Job Description
As a Graduate Civil Engineer at the Environment Agency, your passion for engineering and the environment can make a real impact. Climate change is reshaping our world, and you can be at the forefront of solutions that protect communities, wildlife, and natural resources. This is your chance to launch a career that combines purpose, innovation, and real‑world impact.
Recently recognised as the highest new entrant onto The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers list, our Graduate Training Scheme is a structured, hands‑on programme spanning 4‑5 years that gives you the skills, experience, and opportunities to become future leaders within the Environment Agency.
* Diverse Placements: With 6‑12 month rotations across a wide range of teams throughout the organisation, you’ll get to work on everything from asset management to strategic planning and site supervision. Not only does this give you a truly holistic understanding of flood defence engineering projects, it also enables you to work with a wide network of specialists throughout other fields such as Modelling and Forecasting, Natural Flood Management, National Fisheries Service, and Health and Safety.
* Flexible Pathways: Your journey is tailored to your interests and development needs. If you are drawn towards topics such as geotechnics and hydraulics or even just really enjoy the logistics of managing engineering projects, we can find the right combination of learning opportunities for you to become a highly effective client.
* Learning & Development: Accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), our programme guides you toward Incorporated (IEng) and Chartered (CEng) status.
The Environment Agency is fully committed to inclusivity and reflects the communities we serve. We offer flexible work arrangements for all our vacancies and create a diverse environment where every voice is heard and valued.
The strength of our Engineering Graduate Training Scheme lies in its extensive support networks, with a dedicated team of Professional Development Advisors coordinating a large community of Supervising Civil Engineers, Delegated Engineers, Career Mentors, and wider peer support groups who nurture engineering talent and facilitate a busy calendar of collaborative learning opportunities.
Experience / Skills Required
We’re looking for proactive, adaptable graduates who are inquisitive and self‑motivated in their professional development. You must be comfortable working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders and keen to make the most of the variety of opportunities our different teams can offer.
To join our Engineering Graduate Training Scheme, you’ll need to be a graduate with an accredited BEng, or, ideally, an MEng degree in Civil Engineering (or equivalent). It’s essential that both your degree and masters are accredited by the Institution of Civil Engineers as satisfying the academic requirements of becoming either an Incorporated or Chartered Engineer with the ICE.
Please check the eligibility of both your BEng and Masters qualifications before applying – https://www.ice.org.uk/careers-and-training/graduate-civil-engineers/course-search-tool
We are unable to process CVs as part of shortlisting; all candidates must fully populate the Higher Education qualifications section of the application form to allow us to confirm eligibility for the role.
Contact and Additional Information
If you have any questions about the scheme, please email gradengineers@environment-agency.gov.uk.
Graduate Engineers learn from others in the office and out on site, and we offer hybrid working arrangements. Some travel is required to access our flood defence assets, development events and team meetings. Everyone that joins us is required to undertake training and participate in incident response duties to support communities and prevent harm to the environment. Further information can be found within your candidate pack.
Candidates with a BEng qualification will join us on Graduate Engineer Pay Step 2 (£31,452) and candidates with an MEng (or equivalent) join on Pay Step 3 (£32,237).
Shortlisting will take place in January 2026 with interviews in February / March 2026. Successful candidates start in September 2026.
* Competence 1 – Achieves Results: Giving a specific example of a piece of work you have delivered, describe how you prioritised your workload and managed any setbacks to meet the final deadline.
* Competence 2 – Works in Teams: Give an example of a time where you have built relationships with a new team and describe how you worked effectively together to achieve a challenging common goal.
* Competence 3 – Environmental Awareness: Give an example of an engineering project that considered the impact of the activity on the environment. How were the environmental issues identified and what actions were taken to overcome them? For this answer, we would prefer that you described a project that you played a role in either at university or work experience, however you could also refer to local flood defence work that you have awareness of.
* Competence 4 – Uses Initiative: Give an example of when you have identified an opportunity for improvement and describe the role you played in implementing change.
Role specific license requirements: Successful candidates are required to hold or have acquired a full UK driving licence within 6 months of starting the role.
If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.
We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.
We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. The Environment Agency is a non‑departmental public body sponsored by Defra and we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the Civil Service Careers website. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Seniority level
* Internship
Employment type
* Full-time
Job function
* Engineering and Information Technology
Locations
Brighton, England, United Kingdom
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