Graduate – Civil Engineering – Water – Manchester
You see the world through a unique lens and that’s exactly what we need. We embrace how you see things differently – it’s essential for creating a sustainable future.
Arup is a global consultancy with advisory and technical expertise across more than 150 disciplines. We guide, plan and design the future of the built environment. Globally, each year we recruit hundreds of graduates and students who help us see things differently and solve the most complex challenges facing our clients, climate and communities.
The Water Infrastructure team designs and delivers resilient infrastructure within the water sector. From clean water pipelines and wastewater treatment to flood defences, sustainable urban environments and much more, we combine technical expertise and creativity to solve complex challenges and shape a built environment that supports communities and a low‑carbon future.
The Opportunity
Arup’s engineering teams thrive on the diversity of our work. As a graduate water engineer you might be involved in flood risk and coastal risk management schemes, river restoration, utilities co-ordination, water and wastewater treatment and infrastructure, city masterplanning and sustainable drainage. We play a key role in large-scale, multi-disciplinary infrastructure projects, influencing outcomes from the initial concept stage through to detailed design and construction.
Energy, collaboration, and effective communication are fundamental to our success. Our teams often act as integrators or facilitators, working closely with internal specialists and external bodies, including clients, contractors and statutory approval organisations.
Our teams deliver sustainable design services that address society’sneed to respond to the climate emergency. We help our clients to avoid and reduce carbon emissions, manage climate risk, improve natural capital, and enhance the resilience of their infrastructure to improve communities and their environment through efficient, well planned and considerate design.
You will work with a broad range of clients, such as water companies, the Environment Agency, local authorities, contractors and private developers. You will have the opportunity to visit sites and carry out surveys, meet with clients and stakeholders, and collaborate with others within and outside Arup.
In the Water Infrastructure team, your typical day‑to‑day tasks might include:
- Carrying out assessment, analysis, and design; preparing design reports, drawings, calculations, and specifications.
- Collaborating with Arup colleagues in other disciplines, including landscape architects, environmental and ecological specialists, geomorphologists, geotechnical, mechanical and electrical engineers, and more.
- Meeting with clients, national agencies, local authorities and other stakeholders, including site visits.
- Specifying and analysing survey information and constraints for solution development.
- Developing and appraising options and supporting the production of engineering solutions and business cases.
- Carrying out sustainability reviews, producing low/zero carbon strategies, embodied carbon calculations, carbon implementation plans, materials assessments, sustainability related studies, reporting and design.
- Undertaking feasibility studies, preparing engineering sketches and technical reports.
- Creating digital solutions to manipulate, analyse, and report on large and complex datasets.
- Using specialist analysis and design software such as InfoDrainage and InfoWorks, GIS, AutoCAD/Civil 3D/Bently MicroStation, ProjectWise, Navisworks, Flood Modeller and Tuflow.
Joining Arup is an excellent opportunity for a Graduate Engineer at the start of their career to gain experience across a diverse range of projects and sectors. Arup will support your professional development, providing the necessary experience and training to deepen your skills and progress with your professional qualifications.
You will have a degree in Civil Engineering or other relevant engineering degree, expecting a 2:1 or above;
You are looking to develop your career in engineering with a view to obtaining professional accreditation;
You have a willingness to learn new skills and a desire to deliver high-quality work for a range of clients;
You are a good communicator who thrives on working collaboratively in a team environment;
You have a passion for creating a sustainable future for all;
You wish to explore how digital methods and automation can improve and enhance the work we deliver.
To be considered for a graduate opportunity, your application must meet the following criteria:
- Full working rights in the country of application
- No more than 12 months of full‑time experience in a comparable role
- Recently graduated, or on track to graduate, from your most recent degree, related to your role of choice, before employment starts.
Alongside your degree, we look for the following core attributes;
- Changemakers: A passion for sustainable development and creating a better world is key.
- Innovative minds: We’re looking for critical thinkers who embrace new ideas and challenge the status quo.
- Growth seekers: You have a growth mindset, always eager to learn and explore new ways of working.
- Adaptable adventurers: You’re ready to take on any challenge that comes your way.
You should be able to start this opportunity on 1 September 2027. Advert Closing Date: 16 October 2026 Please note, in the event of high applicant volume, this role may be closed ahead of the advertised closing date. Early application is recommended.
Eligibility: Please note that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role. Therefore, you must ensure that you are eligible to work permanently in the UK without our sponsorship.
What we offer you
- competitive, fair and equitable pay
- benefits that support health and wellbeing
- a wide range of learning opportunities
- many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do
- Profit Share is a key part of our reward
- flexible working that supports the diversity and wellbeing of our graduates
- Private medical insurance
- Life assurance
- Accidentinsuranceand Income protection cover
- flexible benefitsto help you look after all aspects of your wellbeing and give you the freedom and flexibility to find the best solutions for you, your family, and your individual needs
Different people, shared values
Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.
Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference. Discover more about life at Arup at www.arup.com/careers/your-life-at-arup . We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas.
We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please contact UKEarlyCareersRecruitment@arup.com to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application or interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you.
As a Disability Confident Level 2 Employer in the UK, we will strive for one third of all our interview places to be allocated to candidates who have disclosed they are disability confident and best meet the requirements of the role.
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