Trainee Principal Designer

About the Role

Are you an ambitious professional with a strong foundation in construction, design coordination, or Health & Safety, ready to take the next step in your career?

Our client are looking for a Principal Designer to support our team in delivering CDM 2015 dutyholder responsibilities across a range of exciting design and engineering projects.

This position isn't meant for a fully developed senior practitioner-it is an growth-oriented role for someone with the right background, attitude, and drive to develop into a fully independent Principal Designer over time. Working alongside experienced colleagues, you will help embed safety, health, and risk management into the design process right from early concept through to delivery.

This is a permanent staff position working on a hybrid basis, 3 days in the office with 2 days working from home.

CDM & Design Risk Support

• Assist design teams in identifying, eliminating, or reducing hazards early in the design phase.

• Review drawings, specifications, technical submissions, and reports for safety, constructability, and maintainability.

• Help prepare and coordinate Pre-Construction Information and Health & Safety Files.

• Constructively challenge project teams and escalate significant concerns or non-conformances appropriately.

Risk Management & Coordination

• Create, update, and maintain project design risk registers and action trackers.

• Coordinate input from designers, engineers, clients, and project managers to ensure residual risks are clearly communicated.

• Track actions from risk workshops and ensure timely close-outs.

Stakeholder & Business Engagement

• Attend and contribute to design reviews, risk workshops, and client meetings.

• Build strong working relationships with internal teams, clients, and external dutyholders.

• Support internal audits, quality reviews, and continuous improvement of company CDM templates and processes.

What We Are Looking For

Experience & Qualifications

• Background: Prior experience in construction, civil engineering, design coordination, CDM, H&S, or project delivery.

• Education: Relevant qualification in construction, civil engineering, architecture, design, or H&S/project management.

• Certifications (Desirable): NEBOSH (Construction or General), IOSH Managing Safely, or APS training.

• Professional Memberships: Working towards or holding membership with IOSH, APS, CIOB, ICE, or similar.

• CDM Knowledge: Sound working knowledge of CDM 2015 regulations and dutyholder roles.

Skills & Attributes

• Organized & Detail-Oriented: Skilled at tracking actions, maintaining risk registers, and managing project documents.

• Strong Communicator: Ability to explain risks clearly and build collaborative relationships with clients and engineering teams.

• Pragmatic Approach: Practical, proportionate mindset toward health and safety risk management.

• Growth Mindset: High motivation to learn, undertake mentoring/training, and progress toward independent project delivery.