Graduate Water Engineer

Note: This profile provides a market aligned view of this job’s typical core requirements, informed by Korn Ferry’s Success Profile methodology, and will evolve over time.

An entry-level engineering professional in the first two years post-graduation. Uses professional concepts and academic knowledge to assist in solving engineering problems of limited scope and complexity. Contributes to engineering projects across sectors including transport, water, property & buildings, energy, and environment, supporting the team in delivering high-quality outcomes for clients. Focuses on building practical experience and understanding of engineering practices in a real-world consulting environment.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities describe the typical accountabilities and scope of work for this job,  while recognising that individual objectives are set with the manager and may vary over time.

• Client & Customer Management (External): Help senior colleagues manage client and customer relationships by using relevant sales or client systems.
• Community of Practice Management: Participate in a community of practice in a defined area of expertise or consulting to begin to build own expertise.
• Contract Management: Deliver required outcomes by coordinating activities of subcontractors and suppliers and acting as a primary point of contact for them while working within an established contract management plan.
• Data Collection and Analysis: Collate and analyze data using preset tools, methods, and formats. Involves working independently.
• Engineering Inspections: Carry out inspections under the supervision of senior colleagues to evaluate the quality of engineering works and/or the integrity of existing installations or structures, and make recommendations to senior colleagues on the remedial works needed to ensure conformance with specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Engineering Solutions Design: Contribute to the development of, and implement feasibility testing of, proposed engineering solutions to provide feedback and data to validate the design.
• Feasibility Studies: Contribute to and support feasibility studies from a technological and organizational perspective, and document findings.
• Health, Safety, and Environment: Follow the organization's health, safety, and environment (HSE) policies, procedures, and mandatory instructions to identify and mitigate environmental risks and risks to the well-being of self and others in the workplace; instruct the team in safe working methods; identify instances of risky behaviors within the team and take appropriate action, escalating serious issues as appropriate.
• Improvement/Innovation: Identify shortcomings in existing processes, systems, and procedures, and use established change management programs to address them.
• Knowledge Management System: Help others get the most out of knowledge management systems by offering support and advice.
• Project Management: Support others by carrying out a range of project management activities.
• Recommendations: Advise managers how to apply a wide variety of existing procedures and precedents.
• Request for Bid Solicitation/Proposal/Tender Response: Gather information and resources to assist in the drafting of standardized tenders/proposals in response to bid solicitations, request for proposal, and request for tender.

Competencies

Competencies describe the observable behaviours that differentiate effective performance in this job and guide expectations, feedback, and development discussions.

• Action Oriented – Takes on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm. For example, takes timely action on important or difficult issues. Identifies and pursues new opportunities that benefit the organization.
• Collaborates – Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives. For example, finds many ways to add value to the team; probes to draw out richer input from others; is a valued resource who goes out of the way to help others.
• Communicates Effectively – Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences. For example, seeks out others' perspectives and asks good questions. Shares information that people want to know; gives appropriate context and details when speaking.
• Decision Quality – Makes good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward. For example, knows when to act independently and when to escalate issues. Integrates various inputs, decision criteria, and trade-offs to make effective decisions. Typically makes good independent decisions.
• Ensures Accountability – Holds self and others accountable to meet commitments. For example, accepts responsibility for own work, both successes and failures. Handles fair share and does not make excuses for problems. Usually meets commitments to others.
• Manages Complexity – Makes sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems. For example, looks at complex issues from multiple angles; explores issues to uncover underlying issues and root causes; sees the main consequences and implications of different options.
• Plans and Aligns – Plans and prioritizes work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals. For example, outlines clear plans that put actions in a logical sequence; conveys some time frames. Aligns own work with relevant workgroups. Takes some steps to reduce bottlenecks and speed up the work.

Skills

Skills reflect the technical, professional, and functional capabilities required to perform the job effectively at the expected level, and guide assessment and development.

• Analyze Current State/AS-IS State – Works with full competence to understand business context, needs, rules, and architecture, as well as organizational structure, cultures, capabilities, and processes to document the current state of processes and the business. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Data Collection and Analysis – Works with full competence to determine and analyze trends from data that is collected to assist in compiling reports that will help in decision-making. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Data Control – Works with full competence to acquire, organize, protect and process data in order to fulfill business objectives. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Define Future State/TO-BE State – Works with full competence to envision and document the future state of processes and products by identifying the solution scope, potential value of the future state, and the changes to the process, products, organization infrastructure, capabilities, and technology necessary to achieve the desired future state. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Document and Model User Requirements – Works with full competence to utilize the appropriate modeling tool(s) to diagram the requirements from data and state changes, process and process improvements, as well as use cases and user stories. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Engineering Design – Works with full competence to apply appropriate method, tools, processes and software to execute engineering design activities. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Engineering Development – Works with full competence to apply appropriate method, tools, processes and software to achieve engineering development outcomes. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Engineering Specification – Works with full competence to produce technical engineering specifications and related materials. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Engineering Standards and Compliance – Works with full competence to ensure adherence to engineering standards and compliance within interdisciplinary engineering projects. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Engineering Technology – Works with full competence to exploit new and advancing technology to create engineering outcomes. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Perform Gap Analysis – Works with full competence to conduct gap analysis between current and future states to identify components of the overall change strategy. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Requirements Creation and Verification – Works with full competence to create the rules for requirements and design quality, perform verification activities, and maintain quality control. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Requirements Elicitation and Facilitation – Works with full competence to lead facilitated sessions for requirements elicitation, focus groups, and user acceptance testing. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.
• Review and Reporting – Works with full competence to create reports, and review reports created by others, for various audiences as relevant, in a lucid and effective manner, keeping in mind the purpose of reports. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Level

Experience

• General Experience: Sound experience and understanding of straightforward procedures or systems (7 to 12 months)
• Managerial Experience: None