Principal Engineer - Water

WSP in the Middle East; Abu Dhabi; Hybrid; AED 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical cover

Generous annual leave

Paid professional subscriptions

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

WSP in the Middle East seeks a Principal Engineer – Water to lead the design and delivery of large-scale water and hydrology projects in the UAE. You will coordinate with multidisciplinary teams and ensure compliance with local authorities.

The role requires extensive UAE project experience, strong modelling skills, and leadership to drive technical excellence and innovative approaches across major programmes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil/Water/Environmental Engineering (Master’s preferred).
• 10–12+ years in water infrastructure design or wet utilities.
• Experience delivering large UAE water/wet utilities projects and coordinating with authorities.
• Proven leadership of multidisciplinary teams in complex infrastructure.
• Advanced proficiency in hydrological/hydraulic modelling tools (InfoWorks, WaterGEMS).
• Strong technical writing and client-facing presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design and delivery of major water infrastructure projects (potable water, drainage, sewerage).
• Provide technical leadership in hydrology and wet utilities design per local standards.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams across civil/structural/environmental disciplines.
• Deliver design reports, models, drawings, specifications, and studies.
• Engage with clients, present solutions, and manage stakeholder communications.

Skills

Water engineering

Hydrology

Hydraulic modelling

Leadership

Client-facing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil/Water/Environmental Engineering (Master’s preferred)

Tools

InfoWorks

EPANET

WaterGEMS

SewerGEMS

StormCAD

Civil 3D

Job description

Job Description

As part of our ongoing commitment to delivering sustainable, innovative, and future-ready water infrastructure solutions, we are seeking a seasoned Principal Engineer – Water to join our expanding team in Dubai/Sharjah. This senior technical role sits within our Transport & Infrastructure business unit and focuses on the design and delivery of large-scale water, hydrology, and wet utilities projects across the Emirate.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive expertise in water infrastructure design, whether in wet utilities or hydrology, along with a strong background in coordinating with multidisciplinary teams on major infrastructure and land development projects. Prior, in-depth UAE project experience is essential to ensure compliance with local authority requirements and to navigate regional design and approval processes effectively.

This is an exciting opportunity for a high-caliber professional to influence complex programmes, shape technical excellence, and drive innovative approaches in one of the region’s most dynamic markets.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the end-to-end design and delivery of major water infrastructure projects, including potable water, stormwater drainage, foul sewerage, TSE/irrigation networks, and hydrological systems.
• Provide technical leadership in hydrology, hydraulic modelling, and wet utilities design in alignment with local authority standards and international best practices.
• Manage and coordinate multidisciplinary teams, ensuring seamless integration between civil, structural, environmental, transport, and other engineering disciplines.
• Deliver high-quality technical outputs, including design reports, modelling outputs, specifications, drawings, tender documents, and engineering studies.
• Steer client engagement, presenting design solutions, providing subject-matter expertise, and ensuring superior stakeholder communication.
• Guide authority submissions and interface with local authorities, ensuring compliance and timely approvals.
• Mentor and develop junior and mid-level engineers, promoting technical excellence and knowledge transfer within the team.
• Support project managers in planning, budgeting, risk management, and overall technical strategy for major programmes.
• Drive quality assurance by ensuring adherence to internal quality management processes and health & safety standards.
• Contribute to business development, including proposal preparation, bid support, technical presentations, and client relationship building.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends in water engineering to integrate sustainable and innovative solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Water Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related discipline (Master’s degree preferred).
• 10–12+ years of experience in water infrastructure design, hydrology, or wet utilities engineering, preferably within an engineering consultancy.
• Proven experience delivering large-scale water or wet utilities projects specifically within the UAE, with strong knowledge of relevant authority standards, manuals, and approval processes.
• Demonstrated leadership in managing multidisciplinary teams and overseeing complex infrastructure project delivery.
• Advanced proficiency in hydrological and hydraulic modelling tools and software such as InfoWorks, EPANET, WaterGEMS, SewerGEMS, StormCAD, Civil 3D, and similar platforms.
• Strong technical writing and communication skills, including client-facing leadership and presentation capabilities.
• Ability to navigate the local regulatory landscape and maintain strong working relationships with local authorities.
• Commitment to innovation, sustainable design, and continuous improvement.

What if we can have work-life balance? What if we can be rewarded in ways that support our individual needs? What if we can be accepted for who we are? Here at WSP – we can! WSP recognizes that work is only one part of our lives and making time for the other things in our life is important – be that our families, our friends or ourselves. So, if working from home, working part-time or having flexible start and finish time will help with this let us know as part of your application. As well as rewarding you with competitive pay, WSP offers standard benefits including first class medical cover, generous days annual leave, and paid professional subscriptions. Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all. Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 69,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world. With us, you can.