Technical Director - Waste Infrastructure in Edinburgh

SLR’s Engineering & Design team is looking to recruit an experienced consulting engineer, to focus on the assessment and development of waste, recycling, and resource management infrastructure, specifically waste transfer stations, depots, HWRCs and MRFs. Additional experience in supporting the assessment and development of AD, EfW and Waste Water Treatment facilities is desirable.

If successful, you will lead and provide input and support on a wide range of interesting and challenging projects, including new and innovative technologies as part of an established team that continue to excel in the sector. The waste industry is in an exciting period of growth and legislative change, and the challenges of redeveloping aging assets while maximising performance and value for money means that there is a growing need for the provision of technical consultancy support to assess existing capabilities and recommend future direction of travel.

We work across our process engineering, civils and structural engineering, and sustainable waste management teams to provide our clients with a one-stop-shop from first concept through to full operation. This end to end understanding of services and infrastructure impacts allows us to support clients to develop flexible and future proofed waste management solutions.

SLR has many years of experience and an in-depth understanding of the waste, recycling and recovery industries, and the challenges our clients face, delivering real change in an expanding and sustainable industrial sector. We are logical thinkers with the capability to look at problems from various angles and develop innovative, practical, cost-effective solutions. You will form a key part of the team and help build data and information into knowledge and understanding.

As well as providing technical input, the role will also include business development activities and mentoring and supporting other specialists on waste, waste water and recycling projects. If appointed, you would be involved in the team’s wide range of projects including a number of major headline-grabbing projects developing regional waste infrastructure and advanced technological solutions to resource management.

SLR has a strong global presence across our range of operations. Whilst being based in the UK there are also opportunities to support SLR’s other regions across the world.

About Us: SLR are global leaders in environmental and advisory solutions helping our clients achieve their sustainability goals. We are a consultancy with over 4,000 employees across 6 regions. SLR’s ‘one team’ culture is at the heart of our business; providing a collaborative and supportive environment for professional development. Along with competitive salaries, our staff enjoy a comprehensive benefits package with a company pension plus excellent healthcare offering, travel and life insurance, critical illness cover and a structured career framework with regular reviews offering outstanding opportunities for progression. Alongside 25 days’ annual leave, SLR offer flexible, agile and hybrid working which enables staff to tailor hours worked around core hours, and our family friendly policies help balance the needs of professional and family life.

The role involves working independently and within a team to deliver a variety of projects and initiatives. You will work with others across the business including the Engineering & Design, Advisory, Earth Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Planning & Assessment Practices. Your work will be a mixture of site-based, office and home based work as appropriate including leading strategic planning, feasibility studies, design, and multidisciplinary project management for development and procurement. Responsibilities include:

• Reviewing third-party designs, technical proposals, and operational models; prepare technical due diligence reports for funders.
• Developing technical and procurement documentation, schematics, and manage contracts through SLR’s project management and owner’s engineer role.
• Creating financial and operational models for facilities.
• Overseeing on-site inspections, commissioning, testing, and troubleshooting operational plant issues.
• Providing technical and process engineering support across diverse projects.
• Delivering projects independently and collaboratively while driving business development.
• Acting as project director and project manager, including proposal writing and client relationship management.
• Allocating and managing team workloads, mentoring engineers, and supporting capability growth.

About You: We are seeking an experienced Process or Civil Engineer, with a proven track record in projects for private and public sector clients across the resource and waste management lifecycle, with a particular focus on waste, waste recycling and resource management infrastructure development, and an existing network of contacts (clients, equipment suppliers and installers) that will support the continued growth of the SLR team. You will have knowledge of site operations, emerging waste processing and recycling technologies, policy drivers, materials markets and materials/equipment specifications and experience of leading engineering commissions from feasibility to commissioning, including services procurement.

Competency in facility design and the technical review of various waste, recycling and resource handling and treatment solutions, both for new and redesigned facilities, is required along with the ability to lead on the development of technical specifications and document drafting.

Culture & Inclusion at SLR: We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer, and our expectations go beyond purely complying with legislation. Through our Regional C&I Committees, Global Council and Employee Networks, we foster an inclusive environment where all people regardless of their background can thrive. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of their background, including those from groups that are currently under-represented at SLR, such as people identifying as 2SLGBTQI+, Indigenous peoples, ethnic minority groups, women, and people with visible or invisible disabilities, including those who are neurodivergent.