Principal Water Quality Consultant; Modeller

Coastal and estuarine water quality is one of the most technically demanding and environmentally significant areas of water science. As political and public pressure intensifies, standards tighten, and the complexity of the systems we need to model continues to grow, the demand for genuinely skilled water quality modellers has never been higher.

At Stantec, we are working in partnership with water companies across the UK and Ireland to develop sustainable solutions that address the real environmental needs of our inland waters and coastlines. We are looking for a Principal Water Quality Modeller to join our team, bringing deep technical expertise and the ambition to apply it to work that genuinely moves the needle.

You could be based from several office locations, and will work within a core of scientific and engineering specialists, supporting clients primarily across the water sector as well as energy and infrastructure. The role is predominantly UK-focused, but there are real opportunities to work with colleagues overseas, including on major projects in the United States.

At the heart of this role is the scoping, data collection, development, execution and presentation of multidimensional environmental water quality models. These models simulate the behaviour of reservoirs, lakes, transitional waters and coastal environments, and your work will span hydrodynamics, multiphase flows, particle tracking, advection dispersion, water quality and chemical processes.

You will work with a broad range of stakeholders, contribute to identifying pollution sources, pathways and impacts on sensitive receptors, and help develop both engineered and nature-based solutions. Our expanding project portfolio covers everything from reducing carbon and improving biodiversity to meeting increasingly stringent regulatory standards across fresh and marine waters.

The models you build here will inform decisions that shape the health of some of the UK's and Ireland's most sensitive aquatic environments. Your work will help communities, regulators and water companies understand complex systems and make confident, evidence-based choices about how to protect and improve them.

This is a role with real scope for technical development and career progression, through existing contracts and client relationships both in the UK and internationally. The further you grow, the further the work can take you.

You bring extensive experience in 2D and 3D hydrodynamic and water-quality modelling, and you are either Chartered or actively working towards Chartered status with a relevant professional institution. You are comfortable working independently and with minimal supervision, bringing the kind of technical authority that comes from years of applied experience.

Your expertise includes a strong understanding of numerical modelling equations and discretisation, 2D mesh generation and proven experience with software such as MIKE, Delft3D or Telemac across relevant applications. A grounding in physicochemical water quality, oceanography and the regulatory standards that govern fresh and marine waters would be a strong advantage.

You communicate clearly and confidently with a broad range of stakeholders, from clients and regulators to colleagues across multidisciplinary teams. You think differently, challenge conventional approaches and are driven by the opportunity to improve the environments and communities your work serves.

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  Industry-leading training and development, as well as paid professional subscriptions. A professional progression plan to support you in becoming chartered with ICE.

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