Principal CFD Engineer - Dams & Hydraulic Structures

Overview

As Principal CFD Engineer, you will lead 3D CFD analyses for dam-related hydraulic structures and guide the integration of numerical and physical models. You’ll act as the hydraulic CFD authority within the dams & reservoirs team, driving design optimization and risk reduction. You’ll collaborate across multidisciplinary groups, present findings to clients, and mentor junior modellers. The role supports business development and ensures high-quality, regulation-aligned outputs. This is a high-impact opportunity to shape safe, efficient water infrastructure on UK and international projects.

Pay / Benefits

• hybrid working model
• flexible benefits
• AECOM University
• volunteering days
• career development
• diversity and inclusion

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end 3D CFD modelling for spillways, energy dissipation structures, intake/outlet works, and other hydraulic infrastructure
• Analyse turbulent and transient flows, energy losses, cavitation risk, air entrainment, water-hammer effects, and scale interactions
• Integrate CFD with physical model results (calibration/validation) and translate insights into design optimization and risk reduction
• Produce high-quality technical reports, visualisations, and client presentations
• Serve as technical authority for hydraulic CFD within the dams & reservoirs team; uphold QA standards and best practice
• Mentor and guide junior modellers; foster capability growth across the practice
• Contribute to scope definition, proposals, and cost estimation; support CFD-related business development
• Coordinate planning, execution, and delivery schedules across multidisciplinary teams to meet project requirements
• Undertake occasional site visits for data collection and model build/calibration

Key requirements

• Degree in civil, hydraulic, mechanical engineering or related field
• Chartered engineer status or actively working towards chartered
• Significant experience applying CFD to hydraulic structures (dams, spillways, intakes, outlet works)
• Proficiency in Flow3D, OpenFOAM, ANSYS Fluent or other CFD software; experience with HEC-RAS, ICEM CFD, Paraview, Rhino, Grasshopper or similar tools
• Strong ability to combine numerical and physical modelling to solve hydraulic challenges
• Analytical problem-solving, engineering judgment, and client-facing communication
• Mentoring and coaching
• Client-facing communication
• Team collaboration
• Flow3D
• OpenFOAM
• ANSYS Fluent

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