Join to apply for the Senior Principal Hydraulic Modeller role at Southern Water.

Closing Date: 31/12/2025.

Introduction

Are you ready to lead ground‑breaking projects that shape the future of water management? We’re looking for a dynamic and experienced Principal Hydraulic Modeller to join our team and drive innovation in the delivery of essential infrastructure.

Location & Hours

• Falmer (Brighton) / Home Hybrid Working, with occasional site visits in the South East.
• Full time Monday to Friday, 37 hours a week; Southern Water offers a flexible working policy.

Package

• Competitive salary.
• Performance‑related bonus.
• Generous pension up to 11% company contribution.
• 25 days annual leave.
• Health Cash Plan.
• Life assurance equal to 4x salary.
• Salary‑sacrifice electric car scheme (after 6 months service).
• Full funded eye tests.
• Two paid volunteering days a year.
• Occupational health service.
• Discounts with over 800 popular retailers.
• Digital GP service.
• Study support for job‑related qualifications.
• Competitive maternity leave and flexible return to work options.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Free parking.
• Location close to a vibrant city and live & work in a region that includes more than 800km of pristine coastline.
• Office located close to local amenities (gym, train station, good rail connections, etc).

Technical

Job Overview

Lead a delivery team for a range of wastewater projects. Key accountabilities include:

• Technical guidance and leadership of the project team.
• Stakeholder liaison and report preparation.
• Lead in the preparation of design calculations, specifications, datasheets and technical content of contracts.
• Carry out approval of designs and ensure technical governance & QA adherence within the team.
• Financial management of projects to ensure delivery within design budget.
• Resolution of complex design issues.
• Challenging company standards and existing ways of working to promote continuous improvement.
• Actively research and seek industry best practice to provide innovative standardisation, including promotion of digital design concepts.
• Collaborate with the supply chain and delivery partners to drive efficiency.
• May have line manager responsibilities for some junior engineers.
• Coaching and mentoring junior members of staff; work with senior managers to ensure staff are engaged.

Qualifications

• MEng/BEng/BSc or HNC in an Engineering, Environmental or numerate science related subject.
• Chartered Engineer of an appropriate Engineering/Scientific Institution.

Experience

• Proven and demonstrable technical background in delivering wastewater hydraulic modelling projects within the UK Water Industry to time and budget whilst complying with quality, safety and environmental procedures.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the engineering theory and principles behind wastewater hydraulic modelling.
• Worked at a Principal/Senior Hydraulic Modeller (or equivalent) with extensive knowledge of solution development and design.

Skills

• Full driving licence.
• Competent in MS Office; experience in relevant IT design tools.
• Very good communication and presentation skills; high level ability to present & articulate technical ideas and arguments to both technical experts and lay people; excellent verbal and written English.
• Ability to work on own initiative and resolve complex engineering problems.
• Understands others’ roles within the team, the role and objectives of the team in the business and can explain these clearly; cooperates with other areas in the wider interests of the business.
• Identifies causes and effects by thinking through different options to prioritise issues; uses common sense or previous experience to deal with new problems or situations which may arise.
• Seeks and uses ideas from team members to improve work; works co‑operatively with other teams/areas to achieve business aims.
• Participates in teams and groups and cooperates with others; listens effectively; interested to hear the views of others.
• Demonstrates confidence in own ability; makes timely decisions in a self‑assured way and justifies them if necessary; ensures others are very clear about own stance or position.
• Implements plans and holds self fully accountable for delivering short‑term business requirements by prioritising effectively.
• Recognises the need and value for training and development, for both self and others.
• Presents ideas and views at face value; assumes ideas should stand on their own merit.
• Seeks to improve performance by setting specific, measurable goals.

Privacy Statement

Please note: If you are an existing Southern Water employee, you will need to confirm within your application that your Manager is aware of your application.

All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK. You will need to provide evidence of eligibility (e.g. a passport or long birth certificate and proof of NI) and current proof of address (dated within the last 3 months), which will be required as part of the recruitment process. If you do not meet these criteria, your application will not be considered.