Principal Drainage Engineer

AECO; Perth; Hybrid; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work arrangements

Additional leave up to 6 weeks

Volunteer leave

Flex public holidays

Job summary

AECOM is seeking a Principal Drainage Engineer to join our Perth team. You will lead technical delivery of drainage designs, stormwater plans, and hydraulic modelling for major infrastructure projects in Western Australia.

You will shape design approaches, mentor engineers, engage with clients and regulators, and ensure compliance with Australian standards. A strong track record in major projects and 12D software is essential.

Qualifications

• Around 10+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Experience in planning, hydraulic assessment and design of stormwater and drainage networks.
• Strong capability across underground and surface water drainage systems.
• Experience delivering major infrastructure projects within a consultancy or multidisciplinary environment.
• Proven ability to lead, review designs and mentor.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills with clients.

Responsibilities

• Technical delivery of drainage designs, stormwater management plans, and hydraulic assessments for major projects.
• Provide input into hydrologic and hydraulic analysis using 12D and Drains.
• Develop practical solutions to complex drainage and water quality challenges.
• Review and approve engineering designs, models and documentation for quality and compliance.
• Support project teams with technical guidance, mentoring and QA.

Skills

Drainage hydraulics

Stormwater design

Project leadership

Mentoring

Client engagement

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil/Water Resources engineering

Tools

12D

Drains

TUFLOW

HEC-RAS

MUSIC

RORB

Job description

• Primary Location: AU - Perth, WA - 58 Mounts Bay Road

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world.

Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. As the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, we partner with clients to solve the world's most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment across Australia and globally, our teams are delivering some of the most significant transport, Defence, energy and water projects in the market. We are seeking a Principal Drainage Engineer with extensive knowledge of 12D software to join our Perth based multidisciplinary team.

Job Description

What you'll do

In this role, you will provide technical inputs in the delivery of complex drainage and stormwater engineering projects across major infrastructure and development sectors. You will play a key role in shaping design approaches, solving complex drainage and hydraulic challenges, and ensuring high-quality, practical, and compliant outcomes for our clients.

Your focus will be delivering drainage designs using 12D, preparing stormwater management plans, and hydraulic modelling. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, providing specialist input and mentoring engineers, while contributing to project delivery, client engagement, and work-winning activities.

Key responsibilities include:

• Technical delivery of drainage designs, stormwater management plans, and hydraulic assessments for major infrastructure projects
• Providing expert input into hydrologic and hydraulic analysis using 12D and DRAINS.
• Developing practical and innovative solutions to complex drainage, flooding, and water quality challenges
• Reviewing and approving engineering designs, models, and technical documentation to ensure accuracy, quality, and compliance
• Supporting project teams through technical guidance, mentoring, and quality assurance
• Engaging with clients, regulators, and stakeholders to provide trusted technical advice and contribute to winning work
• Ensuring alignment with Australian standards and guidelines
• Contributing to technical excellence initiatives and staying current with emerging tools, methodologies, and regulatory changes

Qualifications

What you'll bring

You are a recognised technical leader with deep expertise in stormwater and drainage hydraulics and a passion for delivering high-quality infrastructure outcomes.

You will likely bring:

• Around 10+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Demonstrated experience in the planning, hydraulic assessment and design of stormwater and drainage networks.
• Strong technical capability across underground and surface water drainage systems.
• Experience delivering major infrastructure projects within a consulting or multidisciplinary engineering environment.
• Proven ability to provide technical leadership, design review and mentoring.
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with confidence working directly with clients.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of successful project delivery principles.

Experience in the following areas will be highly regarded:

• Major road, rail, Defence, aviation, renewable energy or other large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Application of Australian Rainfall and Runoff (ARR 2019) and relevant authority drainage standards and guidelines.
• Software such as 12d, Drains, TUFLOW, HEC-RAS, MUSIC, RORB or similar hydraulic modelling tools.
• Technical governance, independent design review and project assurance.
• Established client relationships and market presence within Western Australia.
• Experience supporting the growth and development of a technical discipline or team

Additional Information

Why you'll love working with us

• Flexible work arrangements including alternative start/finish times, job-sharing and hybrid work options.
• Purchase up to 6 weeks additional annual leave per year.
• Volunteer and representation leave to support causes important to you.
• Flex public holidays, giving you greater choice over how and when you take leave.

You’ll also benefit from access to industry-leading projects, technical experts across our global network, structured career development pathways and the opportunity to help shape some of Western Australia's most significant infrastructure investments.

Come grow with us and help deliver a better world.

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the landson which we, our clients and our communities live and workaround Australia.We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses.Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here:https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options.Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility.As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

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