Specialist Inspector - Construction Engineering (Band 3/SEO)

Job summary

HSE's Construction Engineering Specialist Team is part of a cohort of specialist inspectors from a range of technical disciplines who provide technical input and advice to support HSE's core regulatory functions of inspection, investigation, policy development and guidance.

Are you:

• A professionally qualified engineer looking for a truly unique role in the construction industry, a role with real purpose.
• An engineer with extensive construction industry experience and a practical understanding of CDM Dutyholder roles and responsibilities.
• Naturally curious, with a passion for analysing complex issues to find out why things go wrong.
• At a stage in your career where your independent professional opinion would clearly inform technical aspects in relation to prosecutions, inquests and tribunals through delivery of expert witness evidence – by writing reports, discussions with legal teams and providing oral evidence in court.
• An individual who meets the essential skills and criteria listed below?

Would you like to:

• Work 37 hours per week with agreed time-off-in-lieu for additional hours.
• Embrace a hybrid working pattern within core working hours (7am to 7pm) with a variety of home working, office working, attending meetings/training, site visits and travel within GB.
• Work for an employer who has family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career, and carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture.
• Be responsible for your own work outputs without the responsibility to line manage a team or manage financial/commercial aspects.
• Enjoy the security and comparative benefits of a Civil Service Pension.
• Build upon your practical and technical knowledge by joining a regulatory training programme that is exclusively offered by HSE, in addition to excellent Continual Professional Development opportunities – all fully supported and undertaken during work hours.
• Work as part of a team on criminal investigations providing advice and opinion on technical aspects related to construction.
• Shape the planning and safe execution of major construction projects in Great Britain as well as influence the basic health & safety standards of construction on small and medium sized developments.
• Finally, use your specific skills, knowledge and experience to maintain Great Britain’s record as one of the safest countries to work in.

Locations

Please note there are 2 posts in total available:

• One post can be based in any of the following locations - Bootle, Buxton, Carlisle, Crewe, Leeds, Newcastle, Sheffield, Wrexham
• The second post is only available in London

Job description

Our Civil and Structural Engineers help to ensure employers across Great Britain in a range of essential industries work safely. In this role, you can utilise your technical knowledge and practical experience to influence not only individual employers but whole industry sectors.

A career with HSE gives you a rare opportunity to visit and interact with different and diverse employers and work activities, one day you could be inspecting at a large construction project and the next investigating an incident at a small extension.

As a Construction Engineering Specialist, you’ll work alongside other technical specialists to ensure the work activities of those we regulate are operating within the legislative framework by inspecting, investigating, and assessing companies.

Your work with HSE will make the most of your experience – whether that’s evaluating the guidance being given to the emergency services in a rescue situation after an incident, identifying the cause of a structural collapse or providing technical assistance to colleagues undertaking complex investigations into serious incidents involving plant and equipment. This role will broaden your knowledge and challenge your engineering skills.

Responsibilities

• Inspect a variety of workplaces as part of a team, to make sure that risks are being actively managed and reduced, driving improvements and gaining commitment to comply with the law.
• Analysis of Construction Engineering related incidents to identify the root cause and where necessary, lead the technical aspect of the investigation, calling in other specialist support.
• Provide specialist opinion in reports to improve health and safety and guide legal decisions. A significant portion of your time will be spent writing reports for court cases.
• Appear as an independent expert witness at tribunals, inquests and prosecutions.
• Secure intelligence, share information and advice towards policy, research, and guidance to benefit other Government departments, the public, industry, professional bodies and trade associations.
• Secure, maintain and develop relevant technical experience - breadth and depth of experience and ability to apply knowledge at the level relevant to the role in HSE.
• Understanding and complying with statutory (and non-statutory) requirements – ability to understand and comply with legal requirements and technical standards and to carry out risk assessments.
• Apply scientific/Technical knowledge – ability to assimilate and analyse information.

Training

At HSE, you can develop your expertise even further. While working, you will complete training to understand the legal requirements of this front-line role. This includes a mixture of e-learning and face to face tutorials, at the end of which you will be required to study for and successfully complete a formal assessment on legal and regulatory aspects. During your training you will be supported by your line manager and colleagues to develop your skills and understand your role in HSE, through learning on the job and mentoring.

Acting as the independent expert witness in court proceedings is an integral part of this role, and you will be given support and training to develop your skills in this area.

We also have a strong focus on ongoing technical CPD and training in our core subject areas. All training will take place in work time.

Specialist Training Programme (STP)

You will be supported by your manager and colleagues to understand your role in HSE, develop your skills and support you in your continuing professional development. For the legal requirements of the role, you will be enrolled on the Specialist Training Programme (STP) and will be required to study for and successfully complete a formal assessment. We also have a strong focus on ongoing technical CPD and training in our core subject areas. Training will take place in work time.

Person specification

Essential Skills and Criteria;

• Have a breadth of Civil and Structural Engineering experience including knowledge of site processes and techniques.
• Applicants should have an understanding of contractual appointments, the design, specification and practical application of design decisions on site, and have held positions that demonstrate professional responsibility for engineering activities.
• Have experience of working to UK safety standards in a construction environment and have knowledge of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015.
• Have the ability to use appropriate theoretical and practical methods in applying first principles to analyse problems and develop engineering solutions.
• Be able to assimilate complex technical information and convey this to a lay audience.
• Aside from your technical experience, you will also have strong communication, analytical and planning skills, including excellent writing skills and experience of report writing.

