Graduate Civil Engineer

Environment Agency; City of Westminster; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental organization in the UK is seeking a Graduate Civil Engineer. This role offers a structured training program with hands-on experience in diverse placements, aimed at developing future leaders in flood defence engineering. Candidates should possess an accredited BEng or MEng in Civil Engineering and have a strong desire to contribute towards environmental sustainability. The position offers competitive pay and supports career progression towards engineering accreditation. Flexibility in working arrangements is provided.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Professional development support

Competitive salary

Qualifications

• Graduate with an accredited BEng or MEng in Civil Engineering.
• Knowledge and understanding of environmental engineering considerations.
• Ability to manage workload and achieve results within deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Engage in diverse placements across engineering teams.
• Work on flood defence engineering projects and asset management.
• Follow a structured training program towards engineering accreditation.

Skills

Teamwork

Environmental awareness

Initiative

Results-driven

Education

Accredited BEng or MEng in Civil Engineering

Job description

Overview

As a Graduate Civil Engineer at the Environment Agency, your passion for engineering and the environment can make a real impact. Climate change is reshaping our world, and you can be at the forefront of solutions that protect communities, wildlife and natural resources. This is your chance to launch a career that combines purpose, innovation and real‑world impact. Recently recognised as the highest new entrant onto The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers list, our Graduate Training Scheme is a structured, hands‑on programme spanning 4‑5 years that gives you the skills, experience and opportunities to become future leaders within the Environment Agency.

Key Features

• Diverse Placements: With 6‑12 month rotations across a wide range of teams throughout the organisation, you’ll get to work on everything from asset management to strategic planning and site supervision. This gives you a truly holistic understanding of flood defence engineering projects and enables you to work with a wide network of specialists in other fields such as Modelling and Forecasting, Natural Flood Management, National Fisheries Service and Health & Safety.
• Flexible Pathways: Your journey is tailored to your interests and development needs. If you are drawn towards topics such as geotechnics, hydraulics or the logistics of managing engineering projects, we can find the right combination of learning opportunities for you to become a highly effective client.
• Learning & Development: Accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), our programme guides you toward Incorporated (IEng) and Chartered (CEng) status.

The Environment Agency is fully committed to inclusivity and to reflecting the communities we serve, offering flexible work arrangements for all our vacancies. Join us in a diverse environment where every voice is heard and valued. Our Engineering Graduate Training Scheme has an extensive support network, with a dedicated team of Professional Development Advisors coordinating a community of Supervising Civil Engineers, Delegated Engineers, Career Mentors and wider peer support groups, committed to nurturing engineering talent and facilitating a busy calendar of collaborative learning opportunities.

Eligibility and Qualifications

You must be a graduate with an accredited BEng or, ideally, an MEng degree in Civil Engineering (or equivalent). It is essential that both your degree and masters are accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers as satisfying the academic requirements of becoming either an Incorporated or Chartered Engineer with the ICE. Please check the eligibility of both your BEng and Masters qualifications before applying: https://www.ice.org.uk/careers-and-training/graduate-civil-engineers/course-search-tool. We are unable to process CVs as part of shortlisting; all candidates must fully populate the Higher Education qualifications section of the application form to allow us to confirm eligibility for the role.

Competencies

• Achieves Results: Give a specific example of a piece of work you have delivered, describe how you prioritised your workload and managed any setbacks to meet the final deadline.
• Works in Teams: Give an example of a time where you have built relationships with a new team and describe how you worked effectively together to achieve a challenging common goal.
• Environmental Awareness: Give an example of an engineering project that considered the impact of the activity on the environment. How were the environmental issues identified and what actions were taken to overcome them?
• Uses Initiative: Give an example of when you have identified an opportunity for improvement and describe the role you played in implementing change.

License and Permissions

Successful candidates are required to hold or acquire a full UK driving licence within 6 months of starting the role. If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed, so you will not be eligible for continuous service.

Remuneration and Schedule

Candidates with a BEng qualification will join us on Graduate Engineer Pay Step 2 (£31,452) and candidates with an MEng (or equivalent) on Pay Step 3 (£32,237). Shortlisting will take place in January 2026 with interviews in February/March 2026. Successful candidates start in September 2026.

Contact

If you have any questions about the scheme, please email [e-mail]. Graduate Engineers learn from others in the office and out on site; we offer hybrid working arrangements. Some travel is required to access our flood defence assets, development events and team meetings.