Graduate Project Engineer (Preston)

Join United Utilities’ three-year Graduate Programme in our Project Engineering team and kickstart your career. Our project engineers play a key role in supporting a portfolio of capital projects across our multi-billion-pound investment programme, turning investment plans into safe, efficient and sustainable engineering solutions that improve services for customers and protect the environment.

As a Graduate Project Engineer, you’ll work alongside experienced Project Engineers and wider multidisciplinary teams, gaining hands-on experience across the project lifecycle. You’ll develop practical capability in project engineering, technical coordination, stakeholder engagement and document management, while contributing to delivery against time, cost, carbon, quality and safety requirements.

No two days are the same, with opportunities to learn in both office-based and site environments. You’ll build your understanding of engineering design, water and wastewater treatment and networks, construction documentation and project controls, while being supported to develop professionally through an accredited development route in engineering or project management. The typical graduate scheme entails rotating on various placements, to learn new skills. This may require you to be temporarily based where that specialism exists, so not necessarily always at your base.

What you’ll be getting stuck into day to day:

• Supporting experienced project engineers to develop and manage engineering inputs throughout the life of a project.
• Helping to coordinate technical information from internal teams, consultants, specialists and contractors.
• Contributing to the preparation of engineering construction documentation, technical reports, specifications and project records.
• Developing your understanding of engineering design, processes and procedures across water and wastewater treatment and networks.
• Supporting opportunities to embed innovation, standardisation and sustainable thinking into project delivery.
• Working safely and collaboratively across office and site environments while building your own professional engineering capability.

What you’ll bring to the team:

• A minimum 2:1 accredited undergraduate engineering degree, or an equivalent qualification such as a postgraduate master’s degree in engineering. (MEng/MSc graduates are preferred, however BEng/BSc graduates will be considered)
• Foundational knowledge of engineering design, processes and procedures, with an interest in water and wastewater treatment and networks.
• Clear communication skills and the confidence to work with colleagues, consultants, specialists and contractors.
• Strong teamwork skills, ambition, drive and a willingness to learn in a fast-paced project environment.
• The ability to support the preparation of clear, concise and accurate technical reports and specifications under guidance and review.
• A full UK driving licence, to be obtained by May 2027.
• A commitment to your own professional development, including working towards registration on an accredited engineering or project management development scheme.

Why join United Utilities as a Graduate?

By joining us on our 3-year graduate scheme, you'll not only get first-class training and support, but we'll also provide you with an in-depth understanding of your business area, ultimately giving you the confidence, skills and knowledge required to become one of our future operational, technical or people leaders, driving meaningful change.

Benefits:

• Starting salary of at least £32,250 + £2,000 welcome bonus
• Annual pay increase and bonus (subject to performance)
• 26 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 4 years + bank holidays
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave policies
• Up to 14% employer pension contribution
• Access to colleague wellbeing programmes and dedicated mentors
• Up to £500 towards driving lessons and tests

Recruitment Process:

• An online application form
• Online tests
• An in-person interview and presentation (17th November – 11th December)