk exposure. Develop and liaise effectively with external regulatory bodies to support the Rail Industry Fire Association (RIFA) through the development of industry standards in order to capture learning from incidents which can be incorporated into and can be used to improve Network Rail Standards.
11. Provide professional leadership for the development of engineers aligned to the engineering discipline and undertake professional mentorship of engineers in support of their achievement of professional registration to their relevant Engineering Council which enables technical competency within NR.

You will ideally have

Essential

1. Chartered Fire Engineer (CEng) registered or able to achieve chartered status within 12 months with the Institution of Fire Engineers.
2. Degree in Fire Engineering or equivalent experience.
3. Professional membership of the Institution of Fire Engineers (MIFireE).
4. Significant experience in the application of performance-based design to complex facilities.
5. Demonstrable ability to implement design solutions and contribute to their evaluation and actions.
6. Ability to lead, influence and negotiate with a wider spectrum of stakeholders in conjunction with the ability to translate complex engineering issues in to easy-to-understand language.

Desirable

1. Understanding of emerging technologies and their implication in influencing fire strategies.
2. Commercial awareness and the ability to consider alternative solutions which represent best value for the transport industry.
3. Awareness of other engineering disciplines and their influence on fire engineering solutions.
4. Awareness of codes and standards pertaining to business continuity and risk management.

How to apply (External)

Salary: This role is a 2C - £ 85,395 - £96,070 per annum

Closing date: 3 Jan 2025 . Late applications will not be accepted.

Please get your application in as soon as possible, we may close the advert before the listed closing date if we receive enough applications. Late applications will not be accepted.

Click 'apply now' to apply.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status. Click here for more information.

Diversity and inclusion are more than just buzz words for us. We're constantly striving to make sure we provide a welcoming and safe environment for everyone. We recognise that certain groups are under-represented within our team and we're working closely with our regional diversity and inclusion networks to make sure we support these groups as best as we can.

We are working in conjunction with the Cultural Fusion team. If you would like support with your application or interview please contact Wales&WesternCulturalFusion@networkrail.co.uk or visit the connect page: Wales and Western Cultural Fusion (sharepoint.com) . For all other support please contact your HR Business Partner.

Network Rail is a Disability Confident Leader and we'll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles. You can visit Evenbreak's Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you're unsure of the options available. Should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please add a note to your application.

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information.

Our Drugs and Alcohol Standard has changed. All prospective candidates will be required to undergo and pass a drugs and alcohol test. Your application will be rescinded if you record a positive test. All positive drugs and alcohol test results for prospective candidates will be securely held on Sentinel database and a 5-year suspension from applying for a safety critical role, a role which requires PTS certification or a Key Safety role on Network Rail Managed Infrastructure will be enforced.

Keeping people safe on the railway is at the heart of everything we do. Safe behaviour is therefore a requirement of working for Network Rail. You should demonstrate your personal dedication to safety on your application.