Water Science Graduate/Environment – Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham – Summer 2026 start

AECOM Manchester, England, United Kingdom

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Company Description

Work with Us. Change the World. At AECOM, we’re delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.

Job Description

About Our Team: Our multidisciplinary water environment team is looking to recruit a Water Science Graduate to join our teams in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds or Nottingham from Summer 2026 onwards. Our team includes specialists in hydrogeology, hydrology, hydro‑morphological water quality and water resource management. We work for clients from across the public and private sectors, including the Environment Agency, Local Authorities, Highways England, Natural England, Water Utilities, Rivers and Wildlife Trusts as well as commercial developers and overseas clients. We are also involved in major ongoing projects such as HS2 and the Thames Tideway Tunnel and as a team are responsible for coordinating/leading water environment chapters in ES’s as well as coordinating WFD assessments.

All members of the Water Environment team take an active role in client contact and commercial aspects of our projects. Health, safety and environmental considerations underpin everything that we do.

We have an impressive portfolio of water science projects including technical investigation, restoration projects, and impact and WFD assessment for major national and international infrastructure projects.

What you’ll do

• Water quality studies (baseline studies, environmental impact assessment, nutrient loading studies and pollution studies including monitoring and modelling).
• Hydrological investigations (flood, drought and water resource allocation).
• Geomorphological studies, including supporting channel enhancement/restoration projects, Natural Flood Management studies and Fluvial Audits.
• Hydro‑morphological studies (assessing the effects of schemes on aquatic organisms such as salmonids, freshwater pearl mussels, invertebrates and macrophytes).
• WFD / Environmental Compliance studies.
• EIA (highway, rail, aviation, utilities, power generation including renewables, mixed use/commercial/residential and other development types).
• Pollution prevention advice including preparing Water Management Plans, acting as Environmental Clerk of Works, and developing sustainable treatment trains.
• Applications for various permissions (Environmental Permits for flood risk activities and discharges, Water Abstraction / Impoundment Licences, and Land Drainage Consents).

Enjoy the Perks

At AECOM, you’ll enjoy a range of core and personalised benefits designed to support your future and well‑being, customised to fit your lifestyle. Take advantage of career development opportunities, our flexible hybrid working model to ensure a work‑life balance that suits your lifestyle, technical practice networks, AECOM University, and volunteering days.

On‑the‑job support and learning

When a graduate starts at AECOM, we pair them with a senior member of the team who will guide and mentor them through their initial period working on live projects and business development tasks, to support with any technical queries.

Graduate Development Programme

Our 2‑year graduate ADVANCE programme is designed to help you build your career in AECOM. You will attend several instructor‑led training sessions where you will meet and hear from people across the business and take part in a series of interactive activities to equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your role. Alongside the instructor‑led elements of the ADVANCE programme, you will also engage with an online curriculum via AECOM University and can join the ADV ANCE webinar series. We will provide you with all the support and tools you need to achieve your professional development ambitions, which may include chartership with the relevant international professional institution – Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM).

Qualifications

• Degree qualified with an MSc in Geography, Geomorphology, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Engineering, Hydrochemistry or similar.
• Ability to conceptualise surface water environment issues.
• Excellent report writing skills.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Have experience using GIS.
• A full driving licence would be beneficial as the role will involve travel for site surveys with equipment and limited public transport access.

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and believe it enriches our team. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and abilities. If you are an applicant with a disability that requires reasonable accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us at ReasonableAccommodations@aecom.com.

Additional Information

Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible since CVs will be reviewed, and candidates selected for an advanced offer start. Please include a covering letter with your application and provide all predicted and/or obtained academic grades. You must have permanent right to work in the UK as we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this position.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public‑and private‑sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $14.4 billion in fiscal year 2023. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com.

ReqID: REF53608X

Business Line: Environment

Business Group: DCS

Strategic Business Unit: Europe & India

Career Area: Science

Work Location Model: Hybrid

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