Senior Drainage Design Engineer
Location: Watford
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
 
About the Role
We are seeking a Senior Highways Design Engineer (Drainage & SuDS) to lead the design, management, and delivery of sustainable drainage solutions that reduce flood risk and enhance environmental quality. You will play a pivotal role in shaping innovative, future-proof drainage infrastructure across a range of high-profile projects, ensuring delivery on time, on budget, and to the highest standards of safety and quality.
 
Key Responsibilities
·Lead the design, implementation, and management of drainage systems, ensuring compliance with local, national, and environmental regulations.
·Develop innovative, sustainable solutions for surface water management, incorporating SuDS features such as attenuation ponds, swales, permeable paving, and green roofs.
·Carry out hydraulic and hydrological modelling to inform robust and effective design solutions.
·Provide specialist technical advice to clients, stakeholders, and multidisciplinary teams on SuDS design and best practice.
·Conduct site surveys and assessments of existing drainage systems, identifying issues and recommending improvements.
·Prepare technical reports, detailed designs, flood risk assessments, specifications, and calculations in line with standards including DMRB, CIRIA, and the SuDS Manual.
·Contribute to planning applications and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) relating to water management.
·Integrate drainage and SuDS with highways, utilities, and landscape design to deliver cost-effective, sustainable solutions.
·Mentor and support junior engineers, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture.
·Monitor and evaluate the performance of implemented systems, ensuring long-term compliance and effectiveness.
 
About You
·Degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related discipline.
·Chartered Engineer status (CEng) or equivalent professional qualification (preferred).
·Significant experience in the design and delivery of SuDS and surface water drainage projects.
·Proficiency in drainage modelling and analysis tools (e.g., MicroDrainage, InfoDrainage, ICM, or similar).
·Strong working knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance, including the Flood and Water Management Act and SuDS Manual.
·Excellent communication, leadership, and project management skills, with a proven ability to collaborate effectively across teams.
Why Join Us?
·Competitive salary of £61-65k with excellent benefits.
·Opportunity to shape sustainable infrastructure with a positive environmental impact.
·Work on varied and challenging projects at both local and national level.
·Be part of a supportive, professional team where your expertise and leadership will help mentor the next generation of engineers.
If you believe you are technically suited to this role but the salary, location, or seniority isn't an exact match, we still encourage you to share your CV with us. We frequently recruit for similar positions across the UK at all levels and are always happy to discuss your career situation confidentially.
Even if you are currently happy in your role, we welcome conversations with Highways, Infrastructure, and Transportation professionals who wish to introduce themselves for future opportunities.
Carrington West's Highways, Transport & Infrastructure division is the fastest-growing in the country, with a specialist team boasting over 100 years of combined experience in this market.
For more information, please contact Patrick Gray at Carrington West on 02393 876069 or submit your CV to Patrick.gray@carringtonwest.com.
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