Location
Manchester, Aviator Way with a blended approach to flexible and home working (typically 3 days a week on site) to support wellbeing.

Hours
Full Time - standard working hours with flexibility to support work-life balance.

Salary
Negotiable

About the Role
Due to an increased engineering and design workload in the water sector supporting 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. This is a great opportunity to establish or develop a career in a technically challenging and highly rewarding growing sector that supports the UK’s water industry.

As Principal Mechanical/Piping Designer, you will lead a team of designers responsible for all aspects of plant layout and piping design within the water sector, using the latest CAD and digital technology. You will produce 3D models and detailed general arrangement drawings (GAs) using Revit, develop layouts from first principles for wet and dry well pumping stations, concrete pump chambers, ductile iron and epoxy coated carbon steel pipework, and similar systems within the wastewater industry.

Key responsibilities include coordinating and integrating vendor equipment packages into the design, laying out and modelling access platforms, stairs, handrails, and maintenance accessways in compliance with Client and Industry standards, contributing to design reviews including Access, Lifting and Maintenance reviews (ALMs), and collaborating with civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical disciplines to ensure coordinated and clash-free models.

You will also check and approve other designers’ work in accordance with company procedures, review and comment on vendor information, liaise and coordinate with other disciplines, attend internal and client meetings, plan resources and manhour usage, report to the lead engineer, undertake site surveys as required, and provide advice and support to junior designers on personal and career development.

Additionally, you will assist the Manager of Piping Design with administrative tasks including preparation of corporate procedures, standards, and specifications, and provide feedback to the Discipline Manager for continuous improvement in software performance and removal of constraints.

This role requires ensuring compliance with Company and Client policies, timely delivery of work packs in line with project requirements and applicable codes and standards, maintaining quality assurance and auditable records in line with CDM requirements, and ensuring smooth liaison with associated partners and disciplines.

Experience
A Principal Mechanical Designer (Water) is a suitably qualified and experienced person (SQEP) with specific knowledge and experience within their specialist field. You will have significant experience in mechanical or closely related disciplines, with proven capability in piping and plant design across multiple work categories. Exceptional CAD skills, particularly in Revit and AutoCAD, are essential. Experience producing 3D models, general arrangements, and pipe support details is required.

Desirable experience includes specialist mechanical design fields such as water treatment, wastewater treatment, biosolids/sludge treatment, pumping systems, chemical storage and dosing, as well as experience with material take-offs, engineering schedules (e.g. valve lists), and managing and closing out ALM (model review) actions.

About you
You will have strong leadership skills to effectively lead a team of designers and support their career development. You are organized, proactive, and able to coordinate with multiple disciplines to deliver high-quality, coordinated designs. You have excellent communication skills to liaise with clients, internal teams, and vendors. You are committed to maintaining quality assurance and compliance with company and client standards and policies.

Qualifications
Essential qualifications include City & Guilds or HNC/HND minimum.

Desirable qualifications include EngTech or I-Eng ICE professional qualification, degree or equivalent.