Graduate Road Drainage Engineer (2027 start)

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Job Description

About the Role

AECOM is looking for a talented and motivated graduate to join our Road Drainage team. This is an exciting opportunity to develop your technical career in drainage and hydraulic engineering, with a focus on the design and assessment of drainage systems associated with roads and transport infrastructure.

You’ll work on a diverse range of projects, supporting the development of safe, resilient and sustainable solutions for managing surface water and drainage. Your work may include drainage design, hydraulic calculations and modelling, flood risk assessment, surface water management and the development of sustainable drainage solutions.

Working alongside experienced engineers and other technical professionals, you’ll gain exposure to projects across the full lifecycle, from feasibility and concept development through to detailed design and implementation. You’ll also have opportunities to work collaboratively with other disciplines, giving you a broader understanding of how drainage and hydraulic engineering contributes to the successful delivery of major infrastructure projects.

What You’ll Do

As a Graduate Road Drainage Engineer, you’ll work closely with experienced engineers who will provide guidance, mentoring and technical support as you develop your knowledge and professional skills.

Your responsibilities will grow as your experience and confidence develop, giving you increasing exposure to live projects and technical deliverables.

Your work may include:

• Supporting the design and assessment of drainage systems associated with roads and transport infrastructure.
• Undertaking drainage and hydraulic calculations and technical assessments.
• Assisting with the development of drainage strategies and surface water management solutions.
• Supporting hydraulic modelling and analysis of drainage networks and watercourses.
• Assisting with the design of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and other sustainable water management solutions.
• Supporting flood risk assessments and the development of flood mitigation and resilience measures.
• Assisting with the design and assessment of culverts, outfalls, attenuation systems and flow control structures.
• Collecting, analysing and interpreting site, survey, rainfall, drainage and hydraulic data.
• Participating in site visits, surveys and inspections to understand existing drainage infrastructure and site conditions.
• Supporting the preparation of technical reports, calculations, specifications, drawings and other project deliverables.
• Using relevant drainage, hydraulic modelling, CAD and digital engineering software as appropriate to project requirements.
• Developing your understanding of relevant design standards, legislation, guidance and industry best practice.
• Working collaboratively with engineers, environmental specialists and other technical disciplines.
• Attending project meetings and contributing to discussions with colleagues, clients and other stakeholders.

As you progress, you’ll be encouraged to take on greater responsibility for individual tasks and technical deliverables, developing towards greater independence in your project work.

Project Experience

You may gain experience across a variety of drainage and hydraulic engineering projects, including:

• Road and transport infrastructure drainage
• Surface water drainage and management
• Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
• Drainage strategy development
• Hydraulic modelling and analysis
• Drainage network design and assessment
• Flood risk assessment and mitigation
• Culverts and watercourse crossings
• Outfalls and discharge arrangements
• Attenuation and flow control
• Surface water storage and management
• Water quality and pollution control
• Climate resilience and adaptation
• Drainage asset assessment and improvement
• Feasibility studies and options appraisal
• Preliminary and detailed drainage design

You’ll also have opportunities to work alongside other engineering and environmental disciplines, providing exposure to multidisciplinary infrastructure projects and helping you develop a well-rounded understanding of the wider project environment.

Qualifications

• BEng in Civil Engineering, General Engineering or a related discipline, with a 2:1 classification (or equivalent) or above.
• An MEng in Civil Engineering, General Engineering or a related discipline would be advantageous.
• A relevant Master’s degree in Water Engineering, Hydraulics, Environmental Engineering or another related discipline would be advantageous.
• Genuine interest in drainage, hydraulics, water management and the design of road and transport infrastructure.
• Strong analytical, numerical and problem-solving skills, with an ability to interpret and evaluate technical information.
• An interest in drainage design, hydraulic modelling and engineering software.
• Good Microsoft Office skills, particularly Word and Excel.
• Good technical and report-writing skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, clients and other stakeholders.
• Ability to structure and prioritise work effectively while contributing positively to the wider team.
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently, demonstrating initiative and a willingness to learn.
• Enthusiastic, technically minded and motivated, with ambition and drive.
• Strong attention to detail and a methodical approach to technical work.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

Additional Information

• Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible since CVs will be reviewed, and candidates selected on a rolling recruitment basis for either immediate or advanced offer start.
• Please include a covering letter with your application and provide all predicted and/or obtained academic grades and details of the dates you are able to work to/from and well as locations you would be interested in. 
• You must have the right to work in the UK. 

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation, benefits and well-being programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will offer an interview to applicants who have a disability or long-term condition, who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. Please let us know using this email address  View email address on jobs.smartrecruiters.com if you would like to apply through the Disability Confident Interview Scheme.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.