Graduate Highways Engineer

Let’s transform society together

We’re Sweco.

We’re future planners, city shapers, urban innovators, digital transformers, net zero chasers, community connectors, social enterprisers and lifestyle improvers.

We’re difference makers.

We’re Europe’s leading design, engineering, environment and regulatory consultancy and we’re now recruiting for the November 2025 cohort on our Early Careers Graduate Scheme.

Specifically, we are looking for passionate and forward thinking graduates who strive to make a difference and have the ability to work within an inspiring and stimulating team environment. We provide the necessary support and opportunities for you to develop and fulfil your career goals.

Uniquely, we recruit to role and right now we’re looking for Graduate Highways Engineers to join our Highways & Civil Structures Business Unit.

Our highway engineering teams are recognised industry leaders, and operate across several markets including strategic roads, local roads, and private developments. Our current portfolio of projects include trunk road and motorway schemes, local authority road network improvements, active travel and public realm projects across Scotland and beyond.

Some of our recent projects include: The Queensferry Crossing, Cross Tay Link Road; Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside; M9 Winchburgh Interchange; and Aberdeen South Harbour Link Road. We work for a range of clients including national government agencies, local authorities, private developers and contractors.

We use the latest design software and techniques to produce innovative and efficient design solutions for our clients with safety and sustainability at the forefront of our minds. We’d like to hear from graduates that share our ethos, values and are driven to truly transform the world around them.

What does the role involve?

As a Graduate Highways Engineer you’ll work closely with experienced engineers and technicians to deliver projects by:

• Undertaking elements of design from road geometry, drainage, and pavement to road restraint systems and traffic signs and road markings.
• Producing design outputs such as drawings, specifications, schedules, reports and calculations etc, to achieve the optimum solution for the project.
• Providing day to day technical input as part of a team of engineers and technicians.
• Ensuring your design output is completed in accordance with the scope of works, timescales and budgets.
• Working in close collaboration with colleagues from other disciplines as required to deliver project requirements and added value to the client.

What do you need to apply?

We are seeking graduates who:

• Have a degree in a subject relevant to the role you’re applying for.
• Have less than 12 months relevant work experience (excluding placements).
• Are confident using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint).
• Are driven and solution orientated.
• Can work in the UK with no restrictions. This unfortunately means that we are unable to accept candidates who require sponsorship. This is a permanent role, and we are looking for candidates who can grow and develop their careers with Sweco, we are therefore unable to accept applications from those on a graduate visa due to their time limits.
• What’s in it for you?

As a graduate at Sweco you will be enrolled on our two year Graduate Scheme which will provide the opportunity to visit other UK offices, socialise with other Sweco Graduates and equip you with the soft-skills to succeed within your role and the wider business.

From the moment you join us you will receive the training you need, both within your team where you’ll learn on the job from your immediate colleagues, but you’ll also be assigned a mentor from elsewhere in the business. Members of our previous graduate cohorts have already been promoted and we’ll work with you to achieve professional recognition and chartership in your chosen discipline.

You’ll be offered a permanent position with an industry standard salary and benefits package which includes 25 days holiday, a great pension and life assurance.

Sounds good right? Don’t just take our word for it though, read what our previous graduates have to say about being a graduate at Sweco on the careers section of our website

Please note we will be looking to hold an assessment centre for this position in January/February 2025 and all applicants will be contacted whether successful on not.

We are committed to providing feedback to all those that attend an interview or assessment centre but unfortunately are unable to provide personal feedback to those that are unsuccessful at application stage.

Let’s transform society together at Sweco

About Us

Transforming society together, we're planning and designing sustainable communities and cities of the future.

Solving the great societal challenges of our time is more relevant, demanding and inspiring than ever before. At Sweco, we bring together experts with different perspectives and skills to develop solutions that address the challenges of urbanisation, harness the positive power of digitalisation and make societies more sustainable.

We offer our clients a combination of global expertise and local presence, adapted to their business and reality. Our ambition is to be our clients’ most relevant partner, working together to help them solve their challenges, today and into the future.

Sweco is committed to enabling all its colleagues to achieve a great balance between work and their other priorities, such as caring responsibilities, leisure activities, further learning or other interests. We offer flexible start and finish times, part time and hybrid working options so that you can flex your hours around your day to day needs.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

It’s important to us that that all our colleagues thrive at work - we strive to have a friendly and inclusive culture which respects the contribution individuals can bring to Sweco. We aim to promote equality, inclusivity and diversity for everyone.

Here at Sweco we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity.

We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant to ensure those who serve or have served, and their families, are treated fairly. To find out more The Armed Forces Covenant - Our Commitments | Sweco UK.

We are also proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer, and will interview applicants covered by the Equality Act 2010 that opt into the guaranteed interview scheme on the application form and meet the minimum criteria for the role.

If I have a disability, can I get help (e.g. “reasonable adjustments”) with the application process?

If you’re an applicant with a disability that requires a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability or unable to use the online application system and need an alternative method for applying, please contact GB_Function-HR-Resourcing@sweco.co.uk for assistance.

In order to address your request the following information is needed:

Name

The best method for contacting you (Phone or email)

The position title

Requisition/vacancy number

Upon receipt of this information, we’ll respond to you promptly to obtain more information about your request.

Please note: we reserve the right to close vacancies before the advertised closing date.

Sweco UK&I have an internal resourcing team who are responsible for all recruiting activity. We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted agencies who we work with on those “hard to fill” roles.

We have defined processes for recruitment applications and it is company policy not to accept speculative CVs. Any speculative CVs received into the business (whether to a manager or member of the resourcing team) will become the property of Sweco and the agency will not be eligible for an introductory fee.

Our Preferred Supplier List was reviewed in December 2023 and we are not looking to add any additional agencies. We’ll be reviewing the PSL again at the end of 2024 and non-compliance with the above statements could be detrimental to you having the opportunity to be included.