Principal Engineer - Hydraulics & Drainage

Aecom2; Madrid; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work options

Hybrid working

Job summary

AECOM is seeking a Principal Drainage Engineer to lead drainage and water design for major international infrastructure projects from Madrid. The role requires strong technical leadership across feasibility, preliminary and detailed design, with emphasis on highways and railways. Fluency in English and 8+ years of drainage experience are expected.

You will mentor junior engineers, ensure compliance with standards, and collaborate across regions in a hybrid work environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Civil, Water or a related discipline.
• Typically 8+ years of experience in drainage design for highways, railways and other linear infrastructure projects.
• Fluent English, both written and spoken.
• Proficiency with OpenRoads Designer, Civil 3D, InfoDrainage, MicroDrainage.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for drainage and water engineering deliverables across major international projects.
• Lead development, review and approval of drainage designs, hydraulic calculations and technical reports.
• Support projects through all design stages from feasibility to detailed design.
• Act as drainage SME within multidisciplinary teams, ensuring standards and client requirements are met.
• Deliver high-quality engineering solutions meeting objectives, schedules and budgets.
• Perform technical assurance and peer reviews of designs and maintain quality and consistency.

Skills

Drainage design

Hydraulic modelling

Technical leadership

English fluency

Project delivery

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Civil/Water or related

Tools

OpenRoads Designer

Civil 3D

InfoDrainage

MicroDrainage

Job description

We are currently looking to hire a Principal Drainage Engineer with experience in linear infrastructure drainage design, to join our busy and expanding experienced in Enterprise Capabilities, Europe (Madrid).

About Enterprise Capabilities

Fundamental to our Think and Act Globally strategy and digital adoption, Enterprise Capabilities (EC) is AECOM's primary vehicle for workshare. Operating across geographic boundaries and time-zones, EC partners with regional and Global Business Line project teams to provide technical expertise, accelerate delivery and keep AECOM competitive in the industry.

Our Water Engineering team has a strong track record delivering water infrastructure solutions across the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America and the Middle East. With us, you will have the opportunity to contribute to high-profile transportation, water and environmental projects within a diverse and multicultural environment.

You will be involved in all phases of project development, from conceptual and feasibility studies through to preliminary and detailed design, supporting a wide range of drainage, stormwater, sewerage and potable water network projects.

Responsibilities of this role include:

• Provide technical leadership for drainage and water engineering deliverables across major international transportation and infrastructure projects.
• Lead the development, review and approval of drainage designs, hydraulic calculations, modelling outputs, technical reports and engineering documentation.
• Support projects through all design stages, from feasibility and concept development to preliminary and detailed design.
• Act as a drainage subject matter expert within multidisciplinary teams, ensuring the application of relevant standards, client requirements and industry best practices.
• Deliver high-quality engineering solutions that meet project objectives, schedules and budget requirements.
• Undertake technical assurance and peer reviews of designs produced by other engineers, ensuring quality, consistency and compliance.
• Collaborate with project teams and stakeholders across multiple regions, supporting the successful delivery of projects in international markets.
• Identify technical risks, resolve complex engineering challenges and develop practical, innovative and sustainable design solutions.
• Mentor and support the development of graduate, junior and intermediate engineers, promoting technical excellence and knowledge sharing.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of drainage engineering capabilities, methodologies and best practices across the global Water business.

Why Join AECOM?

• Work on major international infrastructure projects.
• Be part of a global technical network.
• Flexible and hybrid working.
• Influence high-profile projects from Madrid.
• Drive technical excellence.
• Career growth without leaving the technical path.
• Work in a diverse and multicultural environment.
• Continuous learning and professional development.

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Civil, Water or a related discipline.

Typically 8+ years of experience in drainage design for highways, railways and other linear infrastructure projects.

Fluent English, both written and spoken.

Strong experience in drainage design, hydraulic modelling and technical delivery across multiple project stages.

Proficiency in industry-standard software such as OpenRoads Designer, Civil 3D, InfoDrainage, MicroDrainage or equivalent.

Familiarity with international design standards and engineering best practices.

Excellent communication, collaboration and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting projects in the United States and familiarity with US drainage design standards and regulations.
• Spanish language skills would be an advantage.

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.

About AECOM

AECOM is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include

• medical
• dental
• vision
• life
• AD&D
• disability benefits
• paid time off
• leaves of absences
• voluntary benefits
• perks
• flexible work options
• well-being resources
• employee assistance program
• business travel insurance
• service recognition awards
• retirement savings plan
• employee stock purchase plan.