Senior Associate Hydrologist

Mott MacDonald; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Employee ownership

Annual bonus

Flexible benefits

Job summary

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering and development consultancy delivering projects across water resources, climate science, and hydrology. Our Water Consultancy Division leads on AMP8 frameworks for UK water companies, delivering diverse, technically challenging work to protect water resources and the environment.

You will guide multidisciplinary teams on modelling projects and client-facing initiatives.

Qualifications

• Degree-level qualification in hydrology, geography, mathematics, civil engineering, or related field.
• Demonstrable experience in low flows hydrology, rainfall-runoff or water systems modelling.

Responsibilities

• Lead water resource management, hydrological modelling and climate impact assessment projects.
• Maintain key client relationships through technical delivery and client care.
• Win work and develop new business with clients and via our global reach.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to junior colleagues.

Skills

Hydrology modelling

Climate risk analysis

Water resources management

Project delivery

Mentoring

Client relationships

Communication

Education

Degree in hydrology/geography/mathematics/civil engineering

Tools

Aquator

WEAP

Pywr

Job description

Location/s: Birmingham, Reading, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Leeds, London, Manchester,Sheffield; UK

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices.

We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

Whether you want to grow as a subject matter expert or broaden your experience with roles across our international community, you’re surrounded by global specialists who want to combine their expertise and champion you to be your best. As a proudly employee‑owned business, we benefit our clients, our communities, and each other, investing in creating the right space for everyone to feel empowered, included, and valued. Whatever your ambition, Mott MacDonald is where people come to be brilliant.

About the division

The Water Consultancy Division is Mott MacDonald’s centre of excellence for responding to water and wastewater challenges, offering fantastic opportunities to get involved in diverse and technically challenging work. The work we do is at the forefront of ensuring safe water supplies for future generations and protecting our environment. Our multi-disciplinary teams provide a variety of services throughout the full project life cycle, from advisory services and feasibility studies, through outline and detailed design, to construction support and site supervision.

Overview of the role

We are engaged on major AMP8 frameworks with most UK water companies and through our global reach we support regulators, asset owners and investors worldwide to manage water resources efficiently while protecting the environment. The current public and political pressure to resolve water quality issues in our watercourses, alongside the emerging climate change impacts, has resulted in a significant increase in demand for these services, and in response to this we are keen to engage talented scientists and modellers to drive innovation, work across disciplines on modelling projects, support the development of our people and strengthen our client offering.

Our water resources team has an exceptionally strong record in providing hydrology and climate science services and expertise to the UK and international water sectors. Our clients are increasingly demanding better predictions of the impact of climate change on the availability of water and the frequency and magnitude of droughts and floods, and we are continually innovating to support them. We have developed advanced rainfall‑runoff models, weather generators as well as our own digital tools to deliver operational forecasting services and to analyse and process the latest datasets and climate projections. Our portfolio includes the major UK water companies as well as the Environment Agency and SEPA. We are regularly involved in hydropower projects in the UK and around the world supporting developers and lenders, and we undertake climate change risk assessments and impact assessments at a local, regional or national scale.

As a Senior Associate Hydrologist, your remit will cover a range of technical, management and commercial/client‑facing activities. You will be a key member of our water resources team leading a variety of projects for a range of clients. You will be working in a collaborative environment which strives for continuous improvement providing technical leadership, mentoring and support to other members of the team. The role offers an excellent progression route within the business and the opportunity to make a difference in the water sector, delivering long lasting customer, social and environmental benefits.

Key responsibilities and duties include:

• Leading water resource management, hydrological modelling and climate impact assessment projects
• Maintaining key client relationships through excellent technical delivery and customer care
• Winning work and the developing new business with our clients and through our global reach
• Contributing to our global water resources and flooding discipline, leading on innovation, sharing knowledge and developing new approaches and tools
• Providing technical leadership, support and training to junior colleagues and assisting in the mentoring and development of others

Candidate specification

We are looking for a driven individual, with a proven track record in the field and with a passion for learning and innovating in this fast-moving discipline.

Essential:

• A degree level qualification in hydrology, geography, mathematics, civil engineering, or other related discipline
• Demonstrable experience in low flows hydrology, including rainfall‑runoff modelling and/or water systems modelling, such as Aquator, WEAP or Pywr
• Project delivery and management in a consultancy environment
• Track record in winning work
• Experience in guiding and mentoring junior staff
• Excellent communication and written skills

Desirable:

• Chartership with an appropriate professional body
• Experience in applying UKCP18 and CMIP5/6 projections to climate change impact assessments
• Awareness of regulatory requirements as regards the UK water resources management planning process
• Aptitude for digital innovation and driving efficiency
• Leadership experience

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. We recognise that differences in ability, skills and experience are a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

UK Immigration

Mott MacDonald Ltd. are not currently offering sponsorship to candidates under the Skilled Worker visa route in the UK. This decision is as a consequence of the changes made to the Skilled Worker route by the UK Government in April 2024. We continue to welcome applications from candidates who are eligible for alternative immigration routes in the UK, that do not require sponsorship as a Skilled Worker now or in future.

Agile working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well‑being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

AI Usage

At Mott MacDonald, we see the value AI can bring, but we take a people‑first approach to hiring. While AI tools can help candidates prepare and build confidence, every application and hiring decision is reviewed by our recruitment and hiring teams. We encourage the responsible use of AI while ensuring we get to know the real person behind the application.

Accessibility

We want you to feel supported and able to perform at your best throughout our recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to make applying or interviewing with us more accessible, please contact us at [e-mail] and we’ll be happy to discuss how we can help.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

Financial wellbeing

• We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%.
• Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary.
• Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury.
• Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• As an independently owned business we share the financial success of the business with all our colleagues in various ways including annual bonus schemes.

Employee Ownership

• Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success.
• Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• As your career grows, so does your stake, recognising your long-term impact and contribution.
• Your voice matters, with the opportunity to connect directly with senior leadership through formal channels to help shape our future.
• For our senior roles you will have a direct pathway towards ownership from day one.

Health and wellbeing

• Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues.
• Health cash plan to support you with every day health costs and treatments.
• Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• A variety of wellbeing support is available through our comprehensive wellbeing program, including access for you and your family.
• Ability to flex your salary to opt into a wide range of health benefits, many of which can be extended to your family too.

Lifestyle

• A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• 10 days additional paid leave for Armed Forces Reservists and Cadet Force Adult Volunteers.
• Holiday entitlement increased to a minimum of 35 days after 5 years’ service.
• Variety of employee saving schemes and discounts from high‑street retailers.

Enhanced family and carers leave

• Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Our shared parental leave matches maternity leave meaning we pay up to 24 weeks at full pay.
• Up to five additional days leave are provided for those with significant caring responsibilities, two of which are paid.
• We offer policies and dedicated support to help military families balance service life with career and wellbeing.

Learning and development

• Primary annual professional institution subscription.
• A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self‑development options.

Networks, communities, and social outcomes

• Join a wide range of groups including our Advanced Employee Networks which support our LGBTQ+, gender, race and ethnicity, disability, and parents/carers communities.
• We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and Gold Award holders in the MOD Employer Recognition Scheme, supported by our dedicated internal Armed Forces Network.
• Make a difference within our communities through our social outcomes.

If you're a service leaver, veteran, reservist or member of a military family, you can connect with our people through Armed Forces Careers - Connectr to ask questions, gain career insights and learn more about opportunities at Mott MacDonald.