JustEng is the specialist global recruiter for forensic engineering, quantum & delay experts, and construction expert witnesses. We place chartered engineers, expert witnesses and disputes-focused consultants into law firms, expert-witness practices, arbitration teams, claims consultancies and Tier 1 contractors across the UK, Ireland, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America.
The market’s dedicated forensic engineering & disputes recruiter
Post-Grenfell reform in the UK, the Building Safety Act 2022 regime, the growth of international arbitration in the DIFC, DIAC, SIAC and HKIAC, and mega-project delivery risk at Sizewell C, NEOM, HS2 and Vision 2030 have made forensic engineering the fastest-growing engineering discipline in the world. Yet the pool of instruction-ready experts is small, senior, and jealously guarded — typically fewer than 20–30 truly credible chartered experts per jurisdiction per discipline. Getting the right shortlist is a specialist job, not a generalist recruiter’s job.
JustEng exists to do that specialist job. We have spent years mapping the expert-witness market end-to-end — every quantum expert, every delay analyst, every forensic structural engineer, every fire, facade, cladding, geotechnical, MEP and marine specialist who has given evidence, authored a Scott Schedule, run a Society of Construction Law (SCL) Delay & Disruption Protocol analysis, or acted under CPR Part 35 in the last decade — and the second-tier bench of associates and juniors coming up behind them. That is our unfair advantage, and we use it to solve the hardest hires in the market.
Disciplines we recruit across forensic engineering & disputes
We recruit into every discipline that appears on an expert-witness CV or a disputes consultancy’s org chart. Our specialists split the market as follows:
Quantum experts & quantum surveyors
Quantum experts quantify financial loss on construction claims and give evidence in adjudication, arbitration and litigation. We recruit MRICS-, MCIArb- and MCInstCES-qualified professionals ranging from Senior Quantum Consultants (£75k–£105k in London, up to $220k in the Gulf) through Directors and Partners at £150k+ plus profit share. Typical clients include HKA, Secretariat, FTI, Ankura, Kroll, J.S. Held, Diales, Deloitte’s Forensic & Dispute Services team, Systech, Silver Shemmings, and boutique claims consultancies across the UK, EMEA and APAC. See our Quantum & Delay Recruitment pillar for full detail.
Delay experts, planners & scheduling analysts
Delay experts deploy the SCL Protocol’s Time Impact Analysis, Windows Analysis, Collapsed As-Built and Impacted As-Planned methodologies to prove or defend Extension of Time claims. We source Senior Planners and Delay Analysts (£60k–£95k), Managing Consultants and Delay Experts (£110k–£180k+) with proven Primavera P6 and Asta Powerproject expertise and, critically, courtroom-ready written and oral evidence experience. Demand from megaprojects — Sizewell C, Hinkley Point C, HS2, NEOM, Riyadh Metro, Etihad Rail, Dubai’s Route 2020, Singapore’s Cross-Island Line — is currently outstripping supply by a factor of 3–5.
Civil & structural forensic engineers
Chartered civil and structural engineers (CEng MIStructE, MICE) investigate collapses, buckling, cracking, settlement, temporary-works failure and defective design. High-profile 2026 investigations — the Manhattan 235 East 42nd Street column-buckling incident, ongoing Grenfell-related BLO proceedings under the Building Safety Act — are anchoring salary expectations at £120k–£180k+ for senior instructions-ready practitioners. We place forensic structurals into leading expert-witness practices, insurance loss adjusters (Sedgwick, Crawford, Charles Taylor), and the disputes teams of Arup, WSP, AECOM, Mott MacDonald, Rimkus, Envista and Thornton Tomasetti.
Fire, cladding & facade forensic specialists
The UK’s cladding remediation programme — 2,399 monitored buildings in remediation and 1,531 completed as of the July 2026 Government update — is the largest single source of forensic instruction in the world. We recruit chartered fire engineers (CEng IFireE), facade specialists (SFE / CWCT), and materials-testing forensic experts into cladding claims practices, ACM/HPL disputes, and Building Liability Order (BLO) work in the wake of Mulalley v Sto. See Fire Engineering Recruitment and Facade Engineering Recruitment for adjacent capability.
Geotechnical & ground engineering forensic experts
Chartered geotechnical engineers (CEng MICE, FGS) investigate slope failures, retaining-wall collapses, foundation settlement, dewatering damage, ground-movement claims and tunnelling incidents. Demand is currently anchored by HS2 tunnelling disputes, Middle East megaproject foundation claims, and a growing pipeline of climate-driven ground-movement litigation across the UK and Australia. See Geotechnical Engineering Recruitment.
MEP & building services forensic engineers
MEP experts (CEng MCIBSE, MIET) investigate M&E defects, commissioning failures, thermal-comfort disputes, energy-performance claims and BSA-driven building safety cases. Rising demand from data-centre construction, Passivhaus retrofits and the wave of BSR Gateway 2/3 disputes is pulling senior MEP practitioners into disputes work at premium rates. See MEP Engineering Recruitment.
