Job Description
About the Trust
We're one of the UK’s biggest charities and we care for 2,000 miles of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs because we believe life is better by water. We're looking for people who support our cause and want to make a difference for future generations. Could this be you?
Along with our waterways we also manage museums, archives and the country's third largest collection of historic buildings, as well as the nature and wildlife that calls our canals home. All of this enables us to provide wellbeing opportunities for millions of people each year.
Join Our Team: Asset Engineer (North West)
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
The Asset Management team at the Canal & River Trust plays a vital engineering role in maintaining and enhancing the UK’s waterways infrastructure. As custodians of one of the largest collections of industrial heritage; spanning over 2,000 miles of canals and rivers and more than 8,500 structures, many of them listed, we take great pride in preserving these historic assets.
Many of our waterways are over 200 years old and continue to operate as originally designed. This is a testament to the ingenuity of the original engineers and the ongoing dedication and expertise of our teams today.
Our work focuses on prioritising maintenance, refurbishment, and capital projects using condition-based data. We collaborate closely with engineering and delivery teams to design effective solutions, manage risk, and ensure long-term resilience.
As an Asset Engineer, you will play a key role in maintaining and improving infrastructure across its full lifecycle, helping to ensure our canals and rivers remain safe, operational, and enjoyable; both now and for future generations. Your responsibilities will include assessing asset condition, specifying repair and renewal works, and providing technical expertise to operational teams, including support for minor and reactive repairs.
Working Hours & Location
This role is full-time, working 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday, with flexible working options available.
The position is home-based, with regular travel required to Trust hubs and site locations across the network for collaboration, inspections, and engagement.
Relevant hubs: Ellesmere Port and Burnley.
As Asset Engineer you will work with colleagues across departments, and with a variety of partners internally and externally, to deliver works programmes and supports the implementation of the asset strategy for the Trust. You will support decisions on asset investment priorities which are driven by a risk management approach.
See more about our specialist teams here (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/specialist-teams/engineering)
Key Responsibilities
• Undertake scheduled asset inspections, ensuring they are completed on plan, approved, and recorded to the required format and quality standards.
• Review inspection outputs and provide informed recommendations, considering risk, cost, time, resources, heritage, environmental impact, and safety.
• Contribute technical expertise across feasibility, design, construction, and commissioning phases, supporting internal delivery activities; framework contractors; contractors and volunteers.
• Define maintenance, repair, and renewal works (via WIPs) for delivery by internal teams and contractors, ensuring all statutory, technical, operational, and customer requirements are met.
• Design and specify engineering solutions and, where required, act as Designer or Principal Designer in accordance with CDM 2015.
• Engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders, responding to enquiries and feeding back comments or complaints to relevant teams in a timely manner.
• Participate in standby and call-out rotas where appropriate.
• Support third-party and externally funded works as required.
• Provide temporary works designs when needed to support internally delivered activities.
• Maintain accurate records, collaborate with colleagues, and work in line with agreed plans and strategies to drive efficiency improvements.
• Promote and demonstrate the Trust’s values and behaviours at all times.
About You
You’ll work in a multi-disciplinary environment as part of your day-to-day role, so a collaborative approach and enjoyment of teamwork are essential. While you’ll also work independently and use your own initiative, success in this role comes from engaging effectively with colleagues at all levels and building strong relationships with a range of external partners.
We are an ICE approved employer, providing structured learning and professional development support.
Skills & Qualifications
Technical
• A qualification in a relevant technical discipline (e.g. Degree or HND in Civil Engineering).
• GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths.
• Knowledge and understanding of historic infrastructure, ideally within a water environment.
• Experience assessing infrastructure risk.
• Experience working cross-functionally to deliver performance across a range of functions.
• Strong negotiation skills with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to support wider business needs, balancing priorities and negotiating resources as required.
• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to present technical information to non-technical audiences.
• Professional qualification such as Incorporated Engineer (IEng/AMICE), or working towards Incorporated or Chartered status (the Trust supports this through an ICE-accredited training scheme), or equivalent (e.g. CIWEM) – desirable.
• Experience of inspecting and/or delivering engineering activities – desirable.
• Proven experience in infrastructure risk assessment – desirable.
General
• Evidence of ongoing Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
• Proficient in using standard business software (e.g. MS Office).
• Experience with GIS or mapping systems.
• Valid UK driving license is appropriate for the vehicle to be used.
• Right to work in the UK.
Contact & Application
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
In addition to your annual base salary of £37,500 - £41,500, we also offer Car Cash Allowance (£390 per month), a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits. For a full breakdown of our benefits, check out our brochure here: EVP - 1.
Learn more: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/work-for-us/our-benefits
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Our values
We care passionately for our waterways, and as importantly, for those who look after and use them. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone can thrive. We are striving to represent the diverse communities that we are a part of and welcome applicants from across all sectors of the community.
We want everyone to have the opportunity to perform at their best during our recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments - whether for a disability, neurodiversity, or health condition - please let us know what you need and how we can support you. We’ll work with you to make any necessary changes.
All of our jobs can be considered on a part time, flexible or job share basis.
We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role. You are considered disabled under the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We recognise not everyone who is classified as disabled under the Equality Act personally identifies this way, or with this definition of disability. Please do not let this discourage you from applying under the scheme.
At Canal & River Trust, we are committed to fair, transparent, and ethical recruitment practices. As part of our hiring process, we may use AI to analyse applications and support us work more efficiently. However, all hiring decisions – without exception - are made by our hiring managers.
Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive.
Find out more about us on our website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us
