Principal Engineer - Water Design and Build

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working policy

Well-being benefits

Global giving and volunteering program

Job summary

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. in Exeter is seeking a Principal Civil Engineer to lead water design and Design & Build delivery across water and wastewater projects. You will head up integrated teams, set technical direction and ensure safe, compliant designs for UK frameworks.

You’ll drive BIM/CDM practices, mentor engineers, and collaborate with clients and regulators from concept through handover, with a strong emphasis on safety and lifecycle asset knowledge.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience delivering water and wastewater infrastructure (treatment works, pumping stations, pipelines, MEICA).
• Strong understanding of AMP delivery, water company governance and regulated utilities.
• Proven leadership of multi-disciplinary teams through design, construction and handover.
• Safety-led, risk-based engineering mindset with strong asset lifecycle knowledge.
• Experience using BIM, digital tools and Common Data Environments.
• A Civil Engineering degree and CEng status (or working towards).

Responsibilities

• Lead integrated, multi-disciplinary teams across civils, process, MEICA and construction.
• Own technical governance—from design reviews and change control to BIM/CDE delivery and design freeze.
• Act as the senior technical interface with clients, regulators, contractors and the supply chain.
• Guide projects from concept through to construction and handover.
• Champion Safety in Design, HAZID/HAZOP and risk-based engineering.
• Mentor and develop engineers, shaping standards, capability and future leaders.

Skills

Leadership of multi-disciplinary teams

Extensive water/wastewater delivery

BIM and digital tools

Safety‑led, risk‑based engineering

AMP delivery governance

Education

Civil Engineering degree

CEng status or working towards

Job description

Principal Engineer - Water Design and Build

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

Shape the Future of Water. Lead What Matters.

The UK water sector is changing faster than ever before. With unprecedented investment and sector‑wide reform underway, this is a once‑in‑a‑generation moment to leave your mark on critical national infrastructure.

If you’re a Civil Engineer/Senior Civil Engineer or a Principal Civil Engineer ready to lead, influence and shape complex water and wastewater projects, this is your opportunity to step into a role where your expertise truly counts.

Your Impact

This is more than a technical role — it’s a leadership platform.

You’ll be at the heart of transformational water and wastewater programmes, setting technical direction, mentoring future talent and influencing how vital assets are designed, built and operated for decades to come.

Your work will:

• Safeguard communities and the environment through safe, compliant and buildable designs
• Drive low‑carbon, sustainable solutions using modern methods of construction and digital engineering
• Shape smarter, safer infrastructure by embedding constructability, operability and CDM best practice
• Leave a lasting legacy across some of the UK’s most high‑profile water frameworks

This is a role where your decisions matter — to clients, regulators, delivery partners and society.

About the Opportunity

We’re proud to be at the forefront of transformation in the UK water sector, partnering with major water companies including United Utilities, Northumbrian Water, Thames Water, Severn Trent Water and Anglian Water.

We’re now growing our team in Exeter, seeking Civil Engineers, Senior Civil Engineers or Principal Civil Engineers to lead detailed design and Design & Build delivery across water and wastewater infrastructure.

As a Civil Engineer/Senior/Principal – Water (Detailed Design / D&B), you’ll:

• Lead integrated, multi‑disciplinary teams across civils, process, MEICA and construction
• Own technical governance — from design reviews and change control to BIM/CDE delivery and design freeze
• Act as the senior technical interface with clients, regulators, contractors and the supply chain
• Guide projects from concept through to construction and handover
• Champion Safety in Design, HAZID/HAZOP and risk‑based engineering
• Mentor and develop engineers, shaping standards, capability and future leaders

If you’re earlier in your Principal‑level journey, you’ll be supported to grow — working alongside experienced specialists on major frameworks that will stretch and sharpen your leadership skills.

Here's what you'll need

You’ll bring deep technical credibility and the confidence to lead in complex D&B environments, including:

• Extensive experience delivering water and wastewater infrastructure (treatment works, pumping stations, pipelines, MEICA)
• Strong understanding of AMP delivery, water company governance and regulated utilities
• Proven leadership of multi‑disciplinary teams through design, construction and handover
• A safety‑led, risk‑based engineering mindset with strong asset lifecycle knowledge
• Experience using BIM, digital tools and Common Data Environments
• A degree in Civil Engineering (or similar) and CEng status (or working towards)

Ready to Lead the Change?

If you want influence, technical challenge and the chance to shape the future of UK water infrastructure, this is the role for 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.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support .