Senior Hydrologist/Modeller

Job Title: Senior Hydrologist/Modeller

Advertised Salary: £43,500 to £45,500 depending on experience + benefits

Location: Remote, with regular travel across our network required. See here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers

We are the charity who look after and bring to life 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales, because we believe that life is better by water. Every role across the Trust plays its part in transforming our canals and rivers into spaces where local people want to spend time and feel better, bringing wellbeing benefits to millions.

We are currently looking for Senior Hydrologists and Senior Modellers to join our national Water Management Team. The job holder will apply a wide range of technical expertise, modelling solutions and knowledge to secure the effective and efficient management of water resources around the network to meet navigational and other water demands, whilst ensuring compliance with relevant legal, environmental and operational constraints. You’ll have the opportunity to ground your hydrology/modelling first-hand through site investigations and surveys along the historic canal network. 

Find out more about our Water Management team: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/specialist-teams/managing-our-water 

Location & coverage 

This vacancy will be offered on a remote working basis, with a requirement to regularly attend our hub spaces as and when required for team working and meetings. It is therefore essential that applicants are able and willing to work effectively from home and travel when required.

Our hubs include: Leeds, Ellesmere Port, Burnley, Birmingham, Hatton, Newark, Milton Keynes, Gloucester, London.

Applicants would ideally be accessible to Hatton for regular catch ups with the wider team. This role will also involve regular travel to and along the reservoirs, canals and river navigations across the canal network. The regularity and distribution of travel will be discussed further at interview stage. 

We know uncertainty around travel (such as what do we mean by regular?), can sometimes be a barrier to applying for a job. Please do not let travel be a barrier to you applying for this role, speak to us at interview or prior to application about what a typical week, month or year may look like and we will be able to clarify our expectations.

See our network map here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network

Key accountabilities: 

• Provide specialist advice on water resource management and/or flood risk management issues, to operational and central teams. Support colleagues to ensure that water management requirements and concerns are accounted for in any planned engineering works or other projects.
• Provide expert hydrological/hydraulic data analysis/modelling, responses and advice (intermediate complexity) to the required quality and timeliness set out in team procedures to internal teams and external bodies e.g. Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, to ensure the Trust’s interests and reputation are both promoted and protected.
• Effectively manage water management projects ensuring delivery to time and budget.
• Ensure compliance with The Trust’s and partner's policies and procedures with particular reference to health & safety and environment & heritage issues.
• Contribute to the development of national policies, procedures and plans by involvement in specific projects. Contribute to The Trust responses to external consultations from regulators, government and others.
• Displaying the Trust values and behaviours at all times.
• Ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life and promoting inclusion by challenging behaviour, practices, actions, or decisions that are counter to the objectives of the Trust’s policies and values. Stronger Together - Our inclusion and diversity strategy 2023-26 | Canal & River Trust

Depending on the role being applied for:

• Construct and calibrate Aquator hydrological models to help us to plan water resource infrastructure improvements that may be required in the future to ensure a reliable canal system. Validate the models you develop with use of historical data as well as data you capture first hand through site investigations and surveys.
• Undertake the assessment of flood risk for critical assets e.g. reservoirs and culverts, including the application and delivery of flood hydrology and/or hydraulic modelling. Application of specialist hydrological and hydraulic methods and software, including ReFH, FEH, FSR and Flood Modeller 1D/2D.
• Lead site work which may entail surveying of structures, undertaking in channel flow gauging, assessing hydraulic conveyance and constraints and losses along our network.

About you

Technical:

• Preferably post Graduate Degree (e.g. MSc) or equivalent in relevant subject e.g. Water Resources Management, Hydrology, Flood Risk Management.
• Ideally chartered, working at chartered level, or close to making an application for chartered membership of a professional body e.g. CIWEM.
• Broad knowledge, understanding and application of primary hydrological processes and models.
• Proven experience in the development, application and reporting of hydrological and hydraulic modelling studies, using e.g. Aquator, ReFH, Flood Modeller 1D/2D or similar.
• Comprehensive experience of handling, manipulating and presenting hydrometric/spatial data and information.
• Experience in managing technical projects.

General: 

• Computer literate in MS Office and awareness/experience of GIS or mapping systems.
• Excellent level of written communication skills and numerical ability.
• Good presentation skills, able to effectively convey complex information to technical & non-technical audiences.
• Effective communication and ability to guide and influence technical decision making.
• Ability to manage own and others time effectively, prioritising tasks with little guidance/supervision necessary.
• Positive approach to problem-solving, enabling you to find creative solutions, as we often have unique challenges across our non-natural hydrological system.
• Proven experience of delivering Trust or comparable customer service standards and expectations.
• Understanding of regulatory and legislative frameworks affecting the Trust’s water management (e.g. Water Resources Act, Water Act, F&WM Act).
• Valid driving licence appropriate for vehicle to be driven.

As with any job, you may not have everything on the list above and we will be able to support your development into this role with training and support from experienced colleagues.

To apply:  click on the "Apply for this job" button and follow the process - complete the application form & upload your current CV and supporting statement (supporting document).

If you experience any difficulties with your application or have any enquiries please contact the Recruitment team at CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient suitable applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

In addition to your salary of £43,500 - £45,500, you will benefit from a competitive contributory DC Pension scheme arrangement, great holiday entitlement and numerous other employee benefits, including several salary sacrifice benefits, all of which can be found here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits). These include: 

• 25 days paid holiday, plus paid Bank Holidays, increasing to 27 days plus Bank Holidays after 3 years
• Home working status with ‘hub’ facilities available if a need to work outside of home – flexibility. Monday to Friday working, no weekend working. 
• Annual £200 personal learning & growth award to spend on any learning related activity – hobbies; aspirations etc. 
• Free access to specialist counselling on a range of issues – health; financial; lifestyle; well-being; domestic & neighbourly matters. 
• Access to a range of employee benefits including – store discounts; boating holiday discounts; holiday purchase scheme. 
• 2 days paid volunteering leave, volunteering for local community project work.

At the Trust we care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We strongly believe that a diverse workforce brings with it a diversity of ideas, thinking and ways of working which enhances what we do as a Trust. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.

All candidates will be treated on the basis of their merits, skills and abilities and solely by being assessed against the requirements for the job.

When you join the Canal & River Trust you become a member of an engaged team working to preserve our heritage for future generations. Come and share your passion and knowledge with a team that makes a difference to millions of people every day.

Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us

If you’d like to find out more about the role, please get in touch with water.information@canalrivertrust.org.uk