Principal Engineer - Water

JobSpace; Hamilton; On-site; NZD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP is seeking an experienced civil engineer to lead and deliver civil and water infrastructure projects across our New Zealand network. You will take ownership of complex assignments, guide multidisciplinary teams and act as a trusted advisor to clients.

The role requires 15+ years of experience, strong leadership and communication skills, and registration as a Chartered Professional Engineer (or active progress toward it).

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Civil Engineering or closely related discipline.
• 15+ years' professional experience in civil and/or water infrastructure with NZ codes and practices.
• CPEng registration or actively working towards it.

Responsibilities

• Lead investigations, analysis, design and reporting for civil and water projects.
• Provide technical leadership, peer review and engineering judgement across teams.
• Manage NZS 3910 and 3916 contracts including supervision and contract administration.
• Ensure technical, commercial and risk outcomes are well managed.
• Develop project scopes, budgets and delivery strategies for commercial success.
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, contractors, councils and stakeholders.
• Lead and contribute to bids, proposals and business development.
• Coach and mentor team members to grow regional capability.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Client management

Budget management

Risk management

Education

Bachelor of Civil Engineering

Tools

NZS 3910/NZS 3916

Job description

Jora New Zealand will close on 9th September 2026. Thank you for being with us, we are cheering you on as you continue your career journey.

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives enabling you to do the best work of your life. You can experience a world of opportunities to shape a career as unique as you.

WSP is one of the world's top professional services firms, bringing together some of the brightest engineers, advisors and scientists from across the globe. We exist to shape communities to advance humanity. We see the world through a Future Ready® lens, fuelled by a shared commitment to making a positive impact—one project and community at a time.

You'll provide expert engineering and consulting services across civil and water infrastructure projects, combining strong technical capability with commercial and strategic leadership. You'll take ownership of complex projects, guide teams through delivery, and act as a trusted advisor to clients. Our collaborative environment is perfect for experts who enjoy contributing to our national network of expertise.

Given our stable growth of project pipeline and ability to scope this role to suit the talent we meet, we have the ability to include people leadership within this role if that is in your career plan. We are keen to hear from you whether you are at the beginning of your leadership journey or well-versed in growing and building on a high performing team's capabilities.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading investigations, analysis, design, and reporting for civil and water infrastructure projects
• Providing technical leadership, peer review, and engineering judgement across project teams
• Managing and overseeing NZS 3910 and NZS 3916 contracts, including construction supervision and contract administration
• Ensuring technical, commercial, and risk outcomes are well managed across projects
• Developing project scopes, budgets, and delivery strategies to ensure commercial success
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, contractors, councils, and stakeholders
• Leading and contributing to bids, proposals, and strategic business development opportunities
• Coaching and mentoring team members, contributing to capability growth across the region

About you:

You're a respected engineering professional with a strong reputation for technical excellence, leadership, and client-focused delivery. You're comfortable operating at both strategic and hands-on levels and enjoy solving complex challenges.

• A Bachelor of Civil Engineering (or closely related discipline)
• 15+ years' professional experience in civil and/or water infrastructure and experience and knowledge of New Zealand engineering codes, legislation and best practices
• Registration as CPEng or equivalent (or actively working towards)
• Strong commercial awareness and experience managing budgets, risk, and contracts
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence clients and stakeholders
• A collaborative leadership style and commitment to mentoring others

Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all. We are proud to have the blueprint of Aotearoa New Zealand in our DNA and our 2,000+ expert professionals in 24 offices are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve. Join our close-knit community of talented individuals who share your passion for making a positive impact. Our global team includes more than 75,000 employees, working together to make a difference in communities both close to home and around the world.