Location
Manchester (Home-based with site/office attendance as per business/client needs). Ideally suited for candidates based in the North West of England with flexibility to travel.

Hours
Full Time

Salary
Negotiable

About the Role
As AMP8 ramps up, Costain is seeking a Chief Process Engineer to join the Asset Optimisation Team supporting multiple clients including United Utilities, Northumbrian Water, and Yorkshire Water. This role is critical in providing wastewater process engineering consultancy across the UK to optimise assets and programmes. You will work within capital delivery frameworks and alongside operational teams to develop innovative, practical, and digital process solutions. The team delivers optimisation studies at feasibility, concept, optioneering, and preliminary design stages to mitigate risk, return sites to compliance, or enable low or no build solutions.

This Chief Engineer position is not just a role but a key opportunity to strengthen and grow the team, unlocking greater capacity and advancing service delivery. You will provide strategic support and technical direction to Northern water sector frameworks, lead asset optimisation projects, and direct teams in proposing and defining process optimisation solutions. The role requires strong leadership, technical expertise, and the ability to influence and collaborate with senior stakeholders and clients.

Experience
- Significant and proven UK experience in the design, operation, and optimisation of wastewater treatment plants.
- Knowledge of the UK water utility asset life cycle process.
- Project management experience.
- Background in engineering consultancy or contracting design environment as well as operational utility experience.
- Ability to independently drive teams and projects.
- Proactive, self-motivated, and solutions biased.
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate and influence senior colleagues.

Desirable Experience
- Comprehensive knowledge of the UK Regulatory environment.
- Experience across the full project lifecycle: scoping, outline design, detailed design, construction support, commissioning, and handover.
- Proven background in process engineering definition including mass balance development, data analysis, design calculations, technology selection, major equipment and package datasheet specification, process flow diagrams, process control philosophies, and P&ID’s.
- Excellent commercial awareness and business development skills.
- Stakeholder and project management awareness.
- Proven leadership and line management experience.

About You
Proactive and self-motivated professional with strong leadership capabilities and a solutions-focused approach. Able to collaborate effectively across teams and influence senior stakeholders. Comfortable working in an agile technical environment and driving innovation in process engineering.

Qualifications
- Essential: Degree level (or equivalent) in a Process related discipline.
- Chartered Engineer (CEng MICE / CEng MIStructE).
- Desirable: Membership of a relevant engineering institution (e.g. CIWEM, IChemE).
- Post Graduate Qualification is advantageous.