Flood Risk Engineer

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils (trading as South & Vale); Abingdon; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, trading as South & Vale, are looking for a Civil Engineer specialising in flood risk and land drainage. You will work with a team of specialist engineers to investigate flooding, advise on causes and preventative measures, and design long-term flood alleviation schemes.

The role involves liaising with Environment Agency, Thames Water, and planning teams, reviewing flood risk assessments, and contributing to planning guidance for new

Qualifications

• HNC in Civil Engineering required.
• At least 3 years in land drainage or similar.
• Knowledge of flooding causes and drainage design.
• Experience with AutoCAD or equivalent drawing tool.
• Knowledge of Land Drainage Act 1991; Flood and Water Management Act 2010; CDM Regulations 2015 and NPPF.
• Knowledge of surveying practices.
• Ability to work alone and in a team.
• Good analytical and problem solving skills.
• Ability to research concepts with minimal supervision.
• Good interpersonal and IT skills (Word, Excel).

Responsibilities

• Investigate flooding instances and advise on causes and preventative measures for the Lead Local Flood Authority Oxfordshire County Council.
• Work with agencies on flooding and drainage matters (Environment Agency, Thames Water, etc.).
• Carry out S19 flood investigations and prepare reports.
• Manage consenting and enforcement for ordinary watercourses.
• Design and implement long-term flood alleviation schemes and projects.
• Develop project specifications and assist with tender documentation and contracts.
• Investigate and secure funding for projects and act as project manager where appropriate.
• Advising planning colleagues on flooding issues for new developments; review planning applications and risk assessments; provide technical advice to planners.
• Ensure adoption drainage details meet requirements and provide guidance for appeals or enforcement.

Skills

AutoCAD

Analytical thinking

Team player

IT skills

Problem solving

Communication

Education

HNC in Civil Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Survey equipment

Job description

About The Role

Why join us

We believe in putting our people first – we work hard every day to make sure everyone can achieve a healthy and enjoyable work-life-balance. That is why we have a very flexible hours system.

We are seen as being customer focused, approachable and business-like. We are honest and open and are renowned for providing high quality cost-effective service.

About the role

Are you looking for an exciting and varied role where you will be working with a team of specialist engineers who are helping to improve the construction and natural environment, where you are supported in developing your experience and knowledge to further your career.

Essential criteria for the role

• HNC in Civil Engineering
• at least 3 years working in the field of land drainage or a similar role such as Consultancy
• sound knowledge of the causes of flooding and of foul and surface water drainage system design and operation
• experience with AutoCAD or equivalent drawing tool
• sound knowledge of the Land Drainage Act 1991; Flood and Water Management Act 2010; Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)
• sound knowledge of surveying practices
• ability to work alone and in a team environment
• good analytical and problem solving skills
• ability to research concepts and projects with minimal supervision
• good interpersonal skills
• good IT skills and experience of standard packages such as Word and Excel

Desirable criteria

• experience in a Local Government flooding and drainage related role
• an appreciation of hydraulic modelling
• experience of carrying out S19 flood investigations
• knowledge of the operation of private foul drainage systems and sewage treatment works
• experience of designing and writing works specifications for civil engineering projects and experience supervising contractors
• an understanding of the development control process within a Local Planning Authority
• a specialist qualification in hydrology or a related discipline
• be a member of relevant professional body e.g. Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
• a qualification in AutoCAD or equivalent drawing tool
• experience with surveying equipment

Key responsibilities for the role

Investigating instances of flooding and advising on causes and preventative measures, on behalf of the Lead Local Flood Authority Oxfordshire County Council in line with the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 and the Land Drainage Act 1991

• Working closely with other agencies and key partners on flooding and drainage matters, including Oxfordshire County Council’s flood risk management and highways departments, the Environment Agency, Thames Water and Emergency Planning teams.
• Carrying out S19 flood investigations of flooding and preparing reports.
• Giving advice, responding to queries and supporting community flood groups.
• Consenting and enforcement procedures for ordinary watercourses.
• Devising, designing and implementing long term solutions to flooding and land drainage issues in the form of flood alleviation projects.

Designing flood alleviation schemes and project managing their implementation

• Developing project specifications and assisting with the preparation of tender documentation and legal contracts.
• Investigating and securing capital funding for projects and where appropriate, acting as project manager.
• Related to this is a potential range of other engineering projects for the council such as the design of sewage treatment works, mobile home park concrete bases, surfacing and car park surfacing at Council owned property across both districts. Advising planning colleagues regarding flooding issues for new developments
• Reviewing planning applications regarding all sources of flood risk and surface water and foul drainage matters and providing technical advice, where relevant by raising objections or recommending planning conditions.
• Reviewing flood risk assessments, SuDS designs and foul water drainage design, and commenting on the discharge of related planning conditions.
• Working closely with applicants to ensure that all drainage details submitted for adoption are satisfactory and comply with agreed requirements.
• Providing technical advice to planners for appeals or enforcement purposes.

A full list of the duties this role provides, as well as the benefits we offer, can be found within the job description.

Please note that we do not hold a sponsor licence and are unable to support visa applications. To be considered for this role, you must already have the legal right to work in the UK. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please refer to the UK Government’s guidance before applying.

Thank you for taking the time to read our advert, we look forward to receiving your application.