Principal / Associate Wastewater Process Engineer in Manchester

Join to apply for the Associate Wastewater Process Engineer role at WSP in the UK & Ireland.

What if you could do the kind of work the world needs? At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

A Little More About Your Role … As the demand for our expertise continues to grow, an opportunity has arisen for an experienced Associate Waste Water Process Engineer to join our Water Engineering teams located in Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Liverpool, London, Newcastle or Glasgow. Working within various multidisciplinary project design teams, you will take a key role in the delivery of the process engineering design content on a range of challenging projects in water engineering. These projects include wastewater and water reuse projects throughout the UK and overseas. You will contribute to the project design from feasibility and optioneering through to the production of detailed designs for procurement and construction and review of supplier proposals. As an experienced Waste Water Process Engineer, you will work within project teams helping us deliver effective and professional services for a range of varied and high‑profile clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Produce Process Design deliverables such as: optioneering studies; process calculations, mass balance, process flow diagrams, piping and instrumentation drawings, sketches, basis of design reports, etc to achieve the optimum solution for the project.
• Undertake outline or detailed process engineering design.
• Attend site visits for data acquisition and meet site operators.
• Provide technical input to the procurement process.
• Support Project Managers in technical discussions with our clients.
• Discuss and liaise with technology providers and vendors.
• Attend HAZOP, HAZID, ENVID, SWIFT sessions.
• Provide technical guidance, coaching and supervision of junior staff.
• Work collaboratively with other disciplines on multi‑disciplinary projects delivering work to time, cost and quality expectations and ensuring integration of Process Engineering design requirements into the overall engineering design.
• Provide input to proposals, work scope, work schedule and budgets.
• Liaise with the client (internal or external) ensuring that their needs are met.

Qualifications

What we will be looking for you to demonstrate …

• A Chemical or Environmental Engineering degree or MSc (or equivalent).
• Professional registration as CEng (or working towards Chartership within 12 months).

Skills And Experience

• Significant experience in delivering process engineering design aspects of infrastructure projects, including taking the lead process engineering role on a project or significant task.
• Experience in the municipal water industry.
• The ability to work mainly unsupervised in the preparation and/or review of process design package deliverables such as technical specifications, calculations, reports, datasheets, schedules, process control philosophies, P&IDs, mass balances and procurement documentation.
• Experience delivering studies, feasibility, concept designs, FEED and detail design in wastewater treatment solutions in the municipal sector or industrial sector such as primary treatments, secondary treatments, tertiary treatments (filtration, clarification, chemical dosing, P removal, ASP, MBBR, MBR, and other advanced biological treatments).
• Understanding of circular economy, Zero Liquid Discharge, emerging tertiary treatments both in municipal and industrial sector.
• Experience in a consultancy environment or engineering company or other relevant industry acting as Process Engineer.
• Proven ability to prepare high quality written technical reports and deliver verbal presentations to a high level of quality assurance for a variety of audiences.
• Confident, articulate communicator with ability to engage in active, professional verbal communications and presentations to colleagues (including senior colleagues), clients and sub‑contractors.
• Experience leading multi‑disciplinary meetings (online and face to face) and acting as the organisation's technical representative with external clients.
• Be able to travel and visit operational works and construction sites as required, to act in a safe manner, and to assess existing and new process performance.

Don’t quite meet all the criteria? Apply, and we can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities within the team.

About Us

We are one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Our 72,800 passionate people are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long‑lasting impacts on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion. With over 9,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland, we are dedicated to our local communities and propelled by international brainpower.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

• Work‑life balance: At WSP, we understand that work is just one aspect of your life. It’s important to make time for you, your family, friends, interests and your community. Our hybrid working policy offers the flexibility to work from home two days a week, while also providing opportunities to collaborate in our modern offices across the UK.
• Inclusivity & Belonging: We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences. We enable rewarding careers by encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work so that our work represents the fullest spectrum of society. We celebrate integrity and treat people with respect, supporting each other and embracing a culture of inclusion and belonging at WSP.
• Health & Wellbeing: We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme. Our Virtual GP service gives you access to an NHS or Irish Medical Council GP at a time and place that suits you – giving you peace of mind and quick access to medical advice when you need it most. We also provide reasonable workplace adjustments for those in need. Additionally, you can benefit from the Gymflex scheme, which offers up to 40% off annual gym memberships through our WSP flexible benefits programme, as well as a comprehensive menopause support package.
• Flex your time: To enhance work‑life balance, WSP offers the “WSP My Hour,” allowing you to take one hour each day for personal activities, with the flexibility to make up the time earlier or later that day. We also provide part‑time and flexible working arrangements, the option to purchase additional leave, and the ability to use your bank holiday entitlement to suit you.
• Your development: We understand the importance of development and training to you. That’s why we foster a supportive environment that invests in your growth, whether through training, mentoring, or Chartership.

Legal requirements: We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria, please let us know if you require any workplace adjustments in support of your application.

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment type: Full‑time

Job function: Management and Manufacturing

Industries: Professional Services