Graduate Electrical Engineer (Building Services) Edinburgh 2024

From helping shape entire cities to adapting infrastructure to deal with the climate emergency, a career at Buro Happold presents the chance to make a difference. With a world class reputation, our creativity and our people have delivered positive change to clients, the environment, and communities alike. If you want to be part of something bigger, this is your chance.

Electrical Engineering at Buro Happold

Our electrical engineers work closely with mechanical and public health engineers to create complete building services solutions. The integration of a successful building services strategy is what makes the difference between a building that is great to look at and a building that is great to be in. It is the building services that bring the building to life and are vital from the conceptual environmental strategy through construction, operation and the lifetime of the building.

Digital buildings and services are scaling in prominence. The world today is becoming increasing reliant on data and our electrical engineering teams use this data to understand, improve and transform our relationship with the built environment.

At Buro Happold our electrical engineers become embedded in the design process. Our collaborative approach is supported by advanced 3D modelling methods, known as building information modelling (BIM), that allow design teams to share an intelligent virtual project prototype.

At Buro Happold we spend time thinking about the outcomes of work. We question what the benefits of our projects to society? Is this project sustainable? is this project healthier and safer for the occupants who use it?

We work closely with Architects, lighting designers, façade engineers, and other specialist consultants to realise some of the worlds most innovative and celebrated projects in the built environment.

To learn more about our Building Services team and further projects, please click here.

What sort of projects would I work on?

From our Edinburgh office we work on a broad mix of local projects, such as:

• The Art Works, Edinburgh - a central collections archive for The Scottish National Galleries, designed to a new philosophy to provide better care and access to Scotland’s national art archives
• University of St Andrews, New College - a new home to the University of St Andrews Business School comprising a major redevelopment of one of the most distinctive and historically significant building in St Adrews.
• Dollar Academy Futures Institute - an innovative new educational building at Dollar academy providing a forward thinking hub for learning and collaboration with high sustainability aspirations.
• BBC Music Studio’s, Stratford, London - an exciting new development to provide a new state of the music rehearsal, recording and broadcast venue and a new home for Radio 1 live lounge and BBC proms
• National Library of Scotland Portfolio - we are currently engaged by the National Library of Scotland, serving a variety of work across the National Libraries portfolio of property in central Edinburgh

We also work on a range of exciting and innovative international projects from our office in Edinburgh, including:

• NEOM Oxagon - a new innovation centre, conceived to create a vibrant ecosystem of innovators and entrepreneurs enabling ideas to be accelerated to tackle global challenges
• Tu Dublin, University Sport Campus - an exciting new university sports complex on a university campus, with highly aspirational sustainability goals.
• JIOM - transformation of an old industrial plant to form a centrepiece of an new waterfront district in Jeddah for artists and makers, incorporating a museum, exhibition space and a mix of learning, creativity and exchange.

What degree would I have studied?

• Bachelor or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Building Services Engineering, Architectural Engineering or similar degree with an emphasis on building systems design and sustainability.
• Proven interest in the built environment and internship experience at an engineering related firm is preferred.

Desirable experience

• Interest in the electrical engineering, building design and the impact of the decarbonization of electricity supply.
• Academic research, coursework, or other experience with alternative energy systems and other technologies new to the construction industry preferred.
• Familiarity with BIM modelling software such as Revit.

What would I do?

• Work as part of our collaborative design teams to deliver impactful buildings for a wide range of engaging, high-profile clients.
• Embrace the latest technologies and continuously seek new ways improve the performance and sustainability of the built environment.
• Work in conjunction with internal sustainability consultants to deliver built environments which enhance mental health, wellbeing, comfort and productivity for their occupants through innovate design of electrical systems.
• Design core electrical systems including lighting, low voltage power distribution and communications infrastructure.
• Contribute, in collaboration with specialists, to the design of electrical related systems including fire detection, CCTV, access control, intruder detection and IT.
• Be integrally involved in the implementation of vertical transportation systems by conducting lift traffic analyses using dynamic simulation software.
• Contribute to the decarbonisation of buildings by designing power distribution networks to support low carbon technologies including photovoltaics, electric heat pumps and electric vehicle charging.
• Collaborate with individuals from other engineering design disciplines internal and external to Buro Happold including but not limited to:
  • Internally: lighting specialists, sustainability and physics consultants, structural engineers, civil engineers.
  • Externally: Architects, landscape architects, sector specialists (e.g. theatre, archive, catering), interior designers.
• Identify and pursue opportunities to enhance computational workflows for electrical engineering through experimentation with cutting-edge design tools, visual programming and the latest software packages.
• Delivery of high standard electrical designs for projects as part of the team including input to reports, calculations, BIM modelling, specifications, schedules and presentations.
• Utilise the Buro Happold graduate programme to enhance your career.

What's in it for you?

• Broad insight within a team, mentored by a subject matter expert. The opportunity to experience our culture and value, and learn what sets us apart from other organisations. Exposure to a wide range of portfolios, including local community led projects and global large scale clients. The diversity of the projects we work on is one of the many reasons Engineers love to work at Buro Happold.
• A plethora of interesting and challenging projects to stretch your professional skills, a friendly and close knit team, flexible working and a competitive reward package. The opportunity to work on multidisciplinary projects aside a range of specialist engineers and designers both within Buro Happold and our collaborators.
• Opportunity to be supported (or even join) our Young Employee's Forum in your local office, join bi-annual events/trips, and contribute your experience and learnings to the next generation of engineers through various outreach activities.
• Our Graduate Connect program allows our Graduates to learn the fundamentals of design and technology whilst building a base in consulting and professional skills. This is a blended learning programme where participants gain experience against our internal professional and technical frameworks in relation to their specialism.
• We see membership of a professional body and professional registration as crucial to the development of our engineers and offer substantial support to those aspiring to achieve this. We aim to support employees to achieve the highest level of membership and registration their academic background allows.

Please see our Early Careers Candidate Pack for further guidance and information.

How long does the process take?

The recruitment timeline can vary depending on the role and team you are applying to. Successful applications are progressed to interview stage within 2-3 months from the closing date of the advert, but it is good to know that the whole process can take up to 6 months.

We will endeavour to keep you informed throughout the time that your application is being considered, however, due to the volume of applications received and the size of our team, we are not able to respond to individual requests for status updates.

Interested? Intrigued? Inspired?

This role is for current students or recent graduates for an Autumn 2024 start.

A place for everyone

Buro Happold values individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of the way you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment and are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another. Embracing difference allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact recruitment@burohappold.com so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.