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 – Treatment, you will lead the multidisciplinary design delivery of complex water treatment, wastewater treatment, and desalination projects. You will be responsible for driving design integration, technical excellence, programme certainty, and quality compliance across all stages of project delivery. This includes overseeing process, civil, mechanical, chemical, electrical, and I&C interfaces, ensuring alignment across all design disciplines.
You will work closely with Project Managers, Discipline Leads, and Sector/Regional leadership to plan, coordinate, and assure the technical execution of treatment projects while also mentoring and strengthening the capability of the broader design team.
Key duties include
- Development and implementation of multidisciplinary design strategies for water/wastewater treatment and desalination projects, ensuring design integration and coherent execution.
- Lead and manage the preparation, coordination, and delivery of design packages for water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants, desalination facilities, and associated process systems.
- Evaluate, compare, and select appropriate treatment technologies and processes for project-specific needs.
- Provide leadership in Design for Design‑Build (D for DB) models—ensuring constructability, staging, risk mitigation, and alignment with contractor expectations.
- Lead or support HAZOP/HAZID studies, interpret findings, and implement appropriate mitigation measures across treatment process designs.
- Own and manage core design management documents Project Responsibility Matrix, Project Organisation Chart, Design Programme, Basis of Design, and Schedule of Deliverables.
- Identify and manage inputs from external specialists, JV partners, and sub‑consultants, ensuring their deliverables are fully integrated.
- Lead client engagement activities, including workshops, presentations, design reviews, and technical discussions.
- Facilitate multidisciplinary coordination meetings and proactively manage resolution of design issues to maintain schedule and quality commitments.
- Ensure all design outputs comply with quality standards, codes, legislation, and HSE principles, promoting safe design practices.
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
- Planning & Coordination Primavera P6 / MS Project
- Collaboration ACC, ProjectWise, SharePoint, MS Teams
- GIS ArcGIS Pro / QGIS
- Treatment Modelling (exposure advantageous) RO/ion balance tools, process simulators
- BIM (exposure advantageous) Revit, Civil 3D, Navisworks, Revizto
Key Behaviours
- Builds positive, collaborative relationships across diverse teams.
- Strong client‑facing presence; personable, approachable, and confident.
- Leads through coordination, communication, and engagement.
- Drives integrated, high‑quality design solutions across disciplines.
- Organised, proactive, and able to resolve complex issues promptly.
- Creative, flexible, dependable; champions safety and quality culture.
Work Experience
- 20+ years of experience in design management within an engineering consultancy or EPC/Design‑Build environment.
- Proven experience managing multidisciplinary design teams delivering complex treatment facilities.
- Demonstrated capability in delivering Water Treatment/ Wastewater Treatment/ Desalination across preliminary, detailed, and construction design stages.
- Strong understanding of PFDs, mass balance development, hydraulic profiles, P&IDs, and preparation of process input documents.
- Strong experience in Design for Design‑Build (D for DB), including early contractor engagement, constructability review, and technical risk mitigation.
- Experience leading design delivery in BIM‑enabled environments.
- Demonstrated interest in digital delivery and innovation, including automation, data‑driven workflows, and continuous improvement.
- Strong communication, coordination, leadership, and organisational skills.
- Experience in client presentations, tender submissions, and stakeholder management.
- Experience in change management, including assessment of design changes, impact analysis, and stakeholder communication.
- Working understanding of MTO/BoQ development and coordination with discipline teams for quantity validation.
- Ability to develop Level‑of‑Effort (LOE) estimates and support bids, proposals, and design execution plans.
- Understanding of project financials, including forecasting, progress tracking, milestone monitoring, and invoicing.
- Experience with alternate delivery methods such as Design–Build, EPC, CMAR, or PPP/P3 is an asset.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Environmental Engineering (or related discipline)
- Master's degree in relevant field
- Professional Engineer (PE) / Chartered Engineer (CEng) is highly desirable
Preferred Attributes
- Experience delivering large multidisciplinary treatment programmes (water, wastewater, or desalination).
- Exposure to complex staging, commissioning planning, or brownfield facility expansions.
- Experience or understanding of PFAS treatment technologies (e.g., GAC, IX, RO) is an added advantage.
- Awareness of sustainability, circularity, and low‑carbon treatment solutions.
- 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.
