Senior Principal Process Engineer - Water Sector

Scotland is entering a significant period of investment in its water and wastewater infrastructure, with Scottish Water’s SR27 programme set to transform assets and services across the country. At Stantec, our long-standing relationship with Scottish Water, combined with our role as a Primary Designer for the new DV4 Enterprise, places our Scottish Water teams at the centre of this investment.

We’re looking for a Senior Principal Process Engineer to join our growing teams in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness. You’ll provide senior technical leadership across a diverse portfolio of Scottish Water projects, spanning water and wastewater treatment, asset upgrades, resilience, optimisation and strategic investment.

This is an opportunity to influence major engineering decisions, strengthen client relationships and help shape the next generation of water infrastructure across Scotland, with DV4 providing a long-term pipeline of complex projects and opportunities.

ABOUT THE ROLE

As a Senior Principal Process Engineer, you’ll act as a senior technical authority within our Scottish Water team, providing strategic direction, technical assurance and engineering leadership across projects and programmes from early strategy and concept through to detailed design and delivery.

You will:

• Provide strategic process engineering leadership across Scottish Water projects, including water and wastewater treatment, treatment works upgrades, asset improvement and resilience programmes.
• Lead and assure process design, calculations, treatment assessments, technical specifications and engineering solutions, ensuring they are robust, practical and aligned with Scottish Water requirements.
• Provide technical governance and independent review across projects, supporting consistent technical standards and high-quality delivery through DV4.
• Act as a senior technical adviser to Scottish Water, building trusted relationships and influencing investment, asset planning and engineering decisions.
• Support projects across the full lifecycle, from strategy and definition through to design, construction and delivery alongside Scottish Water and its delivery partners.
• Contribute to Scottish Water programmes such as Improving Urban Waters, helping deliver solutions that improve water quality, reduce environmental impacts and support resilient communities.
• Lead, mentor and develop senior engineers and future technical leaders within the Scottish Process Engineering team.
• Support the growth of Stantec’s Scottish Water business through bids, frameworks, innovation and the development of new opportunities.

YOUR IMPACT

Your technical leadership will help shape the future of Scotland’s water and wastewater infrastructure at a time of unprecedented investment. Through DV4 and our continued work with Scottish Water, you’ll influence solutions that improve treatment performance, water quality, asset resilience and environmental outcomes across Scotland.

You’ll also play an important role beyond individual projects, helping strengthen Stantec’s Process Engineering capability in Scotland, develop future technical leaders and build trusted relationships with Scottish Water. Your expertise will contribute to long-term programmes that include treatment works, water networks, wastewater infrastructure and asset improvements across the country.

ABOUT YOU

Essential

• Degree qualified in Chemical or Process Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Chartered or Incorporated Engineer (CEng/IEng) 
• Extensive experience in process engineering within the water, wastewater or related sectors.
• Significant technical expertise across water and/or wastewater treatment, process design, optimisation and engineering assessment.
• Proven experience providing senior technical leadership across complex projects and programmes.
• Strong understanding of the Scottish water sector, its regulatory environment, standards and technical requirements.
• Experience providing technical governance, design assurance and strategic engineering advice.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build trusted relationships with senior clients.
• Proven experience leading, mentoring and developing technical teams.

Desirable

• Membership of a relevant professional institution such as CIWEM, IChemE or ICE
• Experience working with Scottish Water and/or within Scottish Water investment programmes.
• Experience across treatment works, asset optimisation, resilience, water quality or infrastructure investment.
• Knowledge of strategic water resource, wastewater treatment, bioresources or emerging water quality challenges.
• Experience supporting major frameworks, bids, business development and client relationships.
• Experience contributing to technical standards, innovation, digital solutions and continuous improvement.

WHY JOIN US

• We put people first: We're proud of our friendly, inclusive and collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and driven to succeed.
• We are driven to achieve: Named in the top 50 companies to work by Glassdoor 2025. Recognised by Corporate Knights as one of the world's top 10 most sustainable companies 2025. Named ‘Best Place to Work’ and ‘International Consulting Firm of the Year’ at the NCE Awards 2024.
• We do what is right: Industry leading training and development as well as paid for professional subscriptions. A professional progression plan, supporting you to become chartered with ICE.
• We are better together: A supportive and collaborative team environment and Early Careers peer group and wider ERG network (see more on our ERGs here: Stantec Employee Resource Groups).
• Growth: We're on an exciting growth journey across the UK - we want you to be part of it!
• Great Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus schemes, enhanced pension plan, annual leave with the option to buy/sell additional days, private medical insurance, group income protection & life assurance included as standard as well as discounted gym membership and lots more.
• Hybrid / Flexible working: Enjoy a healthy work-life balance with our hybrid approach to flexible working.

The Stantec community unites more than 34,000 employees working in over 450 locations across 6 continents. We have been working with our clients and communities in the UK for over 150 years. We plan, design, deliver and manage the development and infrastructure needed to support the creation of sustainable, healthy and prosperous communities. 

Our teams provide effective and relevant solutions, translating our clients’ vision into valued consents, deliverable plans for projects and programmes, and efficient designs for delivery, based on technical excellence and deep market insights. We deal with today’s challenges, but also keep a fairer, better tomorrow in sight, looking at how we deliver clean growth, support radical changes in our economy and meet the needs of future communities. 

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations or any other condition of employment. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment.

Building an inspired, inclusive work environment that attracts, supports, and develops world-class talent is a crucial key to our success. If you are excited by this role but worry that your experience doesn’t exactly align, we encourage you to apply.

At Stantec we want you to perform your best at every stage of the recruitment process and are committed to ensuring it is accessible to all. If you need any support or require adjustments to be made then please contact [email protected]  and we will talk to you about how we can support you.