Associate/Principal Process Engineer, Water Treatment

WSP in Australia; Western Australia; Hybrid; AUD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Employee Assistance Program

Paid parental leave

Global mobility opportunities

Job summary

A leading engineering consultancy in Australia seeks a principal or associate process engineer to provide technical leadership on water and wastewater treatment projects. This role involves managing projects, mentoring engineers, and influencing strategic outcomes while delivering high-quality documentation. The ideal candidate will have a degree in Chemical Engineering and extensive experience in the Australian water industry, ideally with a track record in process design and a focus on innovation. The position offers flexible working hours and a collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• Typically 10+ years’ experience in an engineering consultancy environment.
• Strong experience in the Australian water industry with a focus on water utilities.
• Proven experience in process design of water/wastewater treatment plants.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical excellence in the Water/Wastewater Treatment discipline.
• Manage day-to-day delivery across multiple projects.
• Mentor and develop engineers at various levels.

Skills

Leadership

Risk management

Process design

Stakeholder engagement

Innovation

Technical documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering

Tools

BioWin

Modelling/analytics tools

Job description

Our WSP Water team is growing, and we’re looking for a principal or associate process engineer to provide technical leadership across water and wastewater treatment projects, supporting delivery excellence, mentoring engineers, and helping shape our market presence through thought leadership and client engagement.

You’ll be joining a growing Water team in Western Australia, with a genuine opportunity to help shape its future direction. Backed by highly respected and well-established leaders in the WA market, this role offers the chance to influence strategy, build capability, and strengthen WSP’s treatment presence in the region. You’ll play a key role in setting technical standards, supporting talent development, and helping position WSP as a trusted leader for water utilities and major treatment projects across WA.

You’ll play a key role in client engagement and leading multidisciplinary projects, producing and reviewing high‑quality technical documentation, and providing technical assurance, sign‑off (as appropriate), and risk management across projects of varying complexity and size.

What You’ll Do

• Lead technical excellence in the Water/Wastewater Treatment discipline across the business, setting standards for quality, safety, and consistency.
• Manage day‑to‑day delivery across multiple projects, ensuring technical outputs are accurate, concise, and fit‑for‑purpose for both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Provide technical leadership, including technical input, review, verification and (as appropriate) technical sign‑off.
• Apply strong risk management capability — identifying strategic risks early, understanding delivery impacts, and guiding teams to mitigate effectively.
• Mentor and develop engineers (graduate through senior level), building capability and enabling career progression within the treatment team.
• Contribute to business and industry leadership — supporting team brand awareness through committees, industry bodies, technical papers, and events.
• Stay current with evolving treatment technologies and bring innovation to design and procurement approaches.
• Work collaboratively with clients, project stakeholders, and vendors to identify and deliver innovative outcomes.
• Provide technical input into proposals and pursuits, supporting winning submissions and strategic growth.
• Apply relevant State and Federal legislation and industry standards across the water sector.

About You

This role is strategically important to our future growth and impact. You’re a confident, consultative leader who can influence senior stakeholders, bring clarity to complex problems, and drive high‑quality outcomes.

You’ll Also Bring

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in Chemical Engineering.
• Typically 10+ years’ experience in an engineering consultancy environment.
• Strong experience in the Australian water industry, with a water utilities focus (essential).
• Demonstrated capability across a broad range of Water/Wastewater Treatment / Process Engineering.
• Proven experience in process design of water and/or wastewater treatment plants, from concept through to detailed design.
• Ability to break down complex challenges, develop cohesive strategic responses, and guide stakeholders to agreement on the preferred path forward.
• A track record of challenging the status quo and thinking outside the box to improve outcomes.
• Hands‑on technical depth, including mass balances, design basis, equipment sizing, PFDs, P&IDs and functional descriptions.
• Strong safety‑in‑design capability, including experience facilitating or contributing to CHAIR / HAZOP and related processes.
• Experience preparing and reviewing technical reports for medium to large projects, including technical verification and review of others’ work.
• Experience with modelling/analytics tools — BioWin experience is highly regarded.
• Commissioning experience is an asset.
• Professional credentials such as MIEAust/IChemE equivalent, CPEng and RPEQ (or working towards / eligibility) are highly regarded.
• Genuine interest in environmental, sustainability, and social impacts — and the ability to embed these considerations into decision‑making.

Benefits

• Flexible working hours and a hybrid work environment
• A social, collaborative, inclusive culture with networking opportunities
• Access to our Employee Assistance Program and corporate health/travel discounts
• Paid parental leave and options to purchase additional leave
• Global mobility and development opportunities
• Employee Share Purchase Plan for eligible permanent employees