JBA Graduate Scheme Pathways

Water Management and Geoscience

Want to apply your skills to some of the biggest water, flood risk and climate resilience challenges facing society today?

If you're passionate about flooding, rivers, coasts, hydrology, hydraulic and coastal modelling, catchment management and water resources, this pathway offers the chance to make a real difference. You'll work on some of the most critical water and climate resilience challenges facing communities now and in the future.

Working on multidisciplinary projects, you'll help communities adapt to a changing climate by generating evidence, shaping policy, influencing investment decisions, and improving how water is managed and governed. Collaborating with regulators, local authorities and local communities, you'll contribute to projects that protect people and places from flooding, improve water quality, and secure sustainable water supplies. From modelling risks in surface and subsurface environments to developing practical, long-term solutions, you'll build specialist expertise and a rewarding career with genuine purpose.

Is this the right pathway for you?

Your degree might be in...

Geography
Environmental Science
Hydrology
Physical Geography
Water Resources
Geology
Climate Change
Adaptation and Policy
Environmental Engineering
Other related disciplines.

You're interested in...

Hydrological, hydraulic and coastal modelling
Catchment management studies
Natural flood management projects
Flood warning and forecasting
Water resources assessments
Climate resilience planning
Strategic Flood Risk Assessments (SFRAs)
Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs)
Property Flood Resilience (PFR) studies
Shoreline management
Coastal flood risk projects.

Our Water Management and Geoscience Graduate Pathway provides exposure to a range of specialisms. Explore the areas you could work in, including Modelling and Assessment and Water Management and Resilience.

Discover how our recent graduates are contributing to innovative water, flood risk and climate resilience projects:

Leaky barrier hydraulic unit

“This research combined drone photogrammetry and channel LiDAR with 2D hydraulic modelling (HEC‑RAS) to translate measurements of woody ‘leaky’ barriers into debris‑accumulation factors, Manning’s uplift estimates and head‑loss relationships. We used field surveying images to extract barrier parameters, ran baseline and sensitivity modelling across the catchment in HEC-RAS, and turned results into practical flood‑risk management recommendations. This work was funded through JBA Labs and focused on improving the representation of leaky barriers in catchment-scale models. Through the project, I developed my skills in GIS, remote sensing and hydrodynamic modelling, and presented the findings at the European Geosciences Conference in 2025.”

Hannah Champion, Flood Risk Analyst

Dam safety and flood resilience in Kazakhstan

“The flood study of the Verkhnetobolskoye (Upper Tobol) and Karatomar Dams was part of a multi-functional assessment of dam safety for the pair of large dams on the River Tobol in northern Kazakhstan. The objective of the project was to assess the flood and safety management performance of the dams, where over 400,000 residents are vulnerable to potential failures. My contribution to this project included investigating the drivers of peak inflows to the dams through statistical analysis of meteorological and hydrological variables, and developing, calibrating and validating the hydrologic model. Through this work, I developed skills in statistical analysis and rainfall-runoff modelling and broadened my understanding of hydrology, working in a snowmelt-dominated catchment.”

Cara Fogarty, Flood Risk Analyst

JPEstimator comparison and extreme threshold study

“Through JBA Labs projects, I have worked closely with Lancaster University to help develop our joint probability methodology for the simulation of multivariate extreme coastal storm events. Being involved at all stages, from research and planning through to implementation, has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to national-scale projects with real-world applications. The opportunities provided by JBA Labs have allowed me to build upon my undergraduate and master’s degrees to build specialism within the extreme event analysis field early in my career.”

Lewis Brazell, Coastal Modeller

Updating TP-Lag method in ReFH2

“Estimating peak river flows can be improved by using local river flow data, but many existing methods rely on indirect assumptions. This study examined assumptions used within the TP-Lag method, which is often applied in hydrology. I undertook data processing and statistical analysis to develop and test a new model that provides a more direct link between observed river flows and the parameters used in hydrological models. The new model now forms part of the national hydrology guidance, allowing me to develop my technical and analytical skills while contributing to innovation and improvements in hydrological practice.”

Katie Russell, Hydrologist

HEC-RAS efficiency matrix

“Funded by JBA Labs, the HEC-RAS Efficiency Matrix was an innovative project promoting programme, cost, and carbon efficiency in hydraulic modelling, directly supporting JBA’s climate resilience and Net Zero goals. The project involved extensive testing of modelling software, hardware, and network configurations to identify smarter, more efficient ways of performing HEC-RAS model simulations. Not only did this project allow me to pursue my interests in improving efficiency and sustainability and apply them company-wide, but it also gave me valuable insights into managing and modelling HEC-RAS projects going forward.”

Rebecca Lee, Flood Risk Modeller

Applications to join this pathway are now open! Click here to apply