RPS continue to grow, and we are now looking to reinforce our Warrington, Derby, Sheffield, and Newcastle Offices, with Graduate Chemical and Process Engineers.

This is an exciting and unrivalled opportunity to develop and progress in an environment where your efforts and talent are recognised. We are looking at a start date of October/November 2024.

The role

The Graduate roles available in the strategy team will combine office/home-based working alongside professionals who are at the forefront of the industry, with opportunities to complete site work where required for data collection. Career pathways available for candidates joining us in a Graduate position include:

  • Chemical and Process Engineering
  • Key office locations available are Warrington, Derby, Sheffield, and Newcastle

Friendly, open and a willingness to learn and develop are all things that will help you be successful in this role.

We encourage and value different ideas, perspectives, and styles of thinking. We need a mix of experiences and skills to develop the most innovative ideas to positively shape the impacts of our client's projects. We are looking out for people who take opportunities, those who are keen to learn and develop, intelligent risk-takers who are not scared to try new things, and who adapt and move quickly.

Your responsibilities

  • Process design of water, wastewater, and sludge treatment sites
  • Mass and energy balances.
  • Optimisation of process stages.
  • Use of simulation packages i.e. BioWin.
  • Nature Base Solutions design.
  • Assessment of innovative technologies and their applications.
  • Support and/or chair HAZOP studies.
  • Process commissioning of existing and new water and wastewater treatment plants.
  • Whole life cost assessment.
  • Data handling and analysis of large datasets.
  • Survey planning and supervision.
  • Extensive use of GIS, including software such as MapInfo, QGIS and ArcGIS
  • Statistical analysis of data.
  • Preparation of factual and interpretative reports.
  • Construction, verification, and analysis of hydraulic sewer network models using InfoWorks ICM software.
  • Integrated catchment modelling, including pluvial, fluvial and interactions between rivers, sewers and treatment sites.
  • Catchment planning, risk assessment and intervention strategy.
  • Client and stakeholder engagement and management.
  • Provide input to development, maintenance and documentations of bespoke software tools and applications.

About you

  • A degree in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geography or Environmental Science.
  • Modules covering water and wastewater treatment, hydraulics, GIS or flood risk are desirable but not essential.
  • Good communication skills and written skills.
  • Ability to work in a team to solve problems that matter.
  • Computing skills including previous experience of Excel.

What we offer you

RPS is a great place to do great work. PROGRESS@RPS is our global performance and development framework, which puts our employees in the driving seat of their growth and development so that our people achieve their personal and professional ambitions and ensures our people feel valued for the contribution they make.

In the water team we provide in-depth on-the-job training to complement the full catalogue of learning modules available through our online learning platform, POD (Progress on Demand). We fully support the career progression towards chartership in different disciplines and we have accredited mentors who provide advise and guidance for the successful achievement of this milestone.

Our graduates are part of small teams, taking ownership of projects, their own workload and development to allow individuals to rapidly gain the skills required. We encourage graduates to rise to the challenge and push for progression through the business using our development pathways which allows our employees to specialise as they step up from graduate level.

We support our people to innovate, collaborate and build meaningful careers. Our network of people and knowledge will expand your horizons and give you access to a variety of interesting projects.

Our employees are rewarded with a customisable total rewards package tailored to their terms of employment.

Your application

As part of the selection process, it is mandatory to upload a CV and Covering Letter as we will not process your application without one. In your cover letter, we want to know why you are interested in RPS and the discipline you are applying to. We would also like to know a little about you as an individual.

What happens next?

If this opportunity suits your career journey, we’d love to hear from you.

Our closing date for graduate applications is October 18th, 2024. There could be a possibility that we close earlier if we have volume applications. We would recommend that you get an application in as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If successful in the screening process, you will then be invited to attend an assessment centre. The assessment centre will be an opportunity to spend time with your recruiter and other applicants being considered for the role. This is your chance to show us your best in a series of activities as well as an opportunity for you to learn more about RPS.

As part of the assessment centre, you will have an Interview. This will be an opportunity to meet the team who you could be working with. This interview will be the opportunity for you to showcase your relevant skills and suitability for the role, but also to ask any questions on how the teamwork and what to expect in the role day to day.

Why RPS?

We’re a connected community, working together to achieve exceptional outcomes. We understand the need to work flexibly, empowering our people to create a work life balance that’s right for them. We also understand the importance of collaboration and social connection in the office environment. With agile offices and hybrid working offered as standard, we trust our people to find the right balance to meet client needs – this is a workplace that works for you.

RPS, A Tetra Tech company

RPS, part of Tetra Tech since January 2023, is a global firm that defines, designs, and manages projects in urbanisation, natural resources, and sustainability. As part of Tetra Tech’s 28,000-strong team across 550 offices in over 120 countries, we deliver solutions that create lasting value in an increasingly urbanised and resource-scarce world. By leveraging our global expertise, we enable our clients to develop winning solutions for their clients and communities.

As a Tetra Tech company, RPS is proud to provide market-leading development and project opportunities for our people, supporting their growth while addressing the challenges that matter. Our people drive our success, and this is where you come to build a career.

About RPS Water Consultancy

It’s an exciting time to be working for our UK Water business as workload in the water market really takes off. With a broad portfolio of long-term framework agreements in place, we are ideally placed to help our clients deliver on the challenges facing them over the coming years - whether that is reducing leakage, pollution, and flooding, or improving the environment and levels of service to their customers.

Our Water business employs around 1000 highly skilled and motivated people working on projects for all of the water and sewerage companies across the UK, and most of the water-only companies.

We deliver a full range of end-to-end water and wastewater services including data collection and analytics; modelling and risk analysis / optimisation; data visualisation and mapping; artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions; feasibility studies; outline and detailed design of capital solutions; and development of optimised, risk based, operational interventions.

Come and join our team and truly make a difference to the future of water!

Our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Mindful that a truly inclusive organization must make appropriate use of talent on a global basis and without unnecessary barriers, we are committed to embedding diversity and inclusion principles in all People processes in order to be as diverse as the communities and clients we work with, thereby securing, developing, and retaining the best available talent for the company’s future.

Our people live our purpose, deliver our promise, and demonstrate our behaviours every day. Our behaviours define who we are. Developed by our people, they underpin everything that we do. They create the memorable experiences we are known for and make RPS a great place to do great work.

‘Stronger Together’ is one of our five core behaviours and it is inherent in creating an inclusive workplace: ‘We are respectful, acknowledge diversity, and recognise the potential and contribution of everyone. We bring out the best in one another, always assuming best intent. People who learn and grow thrive in our business, sharing in our success.’