Principal Civil Engineer (Water) - Design & Build

Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Lead from the front. Define the future of the North East’s water systems  Stantec, we don’t just design systems — we rethink them.

With AMP8 underway, we’re scaling our Civil Engineering team to deliver next-generation water infrastructure with Northumbrian Water. Based on Newcastle’s iconic Quayside, our team is driving change through innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence.

You’ll also be joining at a pivotal time, as we kick off the Living Water Enterprise — a new long-term partnership with Northumbrian Water that’s redefining how capital delivery works. It’s a chance to be involved from day one, working on projects that are pushing innovation, sustainability, and community outcomes to the forefront.

You’ll work across all stages of the project lifecycle – from feasibility and concept through to detailed design and delivery.

We’re looking for a Principal Civil Engineer to lead complex civil design projects, mentor multidisciplinary teams, and deliver lasting value to our clients and the communities we serve.

What you'll be doing:

Leading the civil engineering input on major water and wastewater projects

Liaising internally across multiple technical disciplines, junior Civil Engineers, senior Civil Engineers and working alongside the Project Technical Lead and Project Manager External liaison with clients, contractors, and third-parties, including regulatory bodies and planning consultants

Driving forward Design & Build collaboration with contractors and clients, aligning technical delivery and requirements with constructability and cost-efficiency

Developing concept-stage solutions and optioneering to identify best value for our clients

Providing technical assurance, creative problem-solving, and design leadership

Supporting the growth of our junior and senior engineers through structured mentoring

Ensuring project success – high quality designs, on time and within budget

You’ll need:

A Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Civil Engineering, or a related field

Chartered status with ICE, CIWEM, or similar is expected for this role Extensive UK water industry experience, including detailed design and delivery

Strong leadership and communication skills — you inspire, guide and get things done

An eye for detail, risk, value, and an understanding of the bigger picture

Why join us?

You’ll be part of a high-performing regional team with real autonomy, strong support, and a direct link to shaping infrastructure that serves millions

You’ll join a close-knit, down-to-earth team that values straight-talking, mutual support, and getting stuck inA global leader in sustainable design

Structured development plans and clear pathways for career progression

Huge volume of internal and external training opportunities

Access to major frameworks with a secure long-term pipeline of projects

Flexible working, private healthcare, income protection and many other benefitsA culture that values innovation, autonomy, and doing what’s right

You can find out more about our work in the water sector here:
Stantec Water Jobs Find out more about why Stantec could be the right next step for you here!

About 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 prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic…