Principal Urban Drainage Modeller

Stantec; Northampton; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid / flexible working

Competitive salary

Bonus schemes

Job summary

Stantec is seeking a Principal Urban Drainage Modeller to lead complex wastewater and urban drainage projects across the UK. You will guide modelling outputs, governance, and innovative approaches, while mentoring teams and coordinating delivery with clients and stakeholders.

Your role shapes climate resilience, water quality improvement, and investment planning for communities across the UK, with hybrid working and collaboration across multiple offices.

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil Engineering, Geography or related field.
• Extensive experience delivering and leading urban drainage modelling projects.
• Technical leadership and quality assurance experience.
• Mentoring and developing technical teams.
• Strong client-facing and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience supporting project planning, programming and delivery.
• Membership of ICE or CIWEM.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical delivery of urban drainage and wastewater modelling projects.
• Provide technical governance and sign-off for modelling outputs and deliverables.
• Develop and apply innovative modelling approaches with digital/data specialists.
• Plan, programme and coordinate project delivery including cost estimation and resourcing.
• Act as a line manager and mentor for engineers.
• Engage with clients, contributing to technical discussions and workshops.

Skills

Urban drainage modelling

Leadership

InfoWorks ICM

Client engagement

Mentoring

Project planning

ICE/CIWEM member

Civil/Geography degree

Education

Civil/Geography degree

Tools

InfoWorks ICM

Job description

The Opportunity

At Stantec, we are already delivering on the challenges of AMP8, with our Southern urban drainage team playing a key role in shaping how the UK tackles storm overflow reduction, water quality improvement and urban resilience. We are seeking a Principal Urban Drainage Modeller to join our expanding network across Cambridge, Northampton, London, High Wycombe, Reading, Brighton or Southampton. You will join a highly collaborative interdisciplinary team working across the UK and Ireland, as well as with our global colleagues in Pune. Our work sits at the forefront of the industry’s digital transformation, combining traditional modelling expertise with smart applications and data-driven solutions that directly improve environmental performance and support long-term investment planning.

About The Role

As a Principal Urban Drainage Modeller, you will provide technical leadership across complex wastewater and urban drainage projects, with a strong focus on storm overflows, flooding and water quality improvement.

You Will

• Lead the technical delivery of urban drainage and wastewater modelling projects across major UK water frameworks.
• Provide technical governance and sign-off for modelling outputs and project deliverables.
• Develop and apply innovative modelling approaches, working closely with digital and data specialists.
• Plan, programme and coordinate project delivery, including input into cost estimation and resourcing.
• Act as a line manager and mentor, supporting the development of junior and senior engineers.
• Engage directly with clients, contributing to technical discussions, workshops and long-term solution development.

Your Impact

Your leadership will directly influence how our clients respond to some of the most pressing challenges in the water sector, including storm overflow reduction, climate resilience and environmental compliance. Your work will help shape investment decisions that improve water quality and deliver lasting benefits for communities across the South of England. Beyond project delivery, you will play a key role in developing technical capability within the team, embedding best practice and supporting the growth of future leaders. Your contribution will also help accelerate the adoption of digital modelling tools and smarter, data-led approaches across our business, strengthening Stantec’s position as a leader in urban drainage innovation.

About You Essential

• Degree qualified in Civil Engineering, Geography or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience delivering and leading urban drainage modelling projects.
• Strong technical expertise in wastewater modelling and InfoWorks ICM (or equivalent).
• Proven experience providing technical leadership and quality assurance.
• Experience managing, mentoring and developing technical teams.
• Strong client-facing and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience supporting project planning, programming and delivery.
• Membership of a relevant professional institution (e.g. ICE or CIWEM).

Desirable

• Chartered Engineer status or working towards Chartership.
• Experience working on UK water company frameworks (AMP cycles).
• Experience with digital modelling tools, automation or data analytics.

Why Join Us

• We put people first: We're proud of our friendly, inclusive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and driven to succeed.
• 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.

Join us and help shape the future of urban drainage across the South of England.

#UKUDM #ukwater

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 prohibit 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. If you are excited by this role but worry that your experience doesn’t exactly align, we encourage you to apply.

At Stantec we want you to perform best at every stage of the recruitment process and are committed to ensuring it is accessible to all. If you need any support or require adjustments to be made then please contact [email protected] and we will talk to you about how we can support you.