2026 UK Summer Placement: Water Resources and Water Quality

The closing date for this opportunity is Friday 12th June with interviews being scheduled soon after.  This opportunity is expected to start mid-July for a period of eight - 10 weeks.

Job Description  

At Mott MacDonald, we believe in the power of potential. Our placements are more than just work experience - they’re a launchpad for your future, a place where your curiosity is welcomed, your ideas are valued, and your growth is supported every step of the way. 

You will work alongside our water quality and water resources experts to assist our clients to understand the reliability and vulnerability of their surface water sources, to assess the impact of infrastructure on receiving water quality and identify management measures to tackle pollution.  We deliver services in these areas to a variety of clients such as water companies, environmental regulators, and government bodies.

What You’ll Experience 

• Collaboration & Community: Work alongside diverse teams who are passionate, supportive, and driven by shared purpose. 
• Real-World Impact: Contribute to meaningful projects that make a difference - for our business, our communities, and the world. 
• Learning & Growth: Gain hands-on experience, develop new skills, and discover what drives you. 
• Belonging & Inclusion: Be part of a culture where everyone is respected, heard, and empowered to thrive. 

Typical duties and responsibilities may include:

• Water quality analysis
• Hydrological analysis
• Water quality impact assessment
• GIS analysis of hydrogeographic and water quality data 
• Using coding skills to streamline analysis, where applicable
• Undertaking appropriate training and working towards professional qualification.

 
Candidate Specification 

 
To join us for a summer placement you must currently be enrolled on a degree course at university, or completing your bachelor's degree this summer and enrolling onto a master's course.  If you have completed your studies then we encourage you to apply for a graduate opportunity. 

The degree disciplines typically suited to this work include:

• Chemistry
• Mathematics
• Geography
• Environmental sciences
• Earth sciences
• Water science. 

We’re looking for students with the following characteristics: 

• Proactively takes initiative to complete tasks efficiently and independently.  
• Communicates effectively and clearly with clients and colleagues.  
• Delivers high quality written work with strong attention to detail and clarity.  
• Demonstrates a structured and analytical approach to problem solving.  

About our summer placements: 

  
We’re looking for highly motivated students who are passionate about learning from our industry experts. You’ll be given the opportunity to gain invaluable experience working on some of the exciting projects that are helping to shape tomorrow’s world. 

We understand that to put your learning into practice it’s important that you’re given an accurate insight in to our innovative industry. With enough work placement experience under your belt you can get just that. Think of it as a worthwhile investment towards your future career. 

We place a lot of emphasis on giving you a realistic view of our world, so you can decide if it’s the industry you want to work in. 

Many of the employees that we recruit for our graduate schemes are students that have made an impression during their placements with us, so remember, this could be the start of a promising career for you with Mott MacDonald. 

We are a living wage employer, so we offer a great hourly rate for your placement with us. 

Our social side 

 
Being part of Mott MacDonald means more than just work, there’s a huge range of fun and exciting things that you can get involved in. From the moment you join us, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your social and professional network, whether it’s meeting other placement students and graduates or joining forces with other members of staff from around the company at our annual sports day. Each of our offices have a sports and social committee which will give you the chance to be part of a variety of sports, social and charity events. We’re committed to promoting a strong culture of social responsibility and encourage our staff to play active roles in the local community. 

It's worth noting that sports and social committees tend to vary from office to office, so as well as getting involved in what’s already on offer, don’t be afraid to suggest new events or initiatives that you think could be a great addition.  

Equality, diversity and inclusion
We put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of our business, seeking to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

Agile working
At Mott MacDonald, we believe it makes business sense for you and your manager to choose how you can work most effectively to meet your client, team and personal commitments. We embrace agility, flexibility and trust.

More about Mott MacDonald
We’re a global engineering, management and development consultancy.
Our purpose is to improve society by considering social outcomes in everything we do, relentlessly focusing on excellence and digital innovation, transforming our clients’ businesses, our communities and employee opportunities.
A fundamental part of this is respecting each person’s differences and striving to meet their needs.
Our values: progress, respect, integrity, drive, excellence