6.3 - Careers in Engineering

We know that engineering is a crucial component of the water industry, but what specific engineering careers are out there? Let’s get stuck in!

Careers in Engineering:

Civil Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Chemical Engineering

learn more

learn more

learn more

Design Engineer - Water Utilities Infrastructure

Graduate Civil Engineer

explore

explore

explore

Civil Engineering Jobs

Principal Civil Engineer

Junior Mechanical Engineer

Info

Water Treatment Engineer

explore

explore

explore

Mechanical Engineering Jobs

Engineering Technican

Water Quality Engineer

Waste Management Consultant

explore

explore

explore

Chemical Engineering Jobs

Associate Process Engineer

Water Treatment Engineers play an important role in ensuring the quality and safety of water supply. Responsibilities include:

• Installing, operating and maintaining water treatment equipment and systems.
• Monitoring and adjusting chemical dosages to ensure proper water quality.
• Performing routine water testing and analysis.
• Troubleshooting and resolving equipment malfunctions or operational issues.

To become a Water Treatment Engineer, you'll need strong problem-solving skills to identify and resolve issues, excellent attention to detail and record-keeping abilities.

Graduate Civil Engineers play a pivotal role in engineering teams, contributing their expertise to various projects within water/wastewater disciplines. Responsibilities include:

• Leading and managing civil engineering projects from concept to completion.
• Collaborating closely with multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions.
• Conducting feasibility studies and site investigations with a senior engineer.
• Preparing detailed design drawings, technical reports, and project documentation.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant regulations, codes, and standards.

To excel in this role, you should have a degree in civil engineering or a related field, experience working on water/wastewater projects, a proactive approach to challenges and a commitment to delivering high-quality work.

Junior Mechanical Engineers typically work under the supervision of more experienced engineers. Their main responsibilities include:

• Assisting project engineers with day-to-day challenges on-site.
• Assisting project engineers with site surveying and mapping.
• Attending site production meetings.
• Liaising with clients, statutory bodies and third parties.
• Assisting project engineers with the drafting of method statements.

The responsibilities of a Junior Mechanical Engineer are designed to provide hands-on experience and exposure to various aspects of mechanical engineering. If you start out as a junior, you will gain experience and expertise and can eventually take on more complex tasks and progress to a higher-level role within the field.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat, duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat, duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit.

Principal civil engineers are senior-level professionals in the field of civil engineering who typically hold a leadership role within an organisation. They are responsible for:

• Delivering design packages and engineering technical aspects for major projects.
• Utilising expertise to devise innovative solutions for complex engineering challenges.
• Leading project meetings and managing client interactions.

• Collaborating with colleagues to ensure timely project delivery and target achievement.

• Contributing to proposal development and client relationship management.

If you're interested in a role like this, you'll need a lot of experience and knowledge of engineering in the context of the water industry.

Water Quality Engineers use a specialised understanding of science and mathematics to address environmental problems related to water, such as pollution, water treatment, and access. Duties include:

• Planning and conducting investigations of water quality issues and drafting reports on their findings.
• Designing improvements to water treatment and distribution systems and closely monitoring these systems for signs of trouble.

• Helping businesses adhere to government regulations and obtain permits.

Water Quality Engineers are creative, problem-solving, and leadership-oriented professionals who improve wastewater treatment, pollution control, and water distribution systems to solve environmental problems involving human access to clean, usable water. To become a Water Quality Engineer, you'll need a Bachelor's degree in engineering and experience working in the field.

A Design Engineer specialising in water utilities infrastructure is responsible for planning, designing, and implementing water-related projects. Responsibilities include:

• Undertaking detailed design work on below-ground wastewater and clean water infrastructure projects.
• Agreeing design philosophy/design fundamentals.
• Allocating and managing CAD output from technicians.
• Assisting project managers in ensuring the delivery of projects on time and within budget.
• Undertaking site visits to gather information and data.

• Liaising with clients, design teams and contractors.

To become a design engineer, you'll need a degree in civil engineering or a related field. You'll also need relevant work experience in water utilities infrastructure design. This could include experience gained through internships, entry-level positions, or specific projects.

To become a Process Engineer, you'll need to be degree-qualified with a chemical/process engineering background. This is a more senior engineering role; typical duties include:

• Creating detailed process designs, including mass, heat and energy balances, process flow diagrams, hydraulic design, design risk assessments, plant and equipment specifications, and more!
• Working with and developing digital design tools such as water quality analysis, unit process sizing, process performance metrics, hydraulic calculations and other automated design tools.
• Technical report writing at all stages of the project lifecycle.

To become a Process Engineer, you will need strong knowledge of chemical engineering in the context of the water industry, leadership and problem-solving skills, and organisation skills.

Waste Management Consultants are professionals who specialise in providing expertise and advice on efficient and environmentally responsible waste management. Duties include:

• Conducting comprehensive waste audits, feasibility studies, and scheme assessments to identify waste minimisation, recycling, and energy recovery opportunities.
• Developing and implementing waste management strategies that align with regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Providing technical expertise in waste processing, recycling technologies, anaerobic digestion, thermal conversion, and other energy recovery methods.

Waste Management Consultants are crucial in helping organisations navigate the complex landscape of waste regulations, reduce environmental impact, and optimise resource use.

An Engineering Technician plays a crucial role in supporting engineers and other professionals in the water industry. Technicians are typically less senior, often grade 2 individuals who have just started in the profession. Engineering Technicians are responsible for:

• The manning and maintenance of all mechanical and electrical equipment associated with water treatment processes and the distribution network.
• Carrying out planned preventative mechanical and electrical maintenance of the process plant to a scheduled programme.
• Carrying out plant fault investigation, diagnosis, and repair to ensure optimum plant performance.

To become an Engineering Technician, you'll have to study for a Bachelor's degree in engineering and gain some experience in the field.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat, duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit.

Engineering apprenticeships are a fantastic way to earn as you learn and are available at intermediate, advanced, higher and degree level. Most engineering apprenticeships require previous qualifications (usually GCSEs, A-levels for the higher levels) in maths, IT and science. Take a look at the video above, which explores a day in the life of an Engineering Apprentice.