Graduate Civil Engineer

Environment Agency; Havant; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

A governmental environmental organization in the UK is looking for a Graduate Civil Engineer. This role offers a structured, hands-on training program with diverse placements across various teams over 4-5 years. Graduates will work on flood defense engineering projects, gaining crucial skills and support for their development and professional accreditation. Ideal candidates will hold an accredited BEng or MEng in Civil Engineering and be passionate about environmental solutions. Flexible work arrangements are also provided.

Benefits

Diverse work placements

Professional development opportunities

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• A degree in Civil Engineering accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers.
• Ability to work in diverse teams and manage workloads effectively.
• Understanding of environmental considerations in engineering projects.

Responsibilities

• Participate in diverse placements across teams within the Environment Agency.
• Engage in learning and development activities for career progression.
• Contribute to flood defence engineering projects and support incident response.

Skills

Civil Engineering knowledge

Teamwork

Environmental awareness

Initiative

Education

BEng or MEng in Civil Engineering

Job description

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.

You can expect:

• 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 across other fields such as Modelling and Forecasting, Natural Flood Management, National Fisheries Service, and Health and Safety.
• Flexible Pathways: Your journey is tailored to your interests and development needs. If you are drawn towards topics such as geotechnics and hydraulics or you enjoy the logistics of managing engineering projects, we can find the right combination of learning opportunities for you to become a highly effective, intelligent 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 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.

The strength of our Engineering Graduate Training Scheme lies in its extensive support networks. A dedicated team of Professional Development Advisors coordinates a community of Supervising Civil Engineers, Delegated Engineers, Career Mentors, and wider peer support groups, all committed to nurturing engineering talent and facilitating a busy calendar of collaborative learning opportunities.

To join our Engineering Graduate Training Scheme, you'll need to 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 master’s 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.

Contact and additional information: 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. Everyone who joins us is required to undertake training and participate in incident response duties to support communities and prevent harm to the environment. Further information can be found within your candidate pack.

Candidates with a BEng qualification will join us on Graduate Engineer Pay Step 2 (£31,452) and candidates with an MEng (or equivalent) join 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.

Competence 1 – Achieves Results

Give an example of a piece of work you have delivered. Describe how you prioritised your workload and managed any setbacks to meet the final deadline.

Competence 2 – 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.

Competence 3 – Environmental Awareness

Give an example of an engineering project that considered the impact of the activity on the environment. Describe how the environmental issues were identified and what actions were taken to overcome them. It is preferable that you describe a project in which you played a role at university or work experience, but local flood defence work is acceptable.

Competence 4 – Uses Initiative

Give an example of when you have identified an opportunity for improvement and describe the role you played in implementing change.

Role Specific Licence Requirements

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 a part of HM Civil Service; therefore, you will not be a Crown Servant in the event of appointment and will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc.) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status, contact your own HR team.

We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application. We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We guarantee an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application; however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate, and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own), applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non‑departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the Civil Service Careers website. Please review that guidance for more information.