Graduate Environmental Water Quality Consultant - Water - 2026 (Cardiff)

Stantec Inc.; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental consulting firm seeks passionate individuals to join their Environmental Water Quality team in Cardiff. This role involves contributing to projects that address real-world environmental challenges, such as water quality assessments and the promotion of nature-based solutions. Ideal candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in an environmental discipline and be adaptable, collaborative, and eager learners. The position offers a competitive salary and a supportive team environment focused on professional development.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Private medical insurance

Holiday buy and sell

Group income protection

Life assurance

Professional progression plan

Supportive team environment

Qualifications

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in an environmental-related discipline.
• Minimum A Level qualification (or equivalent) in Maths.
• Unconditional right to live and work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to high-quality projects in Environmental Water Quality.
• Conduct assessments of water company discharges and impacts.
• Promote nature-based solutions for sustainable water management.

Skills

Adaptable

Perseverant

Focused

Eager learner

Collaborator

Education

Bachelor’s degree in an environmental-related discipline

Minimum A Level qualification in Maths

Job description

Overview

You will join a large UK‑wide Environmental Water Quality team, contributing to high‑quality projects and applying your knowledge and initiative to real‑world environmental challenges. You will work on a variety of projects, providing high quality solutions to challenges faced in the water sectors. Some examples of challenges are:

• Assessing the impact of water company discharges (continuous and intermittent) and the investment needed to improve the status of river and seas and the condition of sensitive habitats.
• Following a source‑pathway‑receptor approach to develop robust, evidence‑led assessments of pressures and impacts on the water environment to inform an integrated approach to catchment management.
• Promoting the use of nature‑based solutions as a sustainable and resilient alternative to traditional engineering solutions.

You will learn to conceptualise, quantitatively describe and report on environmental water quality systems and processes. You will also develop skills in a wide range of core services, including environmental chemistry, wastewater collection and treatment, nature‑based solutions, river and coastal modelling, climate change assessments and catchment management, while leveraging your digital skills and numerical analysis abilities. Technical work will be complemented with learning fundamental project‑management principles, working within budget and scope, and liaising with other professionals in the industry. There will be opportunities to carry out technical field work as well as office‑based work, developing your ability to collect and analyse data and to conceptualise and quantitatively describe catchment systems and processes.

Qualifications

Stantec values potential over past experience. Besides a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in an environmental‑related discipline, you must hold a minimum A Level qualification (or equivalent) in Maths and satisfy the following attributes:

• Adaptable – able to remain calm in new and changing situations, comfortably switching between a variety of dynamic tasks.
• Perseverant – stay composed in the face of setbacks, approaching challenges with confidence and determination.
• Focused – concentrate on what matters, tuning out distractions to perform effectively in any situation.
• Eager learner – learn from your experiences and the world around you, using this knowledge to anticipate how situations may unfold.
• Collaborator – work effectively with a wide range of people, considering others’ perspectives to shape better outcomes.

Applicants must have an unconditional right to live and work in the UK for an indefinite period without limitation. Graduates are expected to come into the office four days per week to ensure sufficient time with the team and receive the appropriate level of support.

Benefits

• A competitive salary
• Private medical insurance
• A range of benefits, including holiday buy and sell, group income protection and life assurance
• Permanent employment contract to demonstrate our commitment to your long‑term career at Stantec
• Professional progression plan, supporting you to gain professional chartership
• A supportive and collaborative team environment and Early Careers peer group and wider ERG network

Equal Opportunity

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment. We build an inspired, inclusive work environment that attracts, supports and develops world‑class talent.