Coastal Engineering & Flood Risk Design Lead

Jacobs; Belfast City District; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

High-profile projects

Lead multidisciplinary teams

Exposure to innovative solutions

Clear career progression

Flexible working environment

Environmental, social & economic value

Mentor and develop others

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a Coastal Engineering & Flood Risk Design Lead to deliver nationally significant projects across Ireland and the UK. You will lead multidisciplinary teams, develop robust design solutions and integrate environmental considerations to protect communities and support economic growth.

Join a global practice that values innovation, collaboration and professional development, offering hybrid working and opportunities to mentor the next generation of engineers.

Qualifications

• Degree or Master’s in Civil Engineering or equivalent.
• Chartered status (ICE, CIWEM or equivalent) or actively working towards chartership.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary design teams across coastal and flood risk projects.
• Knowledge of flood defences, coastal structures, hydraulic structures, embankments, culverts or reservoirs.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary design teams to deliver sustainable flood risk and coastal engineering solutions.
• Deliver high‑quality technical designs in accordance with standards and best practice.
• Integrate environmental considerations from the earliest stages of project development.
• Ensure solutions are practical, buildable and aligned with client objectives.

Skills

Coastal engineering

Flood risk management

Leadership

Hydraulic structures

Embankments

Culverts

Design standards

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Communication

Education

Degree or Master’s in Civil Engineering

Chartered status or progression

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission‑critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting‑edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

Dublin, Cork, Belfast.

Climate change, rising sea levels and increasing flood risk are transforming how we design and deliver infrastructure. At Jacobs, you'll help lead the development of resilient, sustainable solutions that protect communities, support economic growth and create a safer future.

As a Coastal Engineering & Flood Risk Design Lead, you'll play a pivotal role in delivering nationally significant projects across Ireland, helping clients tackle some of the most complex environmental and infrastructure challenges facing society today.

What's In It For You

This is an opportunity to take a leading role in shaping some of Ireland's most important flood risk and coastal resilience projects while continuing to develop your technical and leadership capabilities.

You'll benefit from

• Working on high-profile flood risk management and coastal engineering programmes across Ireland


• Opportunities to lead multidisciplinary teams and influence project outcomes from concept to delivery


• Exposure to innovative solutions, technologies and industry‑leading expertise


• Clear career progression within a growing and highly respected practice


• A flexible and supportive working environment that enables you to thrive professionally and personally


• The chance to contribute to projects that create lasting environmental, social and economic benefits


• Opportunities to mentor, develop and inspire the next generation of engineering professionals

Your Impact

As a Design Lead, you'll help deliver practical, sustainable solutions that improve resilience and protect communities from flood and coastal risks.

Your work will

• Reduce flood risk and strengthen climate resilience across Ireland


• Support the delivery of critical environmental and infrastructure investment programmes


• Improve the long‑term sustainability of communities and natural environments


• Drive innovative engineering approaches that balance technical excellence with environmental stewardship


• Influence how future flood risk management and coastal adaptation solutions are developed and delivered

The decisions you make and the projects you lead will have a direct impact on people, places and future generations.

About The Opportunity

Our Coastal Engineering and Flood Risk Management team is growing, creating exciting opportunities for experienced engineers and design leaders to join us.

You'll work alongside specialists from across Jacobs' Water Catchment Management business, supporting a diverse portfolio of projects that span the full project lifecycle, from feasibility studies and optioneering through to detailed design, construction support and delivery.

In this role, you'll

• Lead multidisciplinary teams to develop sustainable flood risk and coastal engineering solutions


• Deliver high‑quality technical designs in accordance with relevant standards and best practice


• Integrate environmental considerations into project development from the earliest stages


• Ensure solutions are practical, buildable and aligned with client objectives


• Develop technical scopes and support successful project delivery


• Identify, manage and communicate project risks and opportunities


• Contribute innovative ideas that challenge conventional thinking and enhance project outcomes


• Mentor and support colleagues while fostering a collaborative and engaged team culture

Whether your expertise lies in coastal engineering, river engineering, flood risk management or nature‑based solutions, you'll have the opportunity to work on projects that truly matter.

Here's what you'll need

• Degree or Master's qualification in Civil Engineering


• Experience leading multidisciplinary design teams


• Experience in coastal engineering, flood risk management or closely related infrastructure sectors


• Knowledge of flood defences, coastal structures, hydraulic structures, embankments, culverts, reservoirs or similar assets


• Understanding of current Irish and UK design standards, guidance and engineering best practices


• Experience delivering both traditional engineering and environmentally focused solutions


• Strong commercial, programme and project management awareness


• Chartered status (ICE, CIWEM or equivalent), or actively working towards chartership


• Excellent communication, analytical and stakeholder engagement skills

Experience or interest in one or more of the following areas would be particularly valuable

• Coastal engineering


• River engineering


• Flood risk management


• Flood resilience and adaptation


• Natural Flood Management


• Surface water management and SuDS


• Catchment‑based solutions

Ready to Lead the Future of Climate Resilience?

If you're passionate about creating innovative solutions that protect communities, enhance the environment and address some of the most pressing climate challenges of our time, we'd love to hear from you.

Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.

With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well‑being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs.

We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here.

Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit https//www.vercida.com/uk/employers/jacobs to view and access our roles.

As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.

We value collaboration and believe that in‑person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.