Location
Newcastle upon Tyne, Albany Court. This role involves UK-wide travel and offers hybrid working with approximately 3 days per week travel/office based. The position can be based at any of our hub offices including Epsom, London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, or Glasgow, or regional offices such as Peterborough, Cambridge, Cardiff, Swansea, Derby, Exeter, Leeds, Newcastle, Belfast, or Edinburgh, with additional travel to main locations as needed.

Hours
Full Time

Salary
Negotiable

About the Role
AtkinsRéalis’ Design & Advanced Technology (D&AT) Practice is seeking an experienced Technical Director – Wastewater Process to provide technical leadership across our water portfolio and help shape the future of sustainable wastewater treatment. This senior leadership role combines deep technical expertise with strategic business leadership, influencing major infrastructure programmes and driving growth across UK and international water markets.

As part of the senior technical leadership team, you will provide strategic direction across complex wastewater treatment and resource recovery projects, supporting clients such as Thames Water, Anglian Water, United Utilities, Scottish Water, Welsh Water, and the Environment Agency. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative, resilient, and low-carbon solutions addressing treatment performance, regulatory compliance, nutrient removal, net zero, and resource recovery.

Working across the full project lifecycle—from strategy and feasibility through design, implementation, and commissioning—you will help shape technical excellence within the organisation. Your leadership will strengthen process engineering capability, influence industry best practice, and create lasting value for clients and communities.

Key benefits include playing a leading role in delivering some of the UK's most significant and technically challenging water and wastewater programmes, shaping sustainable water infrastructure including net zero and resource recovery initiatives, and building trusted relationships with major UK and international water sector clients and regulators. You will have opportunities to contribute to strategic business growth, key pursuits, and new service offerings, supported by exceptional career development within a globally respected engineering and professional services organisation.

Experience
- Degree qualified in Chemical or Process Engineering (or equivalent) with Chartered Engineer status through IChemE or an equivalent professional institution.
- Extensive experience in design, optimisation, and delivery of wastewater treatment, sludge treatment, biosolids, and resource recovery projects.
- Strong understanding of UK water industry standards, regulatory requirements, and best practice.
- Recognised technical authority in wastewater process engineering, including treatment works upgrades, nutrient removal, storm overflow reduction, sludge and biosolids management, decarbonisation, and environmental compliance programmes.
- Proven track record of developing senior client relationships, leading major bids and proposals, securing strategic commissions, and driving growth within the wastewater sector.

About you
- Strong leadership and influencing skills with experience developing high-performing teams and setting technical direction.
- Commercially astute with the ability to balance technical quality, client outcomes, project risk, and business performance.
- Demonstrates strong technical judgement, accountability, and ownership, providing clear direction on complex engineering challenges.
- Operates effectively at both strategic and technical levels, balancing business objectives and high-quality technical delivery.
- Collaborative and forward-thinking leader who communicates complex ideas clearly, fosters innovation, and supports continuous improvement.

Qualifications
- Chartered Engineer status through IChemE or equivalent professional institution.
- Degree in Chemical or Process Engineering or equivalent qualification.