Marine, offshore & heavy engineering forensic experts
Following the Baltimore Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and the resulting $5bn+ economic-damages litigation, cross-border marine and heavy-engineering forensic work has become one of the fastest-growing niches globally. We recruit naval architects, marine engineers and heavy-lift specialists into UK, US and Singapore expert-witness practices.
Project management, contract & commercial experts
NEC, JCT, FIDIC and bespoke-form contract experts sit alongside the technical disciplines on almost every major dispute. We recruit MCInstCES-, MRICS- and FCIArb-qualified senior contract experts into international arbitration teams, tribunal secretariats and expert panels.
Our global reach: where we recruit
Forensic engineering is inherently a global market. Our recruitment coverage mirrors where the biggest disputes are litigated and arbitrated:
United Kingdom & Ireland
Our home market. London remains the world’s dominant hub for international construction arbitration (LCIA, ICC London, Society of Construction Arbitrators), fuelled by Building Safety Act cases, Grenfell-related BLO proceedings, HS2 disputes and the domestic cladding remediation programme. We cover London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Dublin. See Forensic Engineering Recruitment UK.
Middle East (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain)
The most active forensic engineering hiring market in the world in 2026, driven by Saudi Vision 2030 (NEOM, The Line, Diriyah Gate, Qiddiya), the UAE’s Route 2020, Etihad Rail, Qatar’s Lusail post-World Cup disputes and Oman’s Duqm. DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, ADCCAC, SCCA (Riyadh) and QICDRC arbitrations are running at record volume. See Forensic Engineering Recruitment Middle East.
Asia-Pacific (Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, Malaysia)
Singapore (SIAC) and Hong Kong (HKIAC) are the two most important seats for construction arbitration in Asia. Australia’s construction arbitration market is dominated by iron-ore, LNG and rail megaproject disputes, and its forensic engineering community is unusually well-organised. See Forensic Engineering Recruitment Asia-Pacific.
North America (United States & Canada)
The US market — AAA and JAMS arbitration, Tutor Perini-style megaproject disputes, the Baltimore Key Bridge fallout — is increasingly instructing UK-based experts to work alongside domestic counsel. See Forensic Engineering Recruitment North America.
Our forensic recruitment methodology
Getting the right expert-witness hire is not a search problem — it is a mapping, credibility and conflicts problem. Our process reflects that:
- Conflict pre-clearance. Before we approach a single candidate, we run a conflict-of-interest check against your existing panel of experts, opposing parties and instructed matters. No candidate is contacted until they are cleared to speak with you.
- Instruction-history mapping. For every candidate on the shortlist, we provide a mapped instruction history — matters given evidence in, jurisdictions, arbitration rules, opposing experts, and any judicial commentary in reported decisions.
- Cross-examination readiness. We assess written and oral evidence experience directly, not through self-report. Where relevant, we cross-reference against published awards, tribunal decisions and TCC judgments.
- Confidentiality by default. All searches are run under NDA. Candidate identity is protected until you formally instruct interview.
- Global follow-through. Where a UK expert is being placed into a Gulf or APAC role, we manage relocation, visa, tax structuring and family logistics through our vetted partner network.
How we work with clients
We work on retained executive search, contingent, and hybrid exclusive golden-handshake models. Fees are transparent and disclosed in advance — see executive search fees. For panel appointments (multiple experts across disciplines for a single dispute) we offer a discounted framework.
Expert witness fees & salaries: what to expect
The market splits into three broad tiers. Junior expert-witness associates and delay analysts (0–5 years’ expert-witness exposure) sit at £55k–£85k in the UK, $110k–$150k in the Gulf, and A$130k–A$180k in Australia. Mid-tier practitioners (Managing Consultants, Directors of Delay/Quantum, Senior Forensic Engineers with 5–15 years’ instruction-ready experience) sit at £95k–£160k UK, $180k–$300k Gulf, A$220k–A$320k Australia. Senior experts (Partners, Head-of-Practice, chartered experts with 20+ years and a reported track record) sit at £180k–£350k+ UK, $350k–$700k Gulf packages, and typically hourly rates of £450–£900 when instructed on hourly-rate cases. Full breakdown in our Forensic Engineering Salary Guide 2026.
For candidates: why work with JustEng
We are the only UK-headquartered recruiter with a dedicated forensic and disputes desk staffed by consultants who have themselves worked inside expert-witness practices. That gives us three things generalist recruiters cannot offer:
- Access. We are on first-name terms with hiring partners at every leading expert-witness practice in the UK, the Gulf and APAC — and we know which of them is genuinely hiring versus fishing.
- Discretion. Your instruction history, conflicts and existing employer are never disclosed without your explicit permission. We work under NDA by default.
