Principal Process Engineer - Water Sector

Stantec Inc.; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid / Flexible working

Bonus schemes

Private medical insurance

Enhanced pension

Job summary

Stantec is seeking a Principal Process Engineer to lead process engineering across water and wastewater projects, delivering robust designs and mentoring multidisciplinary teams.

You will provide technical direction, drive design excellence, and contribute to bids and frameworks across the UK while working from multiple office locations.

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemical or Process Engineering or a related discipline.
• Significant experience in process engineering within water, wastewater, utilities or related sectors.
• Strong technical experience across process design, calculations, mass balances, hydraulic assessments and treatment process evaluation.
• Proven experience providing technical leadership across complex multidisciplinary projects.
• Strong understanding of water and/or wastewater treatment processes, engineering principles and UK industry requirements.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with clients and project teams.
• Experience mentoring and developing engineers and providing technical guidance to colleagues.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and contribute to the successful delivery of complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical delivery of process engineering solutions across water and wastewater treatment and infrastructure projects.
• Develop, review and assure process designs, calculations, mass balances, hydraulic assessments, treatment evaluations and technical specifications.
• Provide technical direction and guidance to project teams, ensuring solutions are practical, sustainable and aligned with client requirements.
• Take a leading role in complex projects from concept and feasibility through to detailed design and construction support.
• Support asset optimisation, performance improvement, site investigations and technical testing where required.
• Work closely with civil, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and environmental specialists to deliver integrated engineering solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, providing technical advice and helping translate their challenges into effective engineering outcomes.
• Contribute to investment programmes, business plans, bids and framework opportunities across the UK water sector.
• Mentor and develop engineers, sharing technical knowledge and helping strengthen the wider Process Engineering team.
• Champion innovation, best practice and continuous improvement in process engineering delivery.

Skills

Technical leadership

Process design

Calculations

Mass balances

Hydraulic assessments

Stakeholder management

Education

Degree in Chemical/Process Engineering

Job description

We're looking for a Principal Process Engineer to join our growing teams in London, High Wycombe, Reading, Brighton, Southampton or Cambridge. This is an opportunity to take a leading role within our Process Engineering community, providing technical direction across complex projects while building strong relationships with clients and multidisciplinary teams. As a Principal Process Engineer, you'll provide technical leadership across a range of water and wastewater projects, taking responsibility for delivering robust engineering solutions and supporting teams throughout the project lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical delivery of process engineering solutions across water and wastewater treatment and infrastructure projects.
• Develop, review and assure process designs, calculations, mass balances, hydraulic assessments, treatment evaluations and technical specifications.
• Provide technical direction and guidance to project teams, ensuring solutions are practical, sustainable and aligned with client requirements.
• Take a leading role in complex projects from concept and feasibility through to detailed design and construction support.
• Support asset optimisation, performance improvement, site investigations and technical testing where required.
• Work closely with civil, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and environmental specialists to deliver integrated engineering solutions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, providing technical advice and helping translate their challenges into effective engineering outcomes.
• Contribute to investment programmes, business plans, bids and framework opportunities across the UK water sector.
• Mentor and develop engineers, sharing technical knowledge and helping strengthen the wider Process Engineering team.
• Champion innovation, best practice and continuous improvement in process engineering delivery.

Impact

Your technical leadership will help water companies deliver more resilient, efficient and sustainable infrastructure across the UK. By providing expert process engineering input and influencing project solutions, you'll help clients respond to challenges across treatment performance, environmental standards, asset resilience and long-term investment. At Principal level, your impact will extend beyond individual projects. You'll help shape technical approaches, develop future engineering leaders, strengthen client relationships and contribute to the continued growth and reputation of Stantec's Process Engineering capability across the UK.

Qualifications

• Degree qualified in Chemical or Process Engineering or a related discipline.
• Significant experience in process engineering within the water, wastewater, utilities or related sectors.
• Strong technical experience across process design, calculations, mass balances, hydraulic assessments and treatment process evaluation.
• Proven experience providing technical leadership across complex multidisciplinary projects.
• Strong understanding of water and/or wastewater treatment processes, engineering principles and UK industry requirements.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with clients and project teams.
• Experience mentoring and developing engineers and providing technical guidance to colleagues.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and contribute to the successful delivery of complex projects.

Desirable

• Chartered or Incorporated Engineer (CEng/IEng) or actively working towards
• Membership of a relevant professional institution such as CIWEM, IChemE, ICE or IMechE.
• Experience working with UK water companies and AMP investment programmes.
• Experience across treatment design, asset optimisation, process performance, water resilience or infrastructure development.
• Experience supporting site investigations, commissioning, testing or process optimisation activities.
• Experience contributing to bids, frameworks, business development and client relationships.
• Experience developing innovative or digital approaches to process engineering delivery.
• Experience contributing to technical standards, best practice and continuous improvement initiatives.

Company Culture and Recognition

• We are driven to achieve: Named in the top 50 companies to work by Glassdoor 2025. Recognised by Corporate Knights as one of the world's top 10 most sustainable companies 2025. Named 'Best Place to Work' and 'International Consulting Firm of the Year' at the NCE Awards 2024.
• We do what is right: Industry leading training and development as well as paid for professional subscriptions. A professional progression plan, supporting you to become chartered with ICE.
• We are better together: A supportive and collaborative team environment and Early Careers peer group and wider ERG network (see more on our ERGs here: Stantec Employee Resource Groups).
• Growth: We're on an exciting growth journey across the UK - we want you to be part of it!
• Great Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus schemes, enhanced pension plan, annual leave with the option to buy/sell additional days, private medical insurance, group income protection & life assurance included as standard as well as discounted gym membership and lots more.
• Hybrid / Flexible working: Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with our hybrid approach to flexible working.

About Stantec

The Stantec community unites more than 34,000 employees working in over 450 locations across 6 continents. We have been working with our clients and communities in the UK for over 150 years. We plan, design, deliver and manage the development and infrastructure needed to support the creation of sustainable, healthy and prosperous communities. Our teams provide effective and relevant solutions, translating our clients' vision into valued consents, deliverable plans for projects and programmes, and efficient designs for delivery, based on technical excellence and deep market insights. We deal with today's challenges, but also keep a fairer, better tomorrow in sight, looking at how we deliver clean growth, support radical changes in our economy and meet the needs of future communities. 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. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations or any other condition of employment. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment. Building an inspired, inclusive work environment that attracts, supports, and develops world-class talent is a crucial key to our success.