Design Engineer

About Uisce Éireann

We are Uisce Éireann. Every day, we are responsible for the delivery of secure, safe, and sustainable water services for the people of Ireland. As Ireland’s national regulated water utility, our vision is a sustainable Ireland where water is respected and protected, for the planet and all the lives it supports. Our purpose at Uisce Éireann is to rise to the challenge of delivering transformative water services that enable communities to thrive. That means we are proud to take on the responsibility of protecting our water supply and passing on a safe and secure water system to a rapidly growing population and empowering Ireland’s social and economic growth. We are passionate about empowering our people, enabling them to make a positive impact on communities across Ireland. We are guided by a shared vision and purpose, grounded in values that define who we are and shape how we work, where we deliver for customers and communities, we work better together, we do the right thing, we aim high, and we keep each other safe. Our behaviours define how we interact, communicate, and succeed together. These values and behaviours apply to each one of us, across every role, location, and level. Our goal is to attract and develop skilled and talented people from diverse backgrounds, who bring a dynamic range of expertise and insights to our work. With a strong, values-driven workforce, we ensure Uisce Éireann can continue advancing Ireland’s water services and meeting the needs of the communities we serve for generations to come.

The Role: Customer Operations & Connections and Developer Services

Customer Operations develop, deliver and support excellent customer experience and service to both domestic and non-domestic customers within a regulated industry. Customer Operations is responsible for managing the customer relationship with the Customer Contact Centre, ensuring timely and accurate customer billing services and effectively implementing the Uisce Éireann customer strategy. Connections and Developer Services (CDS) are responsible for the customer engagement and stakeholder relationship management of all connections to the Uisce Éireann network. The CDS team manage the customer journey from development concept design, statutory planning process, pre-connection, technical design, site quality assurance, vesting of new asset and final connection and metering, including developing commercial/technical customer agreements, and managing customer funding in adherence to all technical standards, connection charging policy and governance requirements. CDS are responsible for delivering a highly effective customer service, including reviewing, and implementing solutions to meet changing customer needs. Collaboration with several key business partners is essential for the successful delivery of connections on behalf of the customer.

Design Engineer Responsibilities

Reporting into the Senior Design Engineer, The Design Engineer will be responsible for assessment of pre-connection enquiries, the design vetting of new connection technical solutions, ensuring compliance with the Connection and Developer Services technical requirements and the development of Connection Offers. The Design Engineer’s responsibilities will include preliminary design of connections, estimating and creating non-standard Connections quotes and ensuring that connection proposals are aligned with the Uisce Éireann Connection and Developer Services design policies and technical standards. The Design Engineer will also provide support to the delivery of connections-related network reinforcement schemes driven by connections demand and in the delivery of network diversions.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide excellent customer experience through the end-to-end connections process.
• Receive and carry out detailed assessment of all pre-connection enquiries, connection applications, diversion applications and attached supporting documentation.
• Perform initial capacity check and liaise with the Water & Wastewater Asset Planning team and Local Authorities.
• Liaise with the Water Supply and Resources Strategy team and Leakage Programme teams in relation to major connection and diversion applications.
• Liaise with the customer to gain any further information to enable the provision of accurate estimation and quotation for the required connection/diversion work.
• Investigate technical compliance of the request; act in accordance with Uisce Éireann policy and guidelines where the request is deemed to be non-compliant.
• Investigate the legal status of the request; act in accordance with Uisce Éireann policy and guidelines where request is deemed to be non-compliant.
• Create Technical Drawings as may be required.
• Support the Senior Design Engineer with design and delivery of network development work when the need for new connections warrants expansion and/or reinforcement, working closely with Asset Planning, Asset Delivery, the Local Authorities, and/or 3rd party delivery partners.
• Investigate any potential future plans for the site that may influence the technical assessment.
• Determine requirement for any additional technical planning in relation to the customer enquiry/application.
• Generate quotes and calculate fees for non-standard new connection.
• Develop outline designs for connections and network extensions for further development by the CDS regional contractors.
• Provide support and input to achieving overall compliance with UÉ governance procedures.
• Liaise with Senior Design Engineer to present solutions for full technical review.
• Contribute to achieving the objectives and targets of Customer Operations business plans.
• Review self-lay developer designs and agree quality assurance handover to the self-lay field engineering team.
• Utilise Uisce Éireann IT systems and Work and Asset Management systems to manage works.
• Provide support to the Connections & Developer Services senior management team as required.
• Perform other such duties in relation to work and asset management as Uisce Éireann may reasonably require.
• Provide support to the Connections & Developer Services senior management team as required.
• Perform other such duties in relation to work and Customer Operations as Uisce Éireann may reasonably require.

General Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaborate with key internal stakeholders across the Uisce Éireann business.
• Responsible for promoting and delivering health and safety commitments across Uisce Éireann and its supply chain, reinforcing positive behaviours and delivering health and safety objectives and requirements to the highest industry standards.
• Support the delivery of the Uisce Éireann Transformation Programme, driving results required within the Directorate and supporting organisation-wide objectives.
• Conducts duties and responsibilities in accordance with Uisce Éireann’s Information Security policies, standards, processes and controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UÉ business information, and delivery of critical services, in accordance with the NIS Directive and any other relevant cybersecurity regulation.
• Other duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Relevant third level qualification in Engineering or Construction, with at least 3 years’ experience working in design or project management.
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in the water, utilities or similar industries is desirable and or relevant experience.
• Ability to develop effective partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders and ability to look for and listen to diverse perspectives.
• Proven track record in resolving complex issues, along with the ability to communicate information to others.
• Strong background in upholding organisational values through decision-making and constructive actions.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to identify and analyse problems and potential improvements and propose and implement solutions.
• Demonstrate adaptability and the ability to change focus and direction in line with business strategy and requirements.
• Ability to proactively identify new areas of improvement and implement new ways to do things.
• Experience in taking ownership of safety responsibilities and contributing to continuous improvement initiatives.

Key skills/competency

• Design Engineering
• Project Management
• Water Utilities
• Stakeholder Management
• Problem Solving
• Analytical Skills
• Customer Service
• Technical Drawings
• Compliance
• Health and Safety