Water Science Graduate/Environment - Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham - Summer 2026 start

AECOM; Manchester; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A global infrastructure consulting firm in Manchester seeks a Water Science Graduate to join their multidisciplinary team. You will conduct hydrological and water quality studies, working on significant projects. Candidates must hold an MSc in relevant fields and possess strong analytical skills. This role promotes professional growth with mentoring and a structured graduate program.

Benefits

Career development opportunities

Flexible hybrid working model

Volunteering days

Graduate Development Programme

Qualifications

• Degree qualified with an MSc in relevant field.
• Ability to conceptualise surface water environment issues.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Experience using GIS is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Conduct water quality studies and environmental assessments.
• Perform hydrological investigations and geomorphological studies.
• Assist with Hydro-morphological and Environmental Compliance studies.
• Provide pollution prevention advice and prepare Water Management Plans.
• Apply for Environmental Permits and other permissions.

Skills

Report writing

Analytical skills

Numerical skills

Communication

GIS experience

Education

MSc in Geography, Geomorphology or similar

Job description

Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World.

At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of nearly 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.

We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.

Job Description

About Our Team

Our multidisciplinary water environment team are looking to recruit a Water Science Graduate to join our teams in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds or Nottingham from Summer 2026 onwards. Our team includes specialists in hydrogeology, hydrology, hydro-morphological water quality and water resource management.

We work for clients from across the public and private sectors, including the Environment Agency, Local Authorities, Highways England, Natural England, Water Utilities, Rivers and Wildlife Trusts as well as commercial developers and overseas clients. We are also involved in major ongoing projects such as HS2 and the Thames Tideway Tunnel and as a team are responsible for coordinating/ leading water environment chapters in ES’s as well as coordinating WFD assessments.

All members of the Water Environment team take an active role in client contact and commercial aspects of our projects. Health, safety and environmental considerations underpin everything that we do.

We have an impressive portfolio of water science projects including technical investigation, restoration projects, and impact and WFD assessment for major national and international infrastructure projects. A selection of our current and recent projects includes: We are seeking to recruit a Water Scientist to assist with a range of projects. Most of our work is in the fluvial environment, although a significant proportion is also focused on estuaries, lakes and the marine environment, and so experience of these environments is beneficial. This is a fantastic opportunity to further your career by gaining valuable work experience within a specialist surface water environment team in an established consultancy. Your work will cover a broad range of hydrological, water quality, hydro-morphological and hydro-ecological activities including on the following types of projects.

Here’s what you’ll do

• Water quality studies (e.g. baseline studies, environmental impact assessment, nutrient loading studies and pollution studies including monitoring and modelling).
• Hydrological investigations (e.g. flood, drought and water resource allocation).
• Geomorphological studies, including supporting channel enhancement/ restoration projects, Natural Flood Management studies and Fluvial Audits.
• Hydro-morphological studies (e.g. assessing the effects of schemes on aquatic organisms such as salmonids, freshwater pearl mussels, invertebrates and macrophytes).
• WFD / Environmental Compliance studies.
• EIA (e.g. highway, rail, aviation, utilities, power generation including renewables, mixed use/commercial/residential and other development types).
• Pollution prevention advice including preparing Water Management Plans, acting as Environmental Clerk of Works, and developing sustainable treatment trains; and
• Applications for various permissions (e.g. Environmental Permits for flood risk activities and discharges, Water Abstraction / Impoundment Licences, and Land Drainage Consents).

Enjoy the Perks

At AECOM, you'll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well-being, customised to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model to ensure a work-life balance that suits your lifestyle, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days.

Here is what you will get from us

On the job support and learning. When a graduate starts at AECOM, we pair them with a senior member of the team who will guide and mentor them through their initial period working on live projects and business development tasks, to support with any technical queries.

Graduate Development Programme

Our 2-year graduate ADVANCE programme is designed to help you build your career in AECOM. You will attend several instructor-led training sessions where you will meet and hear from people across the business and take part in a series of interactive activities to equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your role. Alongside the instructor-led elements of the ADVANCE programme, you will also engage with an online curriculum via AECOM University and can join the ADV ANCE webinar series. We will provide you with all the support and tools you need to achieve your professional development ambitions, which may include Chartership with the relevant international professional institution ie, Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM).

We have more than 750 graduates on our programmes across the UK and Ireland from more than 40 different disciplines, each making a tangible difference to the environment in which we live and work.

See our digital early careers e-brochurehere

Qualifications

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

Here’s what we’re looking for

• Degree qualified with an MSc in Geography, Geomorphology, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Hydrochemistry or similar.
• Ability to conceptualise surface water environment issues.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Have experience using GIS
• A full driving licence would be beneficial as the role will involve travel for site surveys with equipment and limited public transport access

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us at [e-mail]

At AECOM, we value everyone's unique contributions and perspectives. If you meet some of the requirements above or have transferable skills you believe would benefit us, we would be delighted to hear from you!

Additional Information

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible since CVs will be reviewed, and candidates selected for an advanced offer start. Please include a covering letter with your application and provide all predicted and/or obtained academic grades. You must have permanent right to work in the UK as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address [e-mail] if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.