This role offers a hybrid working pattern where your working week can be split between your home and your local HSE office, details of which can be discussed prior to taking up the role. Given that HSE regulates sites across the whole of GB you will be expected to spend occasional periods working away from home which will include overnight stays.

Licences

Full UK Driving licence and be prepared to drive during the course of official duties.

Qualifications

A Bachelors or Masters degree relevant to civil or structural engineering and be a Chartered Engineer. Equivalent qualifications will be considered.

Memberships

You will be a Chartered Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers or Institution of Structural Engineers (CEng MICE or CEng IStructE) and registered with the Engineering Council as a Chartered Engineer. Membership of other professional bodies will be considered if equal and equivalent to ICE or IStructE.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• You will be asked to provide a short presentation at the start of the interview. More information around the presentation will be provided if you are successful at sift.
• At interview you will be shown case study scenarios to assess your knowledge in relation to construction and building related risks on sites.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,063, Health and Safety Executive contributes £15,951 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity

We invest in our people with;

• Competitive rates of pay
• Access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme to which HSE contribute 28.97%, far more than in the private sector.
• Family friendly policies and working hours to help balance your home life and career
• Carer friendly policies to help create a supportive working culture
• 25 days annual holiday increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service, plus bank holidays and 1-day Civil Service privilege leave
• Parental leave benefits
• As a member of HSE you will gain access to a wide range of fantastic benefits that you can take advantage of such as the Cycle to Work Scheme, E-Gift Cards and Vouchers via our partner EdenRed.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application

As part of your application, you will be invited to complete a CV, setting out your professional qualifications, professional memberships and a full employment history, with details of any key responsibilities and achievements.

You will also be asked to complete a Personal Statement of up to 1000 words which demonstrates how you meet the Essential Skills and Criteria outlined in the person specification.

Application Guidance

Please access the following link for guidance on how to apply and how to complete a personal statement https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/how-to-apply/

Sift Information

At Sift you will be assessed on your CV and Personal Statement.

The Sift will take place week commencing 9th March 2026.

Interview Information

At interview, you will be assessed against your technical skills, your experience and two behaviours detailed within the job advert. You will also be asked to provide a short presentation at the start of the interview. More information around the presentation will be provided if you are successful at sift.

Interviews will take place from the week commencing 23rd March 2026.

Interviews will take place virtually via Microsoft Teams.

If you are selected for interview, you be asked to provide your proof of qualifications, this must be provided prior to interview. Failure to provide this information, could result in your interview being delayed or your interview being cancelled and your application withdrawn.

Sponsorship

This role is not open to application from those who will require sponsorship under the points-based system. Should you apply for this role and require sponsorship your application will be rejected, and any provisional offers of employment will be withdrawn.

Further Information

Please note that a Reserve List will be held for the period of up to 12 months. There is no guarantee you will be offered a role from our reserve lists, so if you see a vacancy on Civil Service Jobs that you are interested in, we recommend you apply.

HSE reserve the right to conduct additional checks, including Google and social media checks, when recruiting candidates into a role within HSE. These checks will be carried out in line with the Civil Service Commission Principles and, if used all candidates will be subject to these additional checks.

From 23rd June 2025, if you are successful at interview, as part of your pre-employment checks, HSE’s Recruitment Team are required to check your details against the Internal Fraud Hub (IFH), using your personal details – name, NINO, and date of birth. If you are included on the database, you will be refused employment. If you believe that there has been an error in the inclusion of your data and wish to make an appeal, please contact the CO email box internal.fraud@cabinetoffice.gov.uk .

Details of the types of internal fraud/dishonesty covered by this process are defined by the Cabinet Office and can be found here Internal Fraud Register privacy notice - GOV.UK

It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the terms and conditions they will adopt should they be successful in their application. For a summary of HSE terms and conditions as part of Civil Service Reform, please see the attached HSE Terms and Conditions document.

Progression through pay ranges is subject to annual pay awards as permitted within annual Civil Service pay remit guidance and negotiations with Trade Unions.

HSE is proud to be a part of the Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS). As a Disability Confident employer, we positively welcome applications from disabled people. We are committed to making workplace adjustments to ensure anyone can participate in the recruitment and selection process.

If, during the application or interview process, you require any assistance due to a disability or a medical condition, please contact us at the email address below to discuss how we can support you. For example, if you have a disability, and you need an application form in an alternative format or you would like to know more about our recruitment process, please contact: HR.Resourcing-Team@hse.gov.uk

If successful in securing your role, HSE can provide suitable workplace adjustments to support you throughout your career with HSE.

Any move to HSE from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here.

Please note, if you are a current civil servant and you are currently undergoing any of the following formal actions your application will not be progressed any further; Formal discipline action, any formal action regarding attendance, poor performance or any restriction of duties as a result of disciplinary action.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Gavin Bull
• Email : Gavin.Bull@hse.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hr.resourcing-team@hse.gov.uk

Further information

If you believe that Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition have not been met, you can raise a complaint by emailing: HR.Resourcing-Team@hse.gov.uk or by writing to HSE at the following address: HR Resourcing Team, 2.3 Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle, Merseyside, L20 7HS. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact Civil Service commissioners: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/code/civilservicecode…

Attachments

HSE Terms and Conditions - CSJ Advert Annex Opens in new window (pdf, 116kB)