Principal Drainage Engineer

Location:

Oldham (OL4) – Lancashire, North West, United Kingdom

Salary:

£50000 – £60000 per annum

Type:

Permanent

Main Industry:

Search Engineering Jobs

Other Industries & Skills:

Civil

Advertiser:

Penguin Recruitment Ltd

Job ID:

132668902

Posted On:

01 February 2026

Job Title: Principal Drainage Engineer

Ref. No.: CJD2401S26

Location: Based near Oldham

Salary: GBP50,000 – GBP60,000

This is an exciting opportunity to join my client, a highly-regarded, eco-conscious Multidisciplinary Consultancy, renowned for delivering their expertise across the engineering and environmental landscapes, prioritising sustainable, environmentally-conscious approaches to ground investigation, land remediation, and project management. They are on the lookout for a keen, capable Principal Drainage Engineer with a strong track record in managing people and projects at all stages of the design process, including proactively contributing to Business Development (BD) activities. You will be based near the historic, industrial town of Oldham.

Benefits for the role of Principal Drainage Engineer include (but are not limited to):

* Competitive salary
* Employee Pension Scheme
* Generous annual leave
* Flexible/hybrid working prospects
* Dedication to your Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
* Opportunities to deliver upon a wide range of engineering projects
* Actively contributing to the company’s development prospects
* An inclusive, collaborative working environment, which encourages innovative thinking

Responsibilities for the role of Principal Drainage Engineer include:

* Lead the technical delivery of drainage design, flood risk and mitigation strategies for planning and construction stages, across a range of complex projects
* Develop and implement Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) strategies, detailed drainage layouts, and integrated water management solutions, tailored to customer and client requirements
* Making informed design decisions, utilising robust hydraulic and hydrological analysis
* Provide high-level technical reviews and assurance regarding complex projects
* Build and maintain important relationships with clients and other stakeholders, ensuring repeat business and long-term partnerships
* Prepare, check, amend, and submit technical documents, including proposals, tenders, reports, etc.
* Represent the business during meetings, site visits, events, etc.
* Provide mentorship and leadership to colleagues within the team

Required skills and experience for the role of Principal Drainage Engineer include:

* A First Degree in a relevant discipline (e.g., Civil Engineering, Hydrology, etc.)
* Possess Chartered Status with a recognised, relevant Professional Body (e.g., ICE, CIWEM, etc.)
* Extensive experience of drainage engineering and flood risk/mitigation design, within a UK-based consultancy setting
* Excellent working knowledge of the relevant software systems, including Causeway Flow, InfoDrainage/MicroDrainage, TUFLOW, HEC-RAS, AutoCAD, and GIS-based packages
* Strong understanding of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and flood risk policy
* Demonstrable ability of managing diverse projects and people, adhering to the highest of standards, and successfully delivering a range of projects
* Substantial experience of working closely with clients and other stakeholders, with proven contributions to Business Development (BD) activity
* Outstanding communication (written and verbal), leadership, and interpersonal skills
* Hold a full, valid UK Driving Licence, with a willingness to travel to project sites, as and when required

Desirable skills and experience for the role of Principal Drainage Engineer include:

A Higher Degree in a relevant discipline

If you are interested in the role of Principal Drainage Engineer, please do not hesitate to contact Caroline Davis at Penguin Recruitment. Please also see our website for a range of other roles currently available. This is a permanent role. Penguin Recruitment is operating as a recruitment agency in respect to this vacancy.

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