Principal Hydraulics Engineer in Reading

Join Stantec's national Hydraulic Engineering team and play a leading role in delivering technically complex solutions across some of the UK's largest regulated water frameworks. Working with major water companies, you'll provide specialist expertise that supports the design, resilience, and long-term performance of critical infrastructure while helping shape the future direction of hydraulic engineering within our business.

As a Principal Hydraulic Engineer, you will become part of a nationally recognised team known for solving complex hydraulic challenges through technical excellence, innovation, and collaboration. You will influence major infrastructure programmes, develop technical capability across the business, and help strengthen Stantec's reputation as a trusted engineering partner.

In this role you will provide technical leadership across complex hydraulic engineering projects while acting as a trusted advisor to clients and multidisciplinary project teams. You will lead the delivery and technical governance of advanced hydraulic studies, provide expert advice on hydraulic structures and transient analysis, review complex engineering solutions, and contribute to the development of best practice across the discipline. You will also play an important role in mentoring engineers, strengthening client relationships, supporting business growth, and helping shape the strategic direction of our hydraulic engineering capability.

The decisions you make will directly influence the resilience, efficiency, and long-term performance of nationally significant water infrastructure. Your expertise will help prevent asset failures, improve operational performance, and deliver engineering solutions that protect communities and support sustainable investment across the UK water sector. Beyond project delivery, you will strengthen technical capability across the business by mentoring future leaders, driving engineering excellence, and helping clients navigate increasingly complex infrastructure challenges through innovative hydraulic solutions.

We’re looking for an experienced Hydraulic Engineer who combines exceptional technical expertise with strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.

• A degree in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, or a related discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Significant experience delivering complex hydraulic engineering projects within the UK water sector.
• Advanced expertise in fluid mechanics, hydraulic structures, and transient analysis.
• Extensive experience using Hades, Varism, Flow 3D, or equivalent hydraulic modelling software.
• Experience providing technical leadership across multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong client relationship management and communication skills.
• Experience reviewing technical outputs and maintaining engineering quality standards.

Desirable:

• Chartered Engineer status.
• Experience supporting business development and technical strategy.
• Experience mentoring engineers and developing technical capability within a specialist team.

At Stantec, we put people first by empowering our technical leaders with the support, flexibility, and development opportunities they need to make a lasting impact. We are better together, bringing together multidisciplinary expertise from across our national business to solve some of the most challenging engineering problems facing the water industry. We do what is right by delivering sustainable, resilient engineering solutions that protect communities, safeguard critical infrastructure, and support a more sustainable future. We are driven by excellence. Recognised as one of the world’s most sustainable companies and an award‑winning engineering consultancy, Stantec offers the opportunity to lead nationally significant projects, influence technical standards, and contribute to the continued growth of one of the UK’s leading hydraulic engineering teams.

In addition to a competitive salary, bonus opportunities, enhanced pension, private medical insurance, life assurance, flexible and hybrid working, paid professional memberships, and industry‑leading professional development, you will have the opportunity to shape the future of hydraulic engineering at Stantec.

The Stantec community unites more than 34,000 employees working in over 450 locations across 6 continents. We have been working with our clients and communities in the UK for over 150 years. We plan, design, deliver and manage the development and infrastructure needed to support the creation of sustainable, healthy and prosperous communities. Our teams provide effective and relevant solutions, translating our clients’ vision into valued consents, deliverable plans for projects and programmes, and efficient designs for delivery, based on technical excellence and deep market insights. We deal with today’s challenges, but also keep a fairer, better tomorrow in sight, looking at how we deliver clean growth, support radical changes in our economy and meet the needs of future communities.

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations or any other condition of employment. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment.