Bridge Inspectors & NDT Engineers

Role overview

This is an exciting opportunity to join a rapidly expanding engineering consultancy with a strong focus on bridge inspections, testing and special investigations. The projects you’ll work on will range from single bridge inspections for private landowners, to extensive stock management programmes covering significant areas of the country’s transport networks.

At Inertia Consulting, we work across 6 key sectors: highways, rail, water, energy, commercial and residential construction, and legal. Our clients include major national and regional contractors, Highways England ASCs, utility companies, housing developers, blue chip corporations and large international insurers and law firms.

You’ll be inspecting and testing pedestrian footbridges, vehicle bridges, railway bridges, panel bridges, suspension bridges, aqueducts and more, with an ethos of inspecting with fresh eyes (note that we actively avoid a ‘tick sheet’ approach).

Our bridge inspections are typically carried out in line with Highways England document BD63/17, Network Rail document NR/L3/CIV/006 or the Bridge Condition Indicator Methods. If you don’t already hold LANTRA Bridge Inspection Competence Scheme (BICS) certification, you’ll be supported to achieve this.

Job responsibilities

You’ll be required to carry out five main types of bridge inspection: Safety Inspections, General Inspections, Principal Inspections, Special Inspections and Inspections for Assessment. For publicly owned structures, we follow the two year/six year cycle for General and Principal Inspections.

Specific tasks will include:

Visual inspections on foot
Aerial drone surveys
Full touching distance inspections
Specialist techniques such as hammer tap surveys, corrosion measurement, defect surveys and dimension measuring
A range of non-destructive testing and structural monitoring techniques
Specialised investigation work to reinforced concrete and post-tensioned structures in line with BA35/90 (training will be provided if required)
Technical reviews against pre-prepared structural capacity assessments
Collating and reporting on stock asset management data

Your work will often require specialist or confined space access, such as roped access, waterway access using our fleet of powerboats and pontoons, and the use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs). We’re committed to ongoing training for all our team members and offer a range of courses to develop your skills in these and additional areas.

As well as your inspection and testing activities, you’ll be expected to get involved in planning, managing and implementing bridge inspection and stock management programmes; organising traffic management, licences and access permits; and liaising with stakeholders including clients and sub-contractors.

Please note that there’ll be occasions when you’ll need to work away from home, sometimes overseas, as well as working some nights and weekends. In return, you’ll benefit from our commitment to looking after our team, which includes opportunities for flexible working, regular social events and a family focus.

Essentail skills

A recognised qualification in civil or structural engineering, e.g. BTEC HNC
Experience in inspecting and testing bridges and related infrastructures
Experience in preparing inspection and testing reports and pre-work briefings
Familiarity with BD63/17, IAN 192/16 and the Inspection Manual for Highways Structures
LANTRA Bridge Inspection Competence Scheme (BICS) certification or willingness to achieve this

Desirable skills

Experience of specialised investigation work in line with BA35/90
Experience using reporting software such as SMIS, Agile and Bridge Station
Experience using local authority, Bridge Station and BCI inspection report forms
PTS accreditation for Network Rail
IPAF
Roped access certification
Medium risk confined spaces certification
PASMA certification
CSCS card holder
Emergency First Aid at Work qualification
Full, clean driving licence

BACK

Person Specification

You’ll be a highly motivated individual who has the skills and experience to work with minimal supervision as well as part of a multi-skilled team. With a results-focused approach, you’ll be capable of setting and working to realistic targets and deadlines for inspection and testing projects.

You’ll need an aptitude for preparing clear and accurate reports and other paperwork, including pre-work briefings, risk assessments and method statements. Familiarity with reporting software such as SMIS, Agile and Bridge Station, BCI inspection report forms and table G.10 of the Inspection for Highways Structures is highly desirable.

As a company, we’ve developed a “can do” reputation that reflects our innovative and positive approach to works ranging from complex bridge designs to difficult and high risk access inspections. We’ll be looking for you to share this ethos and outlook.

Your role will be very varied and would ideally suit someone who’s equally happy to work outdoors, on water in our powerboats or pontoons, using 4x4 vehicles, quad bikes and MEWPs, as writing reports in our office. A flexible attitude towards both the nature and environment of your work is essential.