Environment Agency • Welwyn Garden City

33417 - Deputy Catchment Engineer

About this role

As a Deputy Catchment Engineer, you will play a vital role in supporting the delivery of safe, reliable and resilient engineering across our Operations Management teams. You’ll work closely with Catchment Engineers, Asset Performance teams, Field teams and Operations Managers, contributing to engineering excellence across the Hertfordshire & North London Area.

In this role, you will assist with identifying, monitoring and resolving issues on assets that fall below required standards. You will contribute to the management of the Area’s Strategically Important Assets and Statutory Reservoirs providing guidance and support to Asset Performance & Field teams.

You will help ensure our asset investment programme is robust, evidence‑based and future‑focused, extending beyond our current six‑year investment cycle. This includes working alongside project managers and collaborating with area clients on engineering decisions at project level to support well‑informed investment planning. You will help ensure projects in design and construction meet Environment Agency requirements.

A key part of the role involves developing and supporting others. You will encourage, coach and mentor less experienced team members, helping to build capability and nurture the next generation of engineers within our teams.

To undertake the role effectively, you will need a full UK driving licence, as travel to sites, assets and partner locations is an essential part of the job.

This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a diverse range of impactful projects while helping protect communities, people and property from flood risk. If you’re passionate about engineering, asset management, collaborative working and developing others, we’d love to hear from you.

The team

You will join our local Flood Risk Management Operations team, leading the inspection, maintenance and operation of our assets to reduce flood risk and support environmental outcomes. As a dispersed team we work closely with technical specialists and project delivery partners to ensure assets are safe, resilient and perform when needed. We manage assets through their full lifecycle and work with others to deliver improvements, supporting our ambition to be an exemplar asset management organisation.

Experience/skills required

We are seeking someone committed to engineering excellence within Flood Risk and Asset Management. You will bring enthusiasm for improving asset performance and reducing flood risk, working confidently both independently and as part of a team. You’ll be able to make evidence-based decisions, problem solve and coach others. You'll be organised with attention to detail to ensure our work is delivered to a high standard.

You must have

Engineering qualification and practical experience, hold (or be actively working towards) Incorporated / Chartered Member Status as recognised by the Engineering Council (ICE, IStructE, CIWEM, etc.)

Strong and effective communication skills, good customer focus

Health, Safety & Environmental experience and awareness

Experience at managing multiple priorities effectively

You should ideally have

Practical experience in managing assets, ideally within the flood risk sector

Contract Management experience within the construction sector

The role includes occasional deputising for Catchment Engineers at local/national meetings.