Technical Director - Waste Water Process Engineering - National

slihrms; Epsom; Hybrid; GBP 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis is seeking an experienced Technical Director - Wastewater Process to provide strategic technical leadership across our water portfolio and shape sustainable wastewater treatment solutions in the UK and beyond.

You will lead complex projects, steer governance, and develop senior engineers while engaging with major clients and regulators. UK-wide travel and hybrid working are involved, with potential office basing across the network.

Qualifications

• Strategic technical leadership across wastewater treatment and resource recovery programmes.
• Guidance on design governance, safety, and quality across projects.
• Mentoring senior engineers and building technical capability.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic technical leadership across major wastewater treatment and resource recovery programmes.
• Lead technical governance and assurance across a portfolio of projects.
• Mentor and develop senior process engineers and foster a high-performing culture.
• Engage with clients and regulators, representing AtkinsRéalis at senior forums.

Skills

Technical leadership

Wastewater process engineering

Project leadership

Regulatory compliance

Client engagement

Team leadership

Job description

Overview

Shape the Future of our cities and environments. AtkinsRéalis's Design & Advanced Technology (D&AT) Practice is seeking an experienced Technical Director - Wastewater Process to provide technical leadership across our water portfolio and help shape the future of sustainable wastewater treatment. This is an opportunity for a recognised industry leader to combine deep technical expertise with strategic business leadership, influencing major infrastructure programmes and driving growth across the UK and international water markets. As part of our senior technical leadership team, you will provide strategic direction across complex wastewater treatment and resource recovery projects, supporting clients including Thames Water, Anglian Water, United Utilities, Scottish Water, Welsh Water, the Environment Agency, and others. You will work alongside multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative, resilient and low-carbon solutions that address some of the sector's most pressing challenges, from treatment performance and regulatory compliance to nutrient removal, net zero and resource recovery. Working across the full project lifecycle, from strategy and feasibility through design, implementation and commissioning, you will help shape technical excellence within the organisation. You will contribute to business strategy, develop new service offerings, support key client relationships and provide expert guidance on high-profile projects and programmes. Your leadership will strengthen our process engineering capability, influence industry best practice and create lasting value for clients and communities.

You'll benefit from:

• Playing a leading role in delivering some of the UK's most significant and technically challenging water and wastewater programmes.
• Shaping the future of sustainable water infrastructure, including net zero, resource recovery and environmental improvement initiatives.
• Influencing industry-leading technical solutions alongside recognised experts across water, environmental, digital and asset management disciplines.
• Building trusted relationships with major UK and international water sector clients and regulators.
• Opportunities to contribute to strategic business growth, key pursuits and the development of new service offerings.
• Access to exceptional career development opportunities within a globally respected engineering and professional services organisation.
• Being a Technical Director with us involves UK wide travel. We offer hybrid working which involves 3 days per week travel/office based. This position can be based at any of our hub offices of Epsom, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, or Glasgow. It can also be based from one of our regional offices of Peterborough, Cambridge, Cardiff, Swansea, Derby, Exeter, Leeds, Newcastle, Belfast, or Edinburgh, but may require additional travel to main locations as needed.

Your role

As a Technical Director within AtkinsRealis, the successful candidate would have the following responsibilities:

Project Leadership & Technical Governance

Provide strategic technical leadership and oversight across major wastewater treatment, sludge management, biosolids, and resource recovery programmes, acting as Project Director, Technical Director, Design Lead, or Technical Authority as appropriate.

Provide technical assurance, quality oversight, and engineering governance across a portfolio of wastewater treatment and environmental improvement projects.

Act as a recognised technical authority for wastewater process engineering, guiding multidisciplinary teams and ensuring compliance with client, regulatory, environmental, and industry requirements.

Lead technical decision-making on complex wastewater treatment challenges, supporting the development of innovative, sustainable, and operationally efficient solutions that improve treatment performance, resilience, and environmental outcomes.

Team Leadership & Capability Growth

Provide strategic oversight on resource planning, workload forecasting, and capability development to support the successful delivery of a growing portfolio of wastewater and bioresources projects.

Lead, mentor, and develop senior process engineers, strengthening technical capability and building the next generation of industry leaders.

Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture that promotes technical excellence, innovation, continuous improvement, and effective knowledge sharing across the water business.

Client Engagement & Relationship Management

Develop and maintain trusted relationships with key clients across the water sector, acting as a trusted advisor to water utilities, regulators, contractors, and technology providers.

Represent AtkinsRéalis at senior client, stakeholder, regulatory, and industry forums, providing strategic technical leadership and expert process engineering advice.

Enhance AtkinsRéalis' reputation for technical excellence through thought leadership, client engagement, industry particip