What do our graduate Safety Engineers do and how do they stay rewarded?

Find out how our graduates are welcomed for their skills and supported with their interests

Meet Charlie, a talented Graduate Engineer in our Birmingham office. They currently work full-time in our Rail Consulting Assurance team on East West Rail, restoring a disused railway line from Bicester to Bletchley.

What does your current role as a safety engineer involve?

I'm part of a team responsible for implementing the Common Safety Method for Risk Evaluation and Assessment (CSM-RA), a legal requirement under rail safety legislation. This means I am responsible for checking the infrastructure complies with the relevant regulations and standards while ensuring the safety of passengers, workers, and members of the public when using this railway.

Day to day, I help manage the CSM-RA hazard record, which contains many operational hazards and risks to workers, passengers, and members of the public. These hazards are managed by safety requirements which we must satisfy to be granted authorisation to place our infrastructure into service.

These requirements are often met through design, but reports, calculations, assessments, surveys, and more can be used as evidence. As part of my work, I write safety justification reports, a key legal requirement, before we are granted permission to undertake physical works on-site. I also liaise with the Assessment Body, which grants us authorisation to operate the railway.

Tell us about the projects you've enjoyed most inside AtkinsRéalis ?

I've thoroughly enjoyed my time on East West Rail, working on bigger and smaller work packages and getting out to site several times. Since joining AtkinsRéalis in September 2021, I've learnt a great deal and worked with lovely, kind, and knowledgeable people.

Outside of client work, I am extremely proud to have been part of a panel discussing allyship with the LGBTQIA+ community, with over 150 live viewers. We spoke about actions people can take through their work and personal life to be better allies to the LGBTQIA+ community. As a result of this talk, I now sit on Rail Consulting's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) committee, enacting real change throughout our wider team.

"As a queer person, I know just how important these sessions and actions are to the LGBTQIA+ community. It was brilliant that AtkinsRéalis enabled this discussion and had such a high engagement, including those in Senior Leadership Teams."

Finally, I attended the 2022 World Congress on Railway Research in Birmingham, where I presented my master's research project from the Mechanical Engineering degree I studied at the University of Birmingham. I wouldn't have been able to attend without the company's support, and for that, I am grateful.

What is the community like in the Birmingham office?

I really enjoy being part of the Rail Consulting community in Birmingham. Everyone in the office, from peers to senior leaders, is supportive and happy to answer any questions or provide any assistance you need on any topic.

We tend to arrange to be in the office on the same days of the week to work together and catch up while making the most of the organisation's hybrid working approach. The refurbished Birmingham office opened earlier this year and always has a lively atmosphere. The pool table at the tea point is a popular way to unwind with colleagues over lunch or after work.

"There's a great social life outside of work too. We've been out for different events, including meals, drinks and lunches, ensuring everyone gets the opportunity to attend. Our office is also right in the city centre, so our team socials are spoilt for choice."

What do you find most rewarding about your job?

As well as the many fulfilling ED&I opportunities I've taken part in so far, I find it really rewarding knowing that my work on safety will make a difference to the future safety of customers and staff who use the railway when it becomes operational. It's also satisfying when reports I work on gain the authorisation and endorsement for physical work to commence on-site.

What are your passions outside of work?

I spend much of my free time crocheting and cross-stitching, which allows me to unwind and be creative. I enjoy curling up with a good book and normally listen to audiobooks while crafting. I also go to a lot of rock/metal gigs in the evenings, as well as festivals in the summer. Safe to say, I like to keep myself busy!

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