Graduate Process Engineer

Costain has been improving the lives of people through infrastructure for more than 160 years. Today, we’re involved in solving some of the UK’s most complex infrastructure challenges across our four strategic markets of transport, water, energy, and defence.

Graduate Process Engineer Positions

Population growth, regulatory changes, and climate change are having a dramatic impact on water supply and usage. The national approach to managing the water sector is changing to meet these challenges. Costain has been at the forefront of this change, delivering multi-million pound AMP programmes covering strategic planning, solution optioneering, design, and construction. We currently work with many of the UK’s leading water companies including Southern Water, Thames Water, United Utilities, Severn Trent, Northumbrian Water, Yorkshire Water, and Anglian Water.

We are hiring water graduate process engineers to join and rotate between our Asset Optimisation and Costain Engineering Limited (CEL) teams, so candidates can receive experience working across all parts of a project lifecycle from initial concept development through design and into commissioning roles.

The Asset Optimisation team is primarily based at our St Mary’s Axe office in central London, while the CEL Process Team is based in our Aviator Way office in Manchester. These roles offer flexible and dynamic working between home, office, and regular travel to wastewater treatment sites. On application, ensure that you identify which areas of the country you are applying for and if you are open to relocation.

About the Team

The Asset Optimisation Team is an agile team working on the frontline with operational and construction teams to develop innovative, practical, and efficient process solutions to help safeguard the environment. We deliver optimisation studies at feasibility, concept, optioneering, and preliminary design stages to mitigate risk, return sites to compliance, or enable optimised or no build solutions to meet new permit drivers. We also provide direct operational support to improve site performance using existing assets.

Costain Engineering Limited (CEL) is a design consultancy composed of an interdisciplinary team that develops an outline design through detailed design, construction, and commissioning. The team also provides technical and engineering support to our site teams and clients to ensure successful scheme delivery and long-term operation.

Graduate Development and Training Programme

Successful candidates will join our IChemE Accredited Company Training Scheme (ACTS) designed to equip graduates with the skills and experience required to advance their careers. You will also be assigned a mentor to support your professional development and guide you towards chartership. There is a broader Costain Graduate Development Programme for graduates of all disciplines across our strategic markets to develop your network and understanding of the wider engineering and construction sector. The programme will work to grow your personal and leadership skills, complementing the technical skills learned through your engineering role.

Responsibilities

The work undertaken by Graduate Process Engineers is varied and assignments can cover all stages of a project’s lifecycle:

• Supporting principal and senior process engineers in undertaking outline or detailed process engineering design including modelling, mass balances, data analysis, and design calculations.
• Visiting sites for data acquisition, on-site reviews, and meeting site operators to understand a site’s current performance and future potential.
• Site commissioning support during both capital construction planning and delivery.
• Working within a multidisciplinary team including mechanical, civil, and electrical engineers to deliver a cohesive integrated design.
• Developing and presenting material for stakeholder workshops to develop solutions and designs.
• Production of presentations, briefing notes, control philosophies, commissioning plans, schedules, DSEAR reports, PFDs and P&IDs.
• Contribution to health and safety assessments including ALMs and HAZOPs.
• Root cause failure analysis, FMECA, and other risk analysis and mitigation proposals.

Qualifications

A degree or equivalent qualification in a process engineering-related discipline is required, as well as a full UK driving licence.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

Essential

• Strong interest in the water sector.
• Delivery driven with a mindset to work to targets and meet team objectives.
• Ability to work accurately to achieve a right first-time approach.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly and concisely.
• Strong relationship-building capabilities.
• An understanding of Safety-First work mindset.
• The ability to collaborate to achieve shared goals.

About Us

Costain helps to improve people’s lives with integrated, leading-edge, smart infrastructure solutions across the UK’s energy, water, transportation, and defence markets. Our vision is to be the UK’s leading smart infrastructure solutions company. We offer our clients leading-edge solutions that are digitally optimised through the following five services which cover the whole lifecycle of their assets: future-shaping strategic consultancy, consultancy and advisory, digital technology solutions, asset optimisation, and complex programme delivery. Our culture and values underpin everything we do.