At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.
Your impact
As a Design Manager – Mechanical Infrastructure, you will lead the multidisciplinary mechanical design delivery for complex water and wastewater infrastructure projects, including pump stations, water treatment plants (WTPs), wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), desalination systems, and associated mechanical/process systems.
You will be responsible for driving design integration, technical excellence, quality assurance, constructability, risk management, and programme certainty across all stages of project delivery—from concept through detailed and construction design.
Working closely with Project Managers, Discipline Leads, and Sector/Regional Leadership, you will plan, coordinate, and assure the technical execution of mechanical design packages, while mentoring and developing engineers across global teams.
Key duties include
- Lead and manage mechanical design for water/wastewater pump stations, treatment plants, and associated mechanical/process systems.
- Develop project-specific mechanical design strategies ensuring multidisciplinary integration, alignment with project requirements, and risk mitigation.
- Oversee preparation and coordination of mechanical deliverables
- Equipment sizing & selection
- Mechanical design calculations
- Pumping system calculations & hydraulic checks
- P&IDs, equipment layouts, plant general arrangements
- Mechanical data sheets and specifications
- Review and validate vendor documents, datasheets, and shop drawings; ensure integration with overall design.
- Lead mechanical engineering inputs for Design for Design‑Build (D for DB) and EPC delivery models constructability, staging, installation methodology, O&M requirements.
- Support and lead HAZOP/HAZID, value engineering, risk workshops, failure mode assessments, and operability/maintainability reviews.
- Manage and own key design management documents
- Project Responsibility Matrix
- Basis of Design
- Overall Design Programme
- Schedule of Deliverables
- Design Risk Register
- Design Change Register
- Coordinate with process, civil, electrical, ICA, BIM, structural, and architectural teams for holistic design delivery.
- Engage with clients through workshops, presentations, design reviews, and technical clarifications.
- Ensure design outputs comply with quality standards, codes, project specifications, and HSE requirements.
- Support the preparation of technical proposals, LOE estimates, design execution plans, and project scheduling.
- Mentor, coach, and provide performance feedback to engineers to strengthen organisational capability.
- Collaborate with global delivery centres to ensure consistent design practices and effective resource utilisation.
Hybrid Work Expectation Average office presence of 3 days per week or as per Company Policy, with travel for client/site meetings and occasional team meetings.
Here's what you'll need
Key software tools
- PipeFlo, AFT Fathom/Impulse, WaterGEMS (for hydraulics interface), vendor pump selection software
- Planning & Coordination Primavera P6, MS Project
- Collaboration ACC, ProjectWise, SharePoint, MS Teams
- BIM (exposure advantageous) Revit, Plant 3D, OpenPlant Modeler, Navisworks, Revizto
Key Behaviours
- Builds strong, collaborative relationships across multidisciplinary teams.
- Confident, approachable leader with strong client‑facing presence.
- Demonstrates leadership through coordination, clarity, and proactive communication.
- Encourages teams to develop integrated, constructible, and high‑quality mechanical design solutions.
- Organised, disciplined, and able to resolve complex mechanical issues in a timely manner.
- Champions a strong culture of safety, quality, and innovation.
- Flexible, dependable, and capable of performing in fast‑paced, contractor‑integrated environments.
Work Experience
- 15+ years of experience in mechanical engineering design and design management within water/wastewater infrastructure projects.
- Proven leadership of multidisciplinary teams delivering mechanical design for
- Water/wastewater pump stations
- WTPs/WWTPs and associated process units
- Chemical dosing systems
- Sludge handling systems
- High‑lift/low‑lift pumping systems
- Treatment mechanical equipment (screens, clarifiers, blowers, compressors, valves, etc.)
- Strong understanding of pumping systems NPSH, system curves, pump selection, surge analysis interface, pipework design, and hydraulic analysis.
- Demonstrated capability in Design for Design‑Build constructability reviews, contractor interface, installation sequencing, technical risk mitigation.
- Experience coordinating mechanical design within a BIM‑enabled environment.
- Strong ability to interpret P&IDs, hydraulic profiles, process input documents, engineering drawings, and specifications.
- Experience with vendor coordination, MTO/BoQ preparation, equipment procurement support, and technical bid evaluations.
- Experience with change management, design risk management, and impacts assessment.
- Ability to support bids, proposals, LOE estimates, and multidisciplinary design execution plans.
- Experience with alternate delivery models (DB, EPC, CMAR, PPP) is an asset.
- Strong interest in digital delivery, automation, and continuous improvement of mechanical workflows.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical (or related discipline)
- Master's degree in relevant field is advantageous
- Professional Engineer (PE) / Chartered Mechanical Engineer (CEng) is advantageous
Preferred Attributes
- Experience delivering large, complex water/wastewater facilities and pumping systems.
- Exposure to brownfield upgrades, shutdown/staging, and commissioning planning.
- Knowledge of sustainability principles and low‑carbon mechanical design approaches.
- Experience working with international codes, standards, and global delivery frameworks.
- Ability to operate effectively in fast‑paced, contractor‑integrated environments
At Jacobs we value people. Having the right balance of belonging, career and lifestyle enables us to consistently deliver and exceed clients expectations.
Working alongside industry leaders, you will have the opportunity to develop your career working on key projects in an environment which encourages collaboration, knowledge sharing and innovation. To support your professional growth, Jacobs flexible working arrangements, extended leave options and a host of social, health and wellbeing events and initiatives will underpin our commitment to you.
At Jacobs it's all about what you do, not where you are, which counts!
We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.
Your application experience is important to us, and we're keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.
