Associate - Creative Lead Aquatic Design

WSP in Canada; Sharjah; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Join WSP Middle East as an Associate – Creative Lead in their newly established Aquatic Design Division. Drive innovation and design for water features, leading a talented team in shaping the artistic vision of aquatic environments. This senior role emphasizes a strong creative narrative and effective client engagement, as well as collaboration across disciplines. Ideal candidates will bring 10+ years of experience in concept design and a robust portfolio showcasing their skills.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in concept design for built environments.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating creative vision and hand-sketching ability.
• Proven collaborative experience with engineers and multidisciplinary design teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop original design concepts for water features and swimming pools.
• Lead visioning workshops and client presentations.
• Supervise a growing creative team and oversee quality assurance.

Skills

Creativity

Client Engagement

Hand-sketching

Design Storytelling

Sustainability Knowledge

Tools

Rhino

Adobe Suite

SketchUp

Syncronorm

Job description

Job Description

At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects, and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. WSP Middle East is seeking a highly creative, technically savvy, and client-facing design professional to join our newly formed Aquatic Design Division as Associate – Creative Lead. This senior role is responsible for shaping and delivering the artistic vision of our aquatic environments during the early project phases—namely Concept and Schematic Design. You will lead a talented group of design associates, 3D visualisation artists, and creative technicians, developing narratives, aesthetics, and experiences that push boundaries. The ideal candidate will possess a strong sense of design storytelling, hand-sketching capabilities, knowledge of.

Responsibilities

Design Leadership & Creative Direction

• Develop original design concepts for water features and swimming pools, incorporating aesthetics, sensory experiences, sustainability, and client vision.
• Be accountable for all creative outputs across concept and schematic stages, including sketches, Rhino/3D models, rendered visuals, and multimedia presentations.
• Use hand sketching, Adobe Suite, Rhino, and simulation tools (e.g., Syncronorm) to communicate ideas rapidly and effectively.
• Explore and specify creative technologies—lighting, jets, audio, water choreography, fog, and material effects—with an understanding of their design implications and feasibility.

Client Engagement & Project Positioning

• Lead visioning workshops and client presentations, clearly articulating design narrative and creative strategies.
• Respond to RFIs and collaborate closely with the client’s creative teams and consultants to shape project direction.
• Serve as the accountable point of contact for creative deliverables and ensure alignment with both internal teams and external expectations.

Team & Quality Oversight

• Supervise a growing creative team including design associates and digital designers.
• Oversee development of moodboards, briefs, InDesign reports, and narrative packages for use in tenders and client presentations.
• Lead the creative QAQC process, ensuring that all creative outputs are innovative, accurate, and align with WSP’s quality standards.

Process Development & Innovation

• Implement lessons learned and continuous improvement strategies across projects.
• Coordinate design simulation reviews, creative reports, and sustainability narratives.

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

• Work closely with the Technical Lead to ensure the creative vision is retained through to detailed design and construction.
• Participate in interdisciplinary design discussions with architecture, BIM, MEP, and lighting teams to ensure integration and alignment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in concept design for built environments, ideally with a focus on water features, public realm, or experiential installations.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating creative vision, hand-sketching ability, and proficiency with digital tools (Rhino, SketchUp, Adobe Suite, Syncronorm, etc.).
• Confident in client-facing roles with exceptional verbal presentation and storytelling skills.
• Experience integrating product knowledge (e.g., jets, nozzles, lighting, fog systems) into concept development.
• Familiarity with technical integration and understanding of how engineering constraints shape design.
• Knowledge of sustainability principles with the ability to incorporate them into the creative brief and design documentation.
• Proven collaborative experience with engineers, consultants, and multidisciplinary design teams.
• Demonstrated leadership in guiding creative teams and nurturing talent.
• Previous experience within an international design consultancy is preferred.

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