- Career mapping. We can tell you honestly whether the offer in front of you is market-leading, market-median, or below what you should be commanding — and we back that with real, current data.
Submit your CV for a confidential conversation, or read our guide to becoming an expert witness engineer.
Related resources
- Quantum & Delay Expert Recruitment
- Forensic Engineering Salary Guide 2026
- How to Become an Expert Witness Engineer
- Construction Disputes Glossary
- Global Engineering Recruitment
Frequently asked questions: forensic engineering & expert witness recruitment
What is forensic engineering recruitment?
Forensic engineering recruitment is the specialist placement of chartered engineers, expert witnesses and disputes-focused consultants into roles that investigate construction failures, quantify losses, analyse delays and give evidence in adjudication, arbitration and litigation. It is a distinct discipline from general engineering recruitment because it requires deep knowledge of expert-witness duties (CPR Part 35 in England, IBA Rules internationally), conflicts-management, and the operational realities of expert-witness practices.
What qualifications does a construction expert witness need?
Chartered status in the relevant discipline (CEng MICE, MIStructE, MCIBSE, IFireE; MRICS for quantum; MCInstCES for contract) is effectively mandatory for credibility. Fellowship (FICE, FIStructE, FRICS) is common at Partner level. Additional expert-witness-specific credentials — Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificate, EWI membership, Academy of Experts — are highly valued. Prior instruction experience is the single most important selection criterion.
What is the difference between a quantum expert and a delay expert?
A quantum expert quantifies financial loss — how much the claimant is entitled to recover. A delay expert analyses time impact — whether the project was delayed, by how much, and who caused the delay. On most substantial disputes, both are instructed; on very large disputes, both sides instruct both, plus technical experts on the underlying engineering issues. See our Quantum & Delay Recruitment pillar for the full breakdown.
How quickly can JustEng source a forensic engineering expert witness?
Confidential longlists typically land within 3–5 working days; conflict-cleared shortlists within 5–10 working days. Urgent instruction-cover searches (where an existing expert has withdrawn) can be delivered inside 48 hours for well-defined mandates in London, Manchester, Dubai, Riyadh or Singapore.
Does JustEng recruit expert witnesses for international arbitration?
Yes. We routinely place experts into LCIA, ICC, DIAC, DIFC-LCIA, ADCCAC, SCCA, SIAC, HKIAC, ICSID, AAA and JAMS proceedings. We understand IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence and the practical differences between civil-law and common-law procedure — because our consultants have been on the other side of that table.
Can JustEng help with expert witness panel arrangements?
Yes. We regularly recruit multi-discipline expert panels (e.g. quantum + delay + structural + fire) for a single dispute, and offer discounted framework pricing when doing so. We can also advise on panel design where you are building an in-house or external expert roster.
Do you recruit forensic engineers for insurance and loss adjusting work?
Yes. We are active recruiters into Sedgwick, Crawford & Company, Charles Taylor Adjusting, Cunningham Lindsey, McLarens and specialist forensic loss-adjusting practices, covering property damage, business interruption, latent defects and professional indemnity claims.
Do you recruit outside the UK?
Yes — extensively. We run mandates in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, the US, Canada, Ireland and continental Europe. See the four regional pages linked in the Global Reach section above.
How do you handle conflicts of interest?
Every mandate begins with a client conflicts brief. We check candidate instruction history against your live and reported matters before making contact, and re-check before shortlist. Where any potential conflict exists, we disclose it up front and let you decide.
What is the Building Safety Act 2022 and why does it matter for recruitment?
The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced a new regulatory regime for higher-risk buildings, an extended limitation period of up to 30 years for defective premises claims, and the Building Liability Order (BLO) regime that has produced landmark decisions like Mulalley v Sto (first BLO by default judgment, July 2026). It has permanently increased demand for forensic engineers, fire specialists, cladding experts and construction lawyers — a demand shock that is still being absorbed by the market.
What is the Society of Construction Law (SCL) Delay & Disruption Protocol?
The SCL Protocol (2nd edition, 2017) is the internationally-recognised guidance on delay and disruption analysis on construction contracts. It sets out the recognised methodologies for time-impact analysis, and tribunals across the UK, the Gulf and Asia-Pacific expect delay experts to demonstrate command of it. Familiarity with the SCL Protocol is a standard interview question for any delay-analyst role.
How much does it cost to instruct JustEng?
Contingent fees are typically 20–25% of first-year total compensation; retained search fees are structured across three tranches with a fixed research fee up front. For panel appointments and framework mandates we offer discounted rates — see executive search fees for the full schedule.
Contact our forensic engineering recruitment team
Call +44 (0)203 950 6222, email info@justeng.co.uk, or register your vacancy and we’ll respond within one working day. Candidates: submit your CV for a confidential career conversation.