Graduate Civil Engineer - 29719

Job Description

As a Civil Engineering graduate at the Environment Agency, you can have a major impact on reducing the risks to people, households, and businesses from flooding. You’ll also contribute to our industry leading aim of becoming a carbon net-zero organisation by 2030.

Our structured yet flexible Graduate Training Scheme lasts between four to five years and offers you a wide range of internal and external placements. This allows you to build skills in everything from: asset management to project feasibility; planning and design to project management; and site supervision to incident response. Spending between six months to a year in different parts of the organisation gives you plenty of time to get to grips with the real issues, gain the necessary experience and make your mark on a variety of projects.

The scheme is accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), enabling you to become an Incorporated (IEng) and then Chartered (CEng) engineer following your professional review. You’ll learn by working alongside expert engineers and colleagues across Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management and will have the dedicated support of Professional Development Advisors to coordinate your training. At every step, your professional journey with be driven by you and will be tailored to your individual development needs.

The Environment Agency are fully committed to inclusivity and reflecting the communities we serve, offering flexible work arrangements for all our vacancies. Join us in a diverse environment where every voice is heard and valued.

The team

You will join a team of professionals who will support you throughout the scheme. In addition to your team, you will have support from a Supervising Civil Engineer and Delegated Engineer. They will share their extensive knowledge and experience to assist your development to become an Incorporated or Chartered Engineer. You will be part of a community of approximately 70 graduate engineers who will form a support network for your career at the Environment Agency.

Experience/skills Required

We’re looking for proactive graduates with the innovation and passion to make a difference. Keen to learn, you will be ready to make the most of all the placements and opportunities that the scheme offers. You will show evidence of the skills you’ll need to develop during the programme including leadership, collaboration, people skills and problem-solving.

To join our engineering graduate training scheme, you’ll need to be a graduate with an accredited BEng or, ideally, an MEng degree in Civil Engineering (or equivalent). It’s essential that both your degree and masters are accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers as satisfying the academic requirements of becoming either an Incorporated or Chartered Engineer with the ICE. Please check the eligibility of your qualifications using this link before applying - https://www.ice.org.uk/careers-and-training/graduate-civil-engineers/course-search-tool

Contact and additional information

If you have any questions about the scheme, please email [email protected].

Graduate Engineers learn from others in the office and out on site, around this we offer hybrid working arrangements.

Some travel is required to access our flood defence assets, development events and team meetings.

Everyone that joins us is required to undertake training and participate in incident response duties to support communities and prevent harm to the environment. Further information can be found within your candidate pack.

Candidates with a BEng qualification will join us on Graduate Engineer Pay Step 2 (£30,242) and candidates with an MEng (or equivalent) join on Pay Step 3 (£30,997).

Shortlisting will take place in January 2025 with interviews in February/ March 2025. Successful candidates start in September 2025.

Competence 1

Achieves Results

Description

Describe a time when you had to take responsibility for the delivery of a project/task.

• What planning did you do?
• What targets did you set?
• How did you monitor progress?
• How did you deal with risks or issues that came up?
• What was the outcome/what did you achieve?
• What would you do differently if you were to take on the organisation and delivery of the project again?
  
  
  

Competence 2

Builds and Sustains Relationships

Description

Give an example of a time when you worked as part of a team to complete a task

• How did you communicate and distribute work within the team?
• What was your contribution – what skills/experience did you bring to the team and what was your role?
• How did you build rapport with people within the team and ensure that everyone felt valued and included in the task?
• What did you learn from working with others in this way?
  
  
  

Competence 3

Environmental Awareness

Description

The Environment Agency has set an aim of becoming a carbon net zero organisation by 2030. Our 2020 Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy’s long-term vision is “a nation ready for, and resilient to, flooding and coastal change – today, tomorrow and to the year 2100”. These are key areas where you will be able to make a difference and be part of the solution.

Question – What civil engineering solutions would you use to support the Environment Agency in becoming Net Zero Carbon by 2030 and why?

Competence 4

Takes Decisions and Solves Problems

Description

Give an example of when you have solved a problem using engineering theory and practice to find a solution.

• What was the problem?
• What engineering theory, (for example, standards and codes) did you use to develop a solution?
• What role did you play in the development and implementation of the solution?
• What other options did you consider?
• What was the outcome of your solution?
  
  
  

Role specific license requirements

Successful candidates are required to hold or have acquired a full UK driving license within 6 months of starting the role.

If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.

We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know for more information.