Drainage Engineer

The Drainage Engineer is responsible for delivering on a broad and diverse range of drainage projects, including major infrastructure, masterplan development, and renewables/energy schemes.

The role requires strong technical capability, a commitment to high quality design, and an ambition to develop experience in both project and client management.

Design & Technical Delivery

• Design highway drainage systems for new-build, improvement, maintenance, and major infrastructure schemes.
• Develop drainage strategies from feasibility through detailed design and construction.
• Design surface water drainage systems including:
• Highway gullies and carrier drains
• Pipe networks and culverts
• Filter drains and linear drainage systems
• Headwalls and outfalls
• Attenuation and storage systems
• Swales, ponds, wetlands, and other SuDS features
• Pumped drainage systems where required
• Undertake rainfall/runoff calculations and assess design storm events and climate-change allowances.
• Undertake hydraulic calculations and network modelling using Causeway Flow and/or InfoDrainage to assess capacity, surcharge, flooding, and exceedance.
• Oversee and produce accurate models, drawings, and technical reports.
• Coordinate drainage design with highways geometry, earthworks, structures, utilities, landscaping, environmental, and geotechnical requirements.
• Assess existing drainage infrastructure and identify capacity constraints, defects, and opportunities for improvement.
• Develop flood mitigation and exceedance-flow solutions.
• Assist in technical reviews, ensuring designs align with best practice and project specifications.

Project Management

• Support the planning, coordination, and delivery of engineering tasks and project packages.
• Monitor progress, manage priorities, and contribute to forecasting, resources, and project reporting.
• Develop experience in commercial awareness, risk management, and programme control.
• Take ownership of assigned tasks and deliverables, ensuring compliance with deadlines and quality standards.

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• Attend meetings, workshops, and site visits (driving licence required).
• Communicate proactively with clients, consultants, contractors, and regulators.
• Represent Fairhurst professionally, clearly conveying technical information to varied audiences.
• Build strong, long‑term working relationships with partners and stakeholders.

Quality & Compliance

• Apply relevant highway, drainage, water, flood-risk, and environmental standards and guidance.
• Demonstrate an understanding of requirements from organisations such as National Highways, local highway authorities, Lead Local Flood Authorities, water companies, and the Environment Agency.
• Prepare drainage design reports, calculations, specifications, schedules, drawings, and technical submissions.
• Ensure designs satisfy relevant health, safety, environmental, planning, and constructability requirements.
• Contribute to technical approvals and departures from standards where required

Leadership & Mentoring

• Support and guide junior team members, sharing knowledge and encouraging professional development.
• Assist in developing skills within the team and contribute to a positive, collaborative working environment.