Water-Energy Planning (KTP Associate)

The Role

United Utilities (UU) and Newcastle University are offering an exciting opportunity to develop a toolkit for multi-sector and multi-scale water planning at pace for net-zero nature-friendly growth.

You will be part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project which aims to enable investment in sustainable water supplies to meet the demands of net-zero energy.

Candidates should have a MSc and PhD in hydrology or water resources management.

Benefits

• Develop managerial skills and attend two residential managerial workshops (each of one-week duration)
• £4,000 personal training budget
• The opportunity to lead a project, develop project management skills and improve long-term career prospects
• Mentoring by a Knowledge Transfer Network Adviser
• Full access to university resources to complete the project
• Ability to work in a largely self-determined way, across the industry-academic partnership
• Opportunities to develop both technical understanding and commercial awareness
• The possibility of studying for a higher degree or undertaking professional development

The KTP Associate will be an employee of Newcastle University but will spend most of their working time at the company’s premises at United Utilities Water Limited, Lingley Mere Business Park, Lingley Green Avenue, Great Sankey, Warrington, Cheshire, WA5 3LP and when required at Newcastle University.

The KTP Associate will follow United Utilities working hours and holiday procedure. Your normal working week will be 37 hours. Annual Leave applicable to this role is 26 days (increasing one day per year of service up to a maximum of 30 days), in addition to bank holidays.

Although the contract is fixed term for a duration of 2 years, more than 70% of KTP staff gain a permanent job offer by their KTP company.

For more information or informal enquiries, please contact Prof Jaime Amezaga (jaime.amezaga@newcastle.ac.uk) or Dr Anna Murgatroyd (Anna.Murgatroyd@newcastle.ac.uk)

For further details on the Faculty of Science, Agriculture & Engineering please visit our web page.

To apply, please attach your CV and a cover letter that demonstrates how you meet the essential criteria for the position, as outlined in the Person Specification of the Job Description. Any requested additional documents required as part of your application, should be included within the same file as your cover letter. The total file size must not exceed 10MB.

Key Tasks

• Project planning, management and delivery of a 2-year innovation project on multiscale, multisector water resources planning, focussed on water for the energy sector and similar fast-paced water intensive developments.
• Stakeholder engagement across multiple water and energy companies, governments and regulators.
• Establish research and development methods for the project.
• Design and develop a toolkit for multisector planning at pace.
• Work alongside water company colleagues to undertake a pilot application of the toolkit.
• Transfer and embed capability into United Utilities transfer across the water planning community (including water companies, regulators and other sectors) through dissemination, documentation and co-working.

The Person

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Experience of systematic data collection from document analysis (policy, legislation and academic), semi-structured interviews and group meetings with technical stakeholders, regulators and policy makers.
• Understanding of systems-based approaches to planning, including use of decision-support systems i.e. modelling and optimisation tools for evidence-based water planning.
• Applying critical thinking and insight to challenge established planning processes and develop new ones.
• Strong communication skills to effectively convey technical information to non-technical stakeholders.
• Knowledge of current UK water resources regulated planning processes, and opportunities to improve it.
• Understanding of the policy context influencing water management, regulation and the water industry.
• Commercial awareness of market dynamics and investment processes, ideally in the context of clean energy, datacentres and water companies.
• Planning, managing, and delivering complex projects to strategic objectives.
• Knowledge of hydrological processes and environmental engineering principles to ensure sustainability is embedded in the planning.
• Experience of working within the UK water planning community. (Desirable)
• Experience of working with the UK water policymakers. (Desirable)
• Familiarity with transcription services and/or AI services is desirable to streamline data analysis. (Desirable)

Attributes and Behaviour

• Personal motivation and drive.
• Excellent organisational and planning skills.
• Thrives in a project environment with the ability to work to tight deadlines.
• The ability to work independently and collaboratively with colleagues.
• The ability to work autonomously and the confidence to lead.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels to different stakeholder groups in both academia and industry.
• Good attention to detail.
• Is a natural problem solver.
• Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills.

Qualifications / Experience

• Candidates should have a MSc and PhD in hydrology or water resources management.

As a KTP Associate you will deliver an innovative project, developing a toolkit for multi-sector and multi-scale water planning at pace for net-zero nature-friendly growth. This will enable investment in sustainable water supplies to meet the demands of net-zero energy, for example hydrogen production.