Principal Hydromechanical Engineer in London

Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with over 20,000 employees across more than 50 countries and 140+ offices. We work across incredible global industries, delivering exciting work that is defining our future and making an important societal impact in the communities we serve. Our people power our performance – we succeed when they do. With countless opportunities to collaborate, learn, and grow, the possibilities for excellence are as varied as every individual.

About The Division

The Water Utilities Division is Mott MacDonald’s centre of excellence for responding to the UK and Ireland's water and wastewater challenges. The work we do is at the forefront of ensuring safe water supplies for future generations, preventing urban flooding, and improving the health of our rivers and coastal environments. Our multi-disciplinary teams provide a variety of services throughout the full project life cycle, from advisory services and feasibility studies to outline and detailed design.

Overview Of The Role

We are seeking an experienced Mechanical Engineer with specialist knowledge of gates, water control structures and hydro-mechanical systems to join our multidisciplinary water engineering team. This is an opportunity to take a leading technical role across a diverse portfolio of UK and international water projects, working alongside mechanical, electrical, ICA, civil and structural engineering specialists. You will contribute across the full project lifecycle, from feasibility and concept design through detailed design, fabrication, installation, commissioning and testing.

With over 6,000 staff across the UK, we can offer flexibility on permanent office location for the right candidate. The role will require travel to Cambridge approximately once a month to collaborate with the core design team and travel to project specific sites as needed.

You will provide technical leadership for the design and integration of hydro-mechanical and MEICA systems, including gates, stoplogs, screens, hydraulic power units, actuators and associated mechanical equipment.

Key responsibilities and duties include:

• Leading and managing the delivery of mechanical and MEICA designs, ensuring effective integration with civil, structural, electrical and ICA disciplines.
• Providing specialist technical input into the design of gates, water control structures, hydraulic systems and associated hydro-mechanical equipment.
• Managing and contributing to the preparation and review of design deliverables to achieve the appropriate balance of quality, programme and cost.
• Providing technical leadership, guidance and mentoring to engineers within the wider team, supporting capability development and knowledge sharing.
• Supporting projects throughout their lifecycle, including design development, fabrication, installation, commissioning and testing.
• Supporting business development activities, including working with Account Leaders and Practice Leaders to prepare proposals, bids and tenders requiring specialist hydro-mechanical expertise.
• Promoting safe and sustainable engineering solutions, including delivery of designs in accordance with CDM requirements and EN 1090, where applicable.
• Maintaining awareness of current and emerging technologies and identifying opportunities to improve the technical solutions we provide to our clients.

Candidate specification

Essential:

• Strong technical knowledge and demonstrable experience in hydro-mechanical and water control structures, including equipment such as gates, stoplogs, irrigation barrages and hydro intakes, from feasibility through to detailed design and system integration.
• Chartered Engineer status, supported by relevant professional engineering experience.
• Good knowledge of hydraulic systems, including hydraulic power units (HPUs), hydraulic cylinders, pumps and valves, with the ability to advise on equipment selection, application, technical issues and troubleshooting.
• Knowledge of relevant design, fabrication and safety requirements, including the ability to deliver designs in accordance with CDM requirements and EN 1090 where applicable.
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with clients and multidisciplinary teams, provide technical direction and support the development of other engineers.

Desirable:

• Experience in the design or assessment of moving structures, such as lift bridges, swing bridges and linkspan structures.
• Experience of finite element (FE) analysis and its application to mechanical or hydro-mechanical equipment.
• Experience supporting bids, tenders and business development, particularly within the water or hydro-mechanical sector.
• Experience supporting projects through fabrication, installation, commissioning and site testing.
• An interest in emerging technologies, sustainable engineering solutions and the continued development of hydro-mechanical engineering capability.

We are actively recruiting a diverse workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve. We recognise that differences in ability, skills and experience are a strength and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

Agile working

At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team, and personal commitments. We offer a hybrid working policy that embraces your well-being, flexibility, and trust.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

We put equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they can contribute.

AI Usage

At Mott MacDonald, we see the value AI can bring, but we take a people-first approach to hiring. While AI tools can help candidates prepare and build confidence, every application and hiring decision is reviewed by our recruitment and hiring teams. We encourage the responsible use of AI while ensuring we get to know the real person behind the application.

Accessibility

We want you to feel supported and able to perform at your best throughout our recruitment process. If there is anything we can do to make applying or interviewing with us more accessible, please contact us and we’ll be happy to discuss how we can help.

We offer some fantastic benefits including:

• Financial wellbeing: We match employee pension contributions between 4.5% and 7%. Life assurance equal up to 4 x your basic salary, with an option to increase the level of cover to 6 x your salary. Our income protection scheme provides a financial benefit, as well as absence and return to work support due to long-term illness or injury. Flexible benefits, including increased life assurance cover, critical illness insurance, payroll saving and will writing.
• Employee Ownership: Our employee ownership model means no external investors, just us, creating a culture of shared success. Our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, giving them a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses.
• Health and wellbeing: Private medical insurance for all UK colleagues. Health cash plan to support you with everyday health costs and treatments. Access to Peppy, providing free support from menopause experts for all UK colleagues.
• Lifestyle: A minimum of 33-35 days holiday each year, inclusive of public holidays and dependent on level, with the ability to buy or sell leave through our flexible benefits programme.
• Enhanced family and carers leave: Enhanced family leave policies, including 26 weeks paid maternity and adoption leave, and two weeks paid paternity/partner leave.
• Learning and development: Primary annual professional institution subscription. A broad range of opportunities to enhance both technical and soft skills through mentoring, formal training, and self-development options.