Principal Mechanical​/Piping Designer - Water

Job Description

Due to an increased engineering and design workload in the water sector to support AMP8 for multiple clients including United Utilities, Severn Trent, Thames Water, Southern Water, Northumbrian Water and Yorkshire Water, Costain is seeking a Principal Mechanical / Piping Designer – Water to join our multi-discipline Engineering & Design Services Team based at Aviator Way, Manchester. You will typically work three days a week with a blended approach to flexible and home working to support wellbeing.

The ideal candidate will have significant experience and proven design capability specifically in water.

• Leadership skills to effectively lead a team.
• Excellent CAD skills, particularly in Revit and AutoCAD.

This is a great opportunity to establish or develop a career in a technically challenging and highly rewarding growing sector which will support the UK’s water sector.

• Lead a team of designers responsible for all aspects of plant layout and piping design within our water sector.
• Produce 3D models and detailed general arrangement drawings using Revit.
• Develop layouts from first principles of wet and dry well pumping stations, concrete pump chambers, ductile iron and epoxy coated carbon steel pipework, and similar systems within the wastewater industry.
• Coordinate and integrate vendor equipment packages into the design.
• Layout and model access platforms, stairs, handrails, and maintenance access ways in compliance with client and industry standards.
• Contribute to design reviews, including Access, Lifting and Maintenance reviews (ALMs).
• Collaborate with civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical disciplines to ensure coordinated and clash‑free models.
• Check and approve other designers’ work in accordance with company procedures.
• Review and comment on vendor information to incorporate into the design.
• Liaise and coordinate with other disciplines as required.
• Attend internal and client meetings to discuss issues and progress.
• Plan for adequate resources and man‑hour usage, reporting to the lead engineer, and feeding into design progress reports, raising issues and highlighting scope change.
• Undertake site surveys as required.
• Offer advice and support to junior designers and/or subordinates on personal and career development.
• Assist the manager of piping design with administration work, including preparation of corporate procedures, standards and specifications.
• Report back to the discipline manager with comments and recommendations for continuous improvement in performance and removal of constraints.
• Ensure compliance with company and client policy with respect to water sector requirements.
• Complete specific design tasks as delegated by the Project Discipline Engineer or Engineering Manager.
• Ensure work packs are delivered in a timely and cost‑effective manner, in line with company and client project requirements and applicable codes and standards.
• Maintain quality assurance, auditable records, and technical files in line with CDM requirements.
• Ensure smooth and efficient liaison with other associated partners and disciplines.

• Capable of carrying out Lead Designer roles on a project or group of projects and may support the career development of fellow designers.
• Significant experience in the discipline or a closely related one.
• Proficiency in the delivery of piping and plant design across a number of work categories.
• Exceptional CAD skills including Revit & AutoCAD.
• Experience in production of relevant engineering deliverables including 3D models, General Arrangements, Pipe support details.

• Experience in water treatment, wastewater treatment, biosolids/sludge treatment, pumping systems, chemical storage and dosing.
• Experience with material take‑offs, engineering schedules such as valve lists, and management and close‑out of ALM actions.

• Qualified to City & Guilds or HNC/HND minimum.

• Eng Tech or I-Eng ICE professional qualification.
• Degree or equivalent.