Principal Drainage Engineer - Water Resources
AECOMCompany Description
"Knowing that I’m part of a team with a ‘can-do’ attitude and having access to some of the leading industry specialists motivates me to bring my best self to work every day." – Peter Johnson, Principal Water Resources engineer, Townsville
Work with Us. Change the World.
At AECOM, we're delivering a better world. Whether improving your commute, keeping the lights on, providing access to clean water, or transforming skylines, our work helps people and communities thrive. We are the world's trusted infrastructure consulting firm, partnering with clients to solve the world’s most complex challenges and build legacies for future generations.
There has never been a better time to be at AECOM. With accelerating infrastructure investment worldwide, our services are in great demand. We invite you to bring your bold ideas and big dreams and become part of a global team of over 50,000 planners, designers, engineers, scientists, digital innovators, program and construction managers and other professionals delivering projects that create a positive and tangible impact around the world.
We're one global team driven by our common purpose to deliver a better world. Join us.
Come grow with us.
Balancing the world’s need for safe, reliable water with protecting this critical natural resource for the future requires a deep understanding of interconnected systems.
We work with clients across the entire project life cycle — from initial planning studies through final construction and operations and maintenance services — on both traditional and alternative project-delivery options (design-build, public-private partnerships and financing).
With a robust design and construction division, AECOM offers a unique perspective on designing projects that are fully constructible.
Job Description
We are seeking a Principal Drainage Engineer with extensive knowledge of 12D software to join our South East Queensland team, based in either our Brisbane or Gold Coast office.
In this role, you will provide technical inputs in the delivery of complex drainage and stormwater engineering projects across major infrastructure and development sectors. You will play a key role in shaping design approaches, solving complex drainage and hydraulic challenges, and ensuring high-quality, practical, and compliant outcomes for our clients.
Your focus will be delivering drainage designs using 12D, preparing stormwater management plans, and hydraulic modelling. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, providing specialist input and mentoring engineers, while contributing to project delivery, client engagement, and work-winning activities.
Key responsibilities include:
Technical delivery of drainage designs, stormwater management plans, and hydraulic assessments for major infrastructure projects
Providing expert input into hydrologic and hydraulic analysis using 12D and DRAINS.
Developing practical and innovative solutions to complex drainage, flooding, and water quality challenges
Reviewing and approving engineering designs, models, and technical documentation to ensure accuracy, quality, and compliance
Supporting project teams through technical guidance, mentoring, and quality assurance
Engaging with clients, regulators, and stakeholders to provide trusted technical advice and contribute to winning work
Ensuring alignment with Australian standards and guidelines, including TMR Drainage Manual, AR&R, and QUDM
Contributing to technical excellence initiatives and staying current with emerging tools, methodologies, and regulatory changes
Qualifications
What you'll bring
Proven professional experience (ideally 10+ years) in drainage engineering, water resources, or related civil engineering disciplines
Proven experience delivering complex drainage projects using 12D software
Demonstrated experience in drainage design, including open channel and piped systems, culverts, and stormwater management for roads, rail, and major civil works
Strong knowledge of hydrologic and hydraulic modelling, water quality, and stormwater management practices
Demonstrated experience with a combination of relevant software such as 12D, DRAINS, XP-STORM, MUSIC, and/or similar tools
Good working knowledge of TMR Drainage Manual, AR&R, QUDM, and relevant Australian Standards and guidelines
Experience in contributing to proposals and supporting work-winning within a consultancy environment
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and provide technical oversight and quality assurance
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences
CPEng (Engineers Australia) and RPEQ (Board of Professional Engineers Queensland) – essential or being eligible to obtain
Experience with GIS tools (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS) and detailed road and rail design (highly regarded)
If you don’t meet every requirement listed, we still encourage you to apply. We value diverse experience and perspectives, and your application will be considered for this role as well as other opportunities across AECOM where your skills and experience may be a strong fit.
Why you’ll love working with us
- Flexible work arrangements, including alternative start/finish times, part-time, job-sharing and hybrid work options
- Purchase up to 6 weeks additional annual leave per year
- Volunteer and representation leave
- Flex public holidays – swap Easter or other holidays for ones that suit you better
#Work180
Additional Information
At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.
AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we, our clients and our communities live and work around Australia. We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses. Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here: https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.
About AECOM
AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.
Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity
You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.
You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.
AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.
Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.