UK Centre For Ecology & Hydrology jobs

About McCloy Consulting

McCloy Consulting is an established, water-focused environmental and civil engineering consultancy, formed in 2003 and now working across a broad range of specialist disciplines including flood risk, hydrology, hydraulic modelling, drainage, SuDS and nature-based solutions, river restoration, hydrogeology, environmental assessment, ecology, landscape design, peatland restoration and climate resilience.

We support public and private sector clients across the UK and Ireland, combining specialist technical expertise with the responsive, practical and personal approach of an independent consultancy. Our flood risk and hydrology team works on a wide variety of projects, from development planning and flood risk assessment through to hydraulic modelling, flood mapping, drainage area planning, flood alleviation, catchment management and climate adaptation.

As a growing consultancy, we are continuing to invest in our people, training, specialist software and digital capability. This includes access to industry-standard hydraulic modelling, GIS and design tools, alongside continued investment in our wider environmental services, including expanding in-house expertise in geomatics, drone survey, ecology, peatland assessment and restoration.

Our teams are based across the UK and Ireland, including offices in Belfast, Dublin, Derry / Londonderry and Tayside, with remote staff supporting projects from across the UK and Ireland. This gives early-career staff the opportunity to work within a close-knit technical team while gaining exposure to a wide range of projects, clients, regulators, locations and technical disciplines.

We are looking for a Trainee / Graduate Flood Modeller to join our Belfast-based flood risk and hydrology team. The role will provide exposure to a broad range of work, from local Flood Risk Assessments through to supporting larger flood relief schemes and hydraulic modelling studies under the direction of a senior technical team.

This is an early-career role suited to someone with strong numeracy, good technical judgement and a genuine interest in solving complex water-related problems.

You do not need to be an experienced flood modeller. We are looking for someone with the right technical foundations, curiosity and problem-solving ability to develop into a specialist consultant.

The Role

As a Trainee / Graduate Flood Modeller, you will be trained to support the preparation, checking and interpretation of hydrological and hydraulic models used in flood risk assessment, flood mapping, drainage studies, development planning, flood alleviation and catchment management projects.

You will work closely with experienced modellers, hydrologists and engineers in a specialist, supportive team, gaining hands-on experience across real projects from an early stage.

Typical work will include:

• Supporting the development of hydrological assessments and model inflows.
• Preparing and checking hydraulic model data.
• Working with GIS, terrain data, survey information and flood mapping outputs.
• Assisting with 1D and 2D flood modelling studies.
• Supporting site visits across the UK and Ireland to help understand real-world flood mechanisms, flow paths, structures, culverts and drainage assets.
• Interpreting model results, flood depths, levels, velocities and hazards.
• Supporting Flood Risk Assessments, drainage assessments and technical reports.
• Helping to investigate flood mechanisms and develop practical mitigation options.
• Learning how flood risk policy, planning requirements and regulator expectations influence technical work.

You will receive structured support and on-the-job training in the tools, methods and judgement required to become a competent flood modeller and flood risk consultant.

What We Are Looking For

We are looking for a problem solver: someone who is analytical, careful with data, comfortable with numbers and willing to learn.

Essential requirements:

• A degree or relevant qualification in a numerate or water-related discipline, such as civil engineering, environmental engineering, geography, hydrology, environmental science, mathematics, physics, data science or a related subject.
• A sound understanding of hydrology fundamentals, such as rainfall, runoff, catchments, flow pathways and flood processes.
• Strong mathematics, numeracy and analytical ability.
• Good IT skills, including confidence working with large datasets, spreadsheets and technical software.
• Clear written communication skills.
• Attention to detail and a methodical approach to technical work.
• Willingness to work from our Belfast office as part of a hybrid team.

Desirable but not essential:

• Experience or coursework involving hydraulic modelling, hydrology, GIS, drainage, rivers, flood risk or water resources.
• Familiarity with software such as InfoWorks ICM, TUFLOW, HEC-RAS, Flood Modeller, AutoCAD / Civil 3D, QGIS or similar.
• Familiarity with tendering, reviewing or interpreting survey data, including understanding data limitations.
• Programming or scripting experience, for example Python, SQL, Ruby, R.
• Experience working with spatial data, large datasets, mapping, coding or technical automation.
• Previous consultancy, placement or early-career experience in water, engineering, environmental assessment or infrastructure.
• Full UK driving licence, or ability to travel to site visits across the UK and Ireland when required.

Who This Role Would Suit

This role would suit:

• A recent graduate with strong numeracy and an interest in hydrology, flooding, rivers or climate resilience.
• An early-career consultant or engineer looking to specialise in flood modelling.
• Someone from a mathematics, data, geography, engineering or environmental science background who wants to apply their technical skills to real-world flood risk problems.
• A candidate who enjoys understanding how systems work, testing assumptions, solving technical problems and communicating findings clearly.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to build specialist expertise in a focused technical team with direct access to experienced flood risk, hydrology and modelling professionals.

We offer structured training in hydrology, hydraulic modelling, GIS and flood risk assessment, with early involvement in live project work and a clear route to developing specialist modelling capability.

Alongside a competitive salary dependent on skills and experience, and company pension scheme, we provide employer-funded health benefits through our Health Shield health cash plan, including cashback towards everyday medical costs, GP Anytime, wellbeing support and gym membership discounts. Our wider benefits include hybrid and flexible working arrangements, paid professional subscriptions, enhanced company sick pay, enhanced maternity and paternity provisions, and service-based incentives including additional bonus leave.

We also support personal development plans and defined career pathways, including support for employees working towards professional chartership with relevant institutions. This sits within a company culture that encourages learning, knowledge sharing and personal development for all employees.

Recruitment Timetable

Applications will close at the end of July 2026.

Interviews are expected to take place during August 2026, with an anticipated start date in September or October 2026.

How to Apply

Please send your CV and brief covering information to admin@mccloyconsulting.com, quoting reference GFM/2026.

In your covering information, please tell us briefly why you are interested in flood modelling and highlight any relevant experience in hydrology, hydraulic modelling, GIS, programming, data analysis or technical problem solving.

Pay: £26,000.00-£30,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Bereavement leave
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Employee mentoring programme
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Free parking
• Health & wellbeing programme
• On-site parking
• Referral programme
• Sick pay

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Newtownabbey BT36: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Education:

• Bachelor's (required)

Language:

• English (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Newtownabbey BT36