Part-time to Project Lead, school pick-ups to Sizewell C: Anna on engineering, motherhood, and making both work

From project delivery to school pick‑ups, Anna has done it all. Read how she built a thriving engineering career with flexibility and purpose.

Anna is an Associate Structural Engineer in the Buildings & Places team, based at the Epsom office. She leads project delivery for complex, large-scale structures across education, aviation, and nuclear, coordinating multidisciplinary teams, embedding sustainable design principles, and making sure what gets built is safe, efficient, and aligned with what clients need. She also contributes to a range of bidding activities, supporting the successful win of new work. 

She mentors junior engineers and actively supports their career development and chartership progression across the structures’ team. As a Fellow of the IStructE and a Member of ICE, she is actively engaged in professional institution roles and maintains strong connections with peers across the engineering industry. She acts as a mentor on the IStructE Elevate Mentoring Programme, serves as a committee member of the IStructE Surrey Hub, and is a Professional Reviewer for ICE.

And right now, alongside all of that, she’s doing a part-time Executive MBA.

Running, piano, and exploring the world

When Anna isn’t designing structures or studying strategy, she runs three to four times a week and enjoys swimming and playing tennis. “Sport has always been an important part of my life, not only for the physical benefits but also for supporting my mental wellbeing and resilience.” 

She also loves reading, playing the piano, and travelling whenever she can. “I enjoy exploring new places, learning about different cultures, and experiencing diverse cuisines whenever I have the opportunity.”
 

The story that matters most

Ask Anna about the culture at AtkinsRéalis and she talks about the thing that shaped her career more than any project.
 
When her children were small, she chose to work part-time, 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. “This allowed me to send them to school in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon, while still having dedicated professional working hours in between.”

The afternoons weren’t just logistics. They were the moments that mattered. “After work, I could take time to read stories with them at the library, run about with them in the park, and accompany them to extracurricular activities. These moments created strong bonds and precious moments in life.”

As her children grew older and became more independent, she transitioned back to full-time work, returning to project delivery and continuing to develop her career. The path didn’t stop because she worked part-time. It just took a different shape for a while.

“AtkinsRéalis’ family-friendly culture and flexible working arrangements have played a crucial role in shaping my career, enabling me to continue progressing professionally while also fulfilling my responsibilities as a mother of two.”

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