Civil Engineer - Water Major Projects

Mott MacDonald; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee ownership

Private medical insurance

Wellbeing programme

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Mott MacDonald is seeking a Civil Engineer to support major water infrastructure programmes in the UK. The role focuses on early feasibility and concept design stages, with involvement in planning and consenting processes, including NSIPs/DCO.

You will work with multi-disciplinary teams and senior staff to develop robust, integrated solutions. You will contribute to technical deliverables, perform design analyses, liaise with clients and stakeholders, and help drive innovation and digital tools

Qualifications

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential for multi-disciplinary teamwork.
• Experience with front-end engineering stages such as feasibility and concept design is preferred.
• Understanding of water/wastewater standards and planning/consent processes is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of front-end engineering (feasibility, concept and outline design).
• Participate in multi-disciplinary teams, contributing to integrated designs.
• Assist in development of consentable schemes, including input to planning and DCO processes.
• Prepare and contribute to technical deliverables and design outputs.
• Undertake design calculations and analysis, and support design reviews.
• Liaise with clients, stakeholders and internal teams.
• Collaborate with senior staff and learn from technical leaders.
• Support bids and proposals when required.
• Contribute to innovation and use of digital tools.
• Follow health, safety, environmental and quality requirements.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Team collaboration

Proactive learner

Written technical reporting

Education

Degree in Civil Engineering

Working towards chartership

Tools

Civils 3D

GIS

Modelling

Job description

Location/s: Cambridge, Reading, London, Leeds, Sheffield, Belfast, Bristol, UK

Recruiter contact: Laura Kennedy

Overview of the role

You will support the delivery of major water infrastructure programmes, particularly during the earlier engineering stages of feasibility, concept and outline design, contributing to the development of robust and well-integrated solutions. You will provide support to projects through planning and consenting processes, in particular the Development Consent Order process for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) in the UK.

Key responsibilities and duties

• Support delivery of front-end engineering (feasibility, concept and outline design)
• Participate in multi-disciplinary teams, contributing to coordinated and integrated designs
• Assist in the development of consentable schemes, including input to planning and DCO processes
• Prepare and contribute to technical deliverables, reports and design outputs
• Undertake design calculations and analysis, and support design reviews
• Liaise with clients, stakeholders and internal teams
• Work collaboratively with senior staff and learn from technical leaders and specialists
• Support bids and proposals where required
• Contribute to innovation, digital tools and best practice development
• Follow health, safety, environmental and quality requirements

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil Engineering (or related discipline)
• Experience working within the UK water sector
• Experience in civil engineering design and analysis
• Understanding of water and/or wastewater standards and specifications
• Experience working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to contribute to delivering technically sound and cost-effective solutions
• Proactive and adaptable approach to learning and project delivery
• Commitment to professional development, ideally working towards chartership
• Exposure to front-end engineering stages (feasibility or concept design)
• Awareness of planning and consenting processes, including NSIPs/DCO
• Experience in pipelines, water/wastewater treatment, reservoirs, flood risk or large-scale infrastructure projects
• Understanding of CDM principles
• Familiarity with digital engineering tools (e.g. Civils 3D, GIS, modelling)
• Interest in sustainability and low‑carbon design
• Willingness to travel to sites and other offices as required
• Ability to write clearly and succinctly for the purpose of technical reports

Why Join Us?

• Work on nationally significant projects with real social and environmental impact
• Be part of an employee-owned business, where people are central to success
• Learn from and collaborate with experienced industry professionals
• Access structured training, mentorship and career development opportunities
• Develop your skills across multi-disciplinary major projects

Benefits

• Financial wellbeing
  • We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
  • Life assurance equal up to 4 × your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 × your salary.
  • Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long‑term illness or injury.
  • Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
  • As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.
• Employee Ownership
  • Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
  • Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
  • As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long‑term impact and contribution.
  • Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
  • For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.
• Health and wellbeing
  • Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
  • Health cash plan to support you with everyday health costs and treatments.
  • Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
  • A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing programme, including access for you and your family.
  • Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.
• Lifestyle
  • A minimum of 33‑35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
  • 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
  • Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
  • Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high‑street retailers.
• Enhanced family and carers leave
  • Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
  • Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
  • Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
  • We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.
• Learning and development
  • Primary annual professional institution subscription.
  • A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self‑development options.
• Networks, communities and social outcomes
  • Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
  • We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and encourage you to apply, even if you do not meet every requirement listed.

Accessibility

We want you to perform your best at every stage in the recruitment process. If you are disabled or need any support to enable you to apply or attend an interview, please contact us at [e-mail] and we will talk to you about how we can support you.

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Hybrid Working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well‑being, flexibility and trust.

Apply now, or for more information about our application process, click here.