How Rachel Arthur has moved around the world with Mott MacDonald and expanded her capabilities in the process too

New Zealander Rachel Arthur found her career path as easy as ABC – Auckland to Bristol via Cambridge! Here, Rachel tells us all about her role at Mott MacDonald, her proudest professional moment and the importance of building a global support network.

Tell us about your role

I’m an electrical and control engineer working on projects for UK water companies and the Environment Agency. I started my career with Jacobs in Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand) before moving to the UK to join Mott MacDonald’s Cambridge office. I then relocated to Bristol two years ago.

Why did you choose your career path? Why Mott MacDonald?

I wanted a job where I could have a steady income but also make a difference. Engineering was a good fit because I liked science and mathematics and I was always interested in the social impacts of technology and design. I was drawn to Mott MacDonald because I had just finished a master’s in engineering for sustainable development and I was on fire to change the world, or at least the rivers and seas! Mott MacDonald offered me a chance to do that.

What does it mean to you to be trusted to do brilliant things at Mott MacDonald?

One thing that I think is fairly unique about Mott MacDonald is that you can define your own career path. If you’re passionate about something and good at it, the company will help you make the most of it. For me, that’s included stepping into a completely different part-time role as the social impacts lead for the Cambridge city account and also developing our quality assurance processes and guidance.

Can you share a project you’ve worked on that you’re particularly proud of and explain why it stands out to you?

One of my favourite projects was providing technical support and reviews for a contractor doing upgrades to a huge pump station. The pump station was built to move water from one river system to another, increasing the supply to reservoirs in Essex. I was proud of that project because I acted as the project technical lead, managing inputs from multiple disciplines to make sure we gave the client the best advice possible. I learned about high voltage power, building regulations, planning requirements and much more.

I also loved that the pump station was right on the edge of a gorgeous river in the middle of the countryside – my colleague was doing wildlife photography on his breaks.

Can you describe a time when teamwork at Mott MacDonald led to a successful outcome?

One of my early projects was a huge scheme, costing over £100M, which involved upwards of 50 people, so teamwork was obviously critical to success. Working as a combined mechanical and electrical team to develop multidisciplinary documents and plan commissioning meant that we could share knowledge that benefitted the project. For example, the electrical engineer who led the design for the first half of the project passed their learning on to me, so I could avoid similar issues in the second half. The project took place during the pandemic, so we all supported each other’s wellbeing while also keeping the design moving forward. People who worked on that project have ended up as far away as Mott MacDonald Australia, but we keep in touch and still learn from each other. In fact, someone I first met on that project ended up being a bridesmaid at my wedding!

What resources or support at Mott MacDonald have been most beneficial to your growth?

One of the main benefits to my career here was an internal training course, called New Horizons, that aims to help you determine the career path you want while also developing your skills in peer coaching. Several years on, my team of four from the New Horizons course still meet up every three months to coach each other on any work issues we might be facing.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start their career at Mott MacDonald?

For graduates, my advice would be to attend as many networking and training events as you can and get to know people. Today’s graduates are our future technical experts, project managers and account leads, so you’ll benefit from that network as your career progresses. At Mott MacDonald, you learn as much from your peers as you do from those senior to you.