Principal Engineer - Water

WSP in the Middle East; Sharjah; On-site; AED 550,000 - 750,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical cover

Annual leave

Professional subscriptions

Job summary

WSP in the Middle East is seeking a seasoned Principal Engineer – Water in the UAE to lead the design and delivery of large-scale water infrastructure projects in Dubai/Sharjah. You will guide hydrology, modelling, and wet utilities, coordinating multidisciplinary teams and interfacing with authorities to ensure timely approvals.

The role emphasizes technical excellence, innovative approaches, and mentorship of junior engineers within a dynamic market, with a focus on sustainable water solutions.

Qualifications

• 10–12+ years of experience in water infrastructure design, hydrology, or wet utilities engineering.
• Proven UAE delivery experience with local authority standards and approvals.
• Leadership in multidisciplinary teams and complex project delivery.
• Advanced proficiency in hydrological and hydraulic modelling tools.
• Strong technical writing and client-facing communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design and delivery of major water infrastructure projects.
• Provide technical leadership in hydrology, hydraulic modelling, and wet utilities design.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams for seamless integration of disciplines.
• Deliver design reports, models, specifications, drawings and studies.
• Engage with clients, present solutions, and manage stakeholder communications.
• Interface with local authorities and oversee approvals processes.
• Mentor junior engineers and promote knowledge transfer.
• Support project planning, budgeting, risk management, and technical strategy.

Skills

Water engineering leadership

Hydrology modelling

Project management

Client engagement

Technical writing

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Master's degree 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.

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.

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.

WSP offers standard benefits including first class medical cover, generous days annual leave, and paid professional subscriptions.