Principal Civil Engineer - Water

Stantec; Hastings; On-site; NZD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Flexible working arrangements

Health insurance

Mentorship

Employee benefits

Job summary

Stantec, a global leader in sustainable engineering, is seeking an experienced Principal Civil Engineer to lead water-related projects across New Zealand and Australia. The role offers opportunities to work within a multi-disciplinary team on drinking water, wastewater, stormwater and groundwater initiatives.

The candidate will have a tertiary engineering qualification and 10+ years' experience, with strong client relationships and demonstrated delivery capability.

Qualifications

• Chartered Professional Engineer with a tertiary engineering qualification.
• 10 years’ experience.
• Proven track record delivering stormwater, water and/or wastewater projects.
• Collaborative approach with clients and colleagues across the country.
• Ability to develop strong internal and external client relationships.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to development of proposals and business from a local client base.
• Project Technical Lead on a variety of projects to ensure outputs are delivered on budget, on time and to quality standards.
• Engage regularly with key clients to understand needs and influence outcomes.
• Lead work with team leads to ensure ongoing technical development.
• Produce quality project outputs with scope changes closely monitored and resources planned.
• Plan, programme, co-ordinate and write reports for specific projects.
• Prepare cost estimates for project design and construction.
• Prepare tender documents and specifications for projects.

Education

Tertiary engineering qualification - Chartered Professional Engineer

Job description

Principal Civil Engineer - Water - ( 26000083 )

Principal Civil Engineer

Stantec is a global leader in sustainable engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting. The diverse perspectives of our partners and interested parties drive us to think beyond what’s previously been done on critical issues like climate change, digital transformation, and future-proofing our cities and infrastructure.

We are designers, engineers, scientists, project managers, and strategic advisors. We innovate at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships to advance communities everywhere, so that together we can redefine what’s possible.

About The Role

Stantec’s Water team in New Zealand has an impressive portfolio of successful projects that benefit communities nationwide and beyond, with significant contributions to international work. Our water focus covers the management of drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and groundwater as a collective resource. Dams and hydropower are a key focus, driving resilience and renewable energy solutions. Tackling our water challenges is crucial, and our diverse local network includes over 360 water specialists dedicated to innovation.

We have an outstanding opportunity for an experienced professional to join our team and lead some significant projects across both New Zealand and Australia.

As an experienced Principal Civil Engineer, we see joining our growing and diverse water team as a great career move, and we are open to the role being based in one of our many New Zealand office locations.

This is an exciting opportunity to further your career as part of an international leader in infrastructure. You will join an established multi-disciplined team ad have the technical support of our extensive design resources based in New Zealand and across the world. You will be applying your technical knowledge, working alongside experienced and up & coming specialists around the country to deliver sustainable and commercially viable engineering solutions for our clients across New Zealand.

Day To Day Tasks Will Include

• Contribute to development of proposals for clients as well as developing business from a local client base.
• Project Technical Lead on a variety of projects to ensure the team delivers on Project agreed outputs on budget, on time and to quality standards.
• Work closely and engage regularly with key clients, understanding their needs and problems they face, able to get in front of projects and influence outcomes for successful team outcomes.
• Lead work with team leads in ensuring the team’s technical development is ongoing.
• Produce quality project outputs, ensuring scope changes are closely monitored and design work is adequately resourced, reviewed and programmed.
• Plan, programme, co-ordinate and write reports for specific projects.
• Prepare cost estimates for project design and construction.
• Prepare tender documents and specifications for projects.

About You

• Tertiary engineering qualification - Chartered Professional Engineer
• 10 years’ experience
• Proven track record of successfully delivering stormwater, water and/or wastewater projects a
• A collaborative approach with clients and colleagues across the country
• Ability to develop strong internal and external client relationships
• Carry out all aspects of project delivery and oversight of technical delivery, including client and stakeholder consultation and negotiation when required.
• Strong ability to self-manage workloads to ensure quality delivery

What We Offer

At Stantec, we take your growth and fulfilment seriously. We’re proud to offer many supportive benefits, including:

Professional development and support

• Flexible working arrangements, including purchasing up to an extra four weeks of leave and provision for school term contracts, part-time, and job sharing
• Learning and talent development programmes, including global, online, and on-the-job opportunities
• Professional memberships
• Service recognition awards
• Mentorship

Wellbeing and connection opportunities

• Health insurance, income continuance insurance, and life insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Developing Professionals Group, a global network for those with under 10 years of experience
• Office Social Club and events

About Us

We’ve been serving our clients and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand for over 125 years. With almost 900 professionals, our team is based in the main cities and throughout the regions. We collaborate across disciplines and sectors to bring buildings, energy, water, environmental, and transport projects to life.

Globally, Stantec unites approximately 34,000 employees working in over 450 locations across six continents. Our work from initial project concept and planning through design, construction, and commissioning begins at the intersection of community, creativity, and client relationships.

Qualifications

• Primary Location : New Zealand-Hawkes Bay-Hastings
• Other Locations : New Zealand-Manawatu-Wanganui-Palmerston North
• Organization : BC-3101 Water-NZ New Zealand
• Employee Status : Regular
• Job Level : Individual Contributor
• Travel : No
• Schedule : Full-time
• Job Posting : Aug 17, 2026, 4:04:12 PM

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status, 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 local, state and federal laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment. EEO including Disability/Protected Veterans