Principal Mechanical Engineer - Water / Wastewater
HybridManchester, England, United Kingdom
Job Summary
Lead mechanical design delivery on multidisciplinary water/wastewater treatment projects across the full design lifecycle, acting as technical lead on strategy, interfaces, risks, and quality. Review and approve mechanical calculations, specifications, datasheets, reports, P&IDs, layouts, schedules, drawings, and supplier/contractor submissions. Drive multidisciplinary coordination across Process, EICA, civil/structural, architectural, MEP, construction, and operations teams while promoting lean and digitally enabled delivery through BIM/3D coordination and data-led design. Mentor and manage engineers, supporting recruitment, development, and chartership progression. Contribute to bids, client engagement, and the growth of mechanical capability. Requires BEng/MEng, Chartered Engineer status, 8–10+ years experience, and UK right to work. Hybrid roles in London, Bristol, or Manchester.
Required Qualifications
- BEng/MEng or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering
- Chartered Engineer or Incorporated Engineer status with a relevant professional institution, such as IMechE
- Typically 8–10+ years' relevant mechanical engineering design experience
- Background must be from water, wastewater, biosolids/bioresources or oil & gas
- Proven ability to act as mechanical discipline lead or senior technical lead on multidisciplinary projects
- Strong technical expertise in mechanical treatment/process systems, including equipment selection, pumping, pipework, valves, hydraulics, layouts and packaged plant
- Strong understanding of UK water industry standards, CDM 2015, safety-by-design, regulatory drivers and common delivery models
- Ability to coordinate multidisciplinary interfaces and resolve complex mechanical design issues
- Strong digital mindset, with experience applying modelling, automation, BIM/3D coordination, data analysis or standardised workflows
- Confident client-facing communicator with experience leading workshops, technical reviews and design discussions
- Experience mentoring or managing engineers and supporting technical capability development
- Must have the right to work in the UK
Desired Qualifications
- Deep experience in wastewater treatment, clean water treatment, sludge/bioresources, water reuse, pumping stations, chemical dosing, odour control, energy recovery, package plant or complex process systems
- Experience delivering AMP8, WINEP, SRO, D&B, framework, alliance or contractor-led projects
- Experience developing mechanical design standards, calculation tools, equipment specifications, QA processes or reusable digital workflows
- Experience contributing to recruitment, resource planning, bid writing, technical proposals, client presentations or new service development
Hiring someone like this?
Get your role in front of qualified candidates on Sorce.