Senior Project Engineer, Water Treatment

NES Fircroft; Calgary; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

NES Fircroft is seeking a Senior Project Engineer to lead the design and execution of water treatment processes for a lithium extraction facility in central Alberta, with coordination from Calgary. You will oversee FEED through commissioning, manage scope, schedule, and budget, and mentor junior engineers while interfacing with EPC contractors and suppliers.

The role emphasizes safety, regulatory compliance, and seamless integration with broader process areas, supporting successful project

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Chemical, or related engineering.
• Registered Professional Engineer with APEGA in good standing.
• 10+ years of project engineering experience in oil & gas, chemical processing, water treatment, or related industries.
• Proven track record delivering complex facility scopes >$20MM from FEED through commissioning.
• Experience with EPC contractors through FEED, detailed engineering, and construction phases.
• Experience with complex material selection for corrosive or high chloride environments.
• Direct experience with water or brine treatment projects.
• Experience with nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, or evaporation technologies.

Responsibilities

• Champion safety culture and ensure water treatment scope aligns with project safety goals.
• Lead FEED and detailed engineering execution through procurement, construction, and commissioning.
• Define and manage scope, schedule, risks, and budgets for water treatment work.
• Monitor expenditures and progress; escalate issues to Senior Project Manager as needed.
• Define milestones and track deliverables to minimize delays.
• Report KPIs for technical progress and cost performance.
• Serve as technical lead between engineering firms, suppliers, and contractors.

Skills

Safety leadership

FEED execution

Project leadership

Regulatory knowledge

Stakeholder coordination

Mentorship

Change management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical or Chemical)

Professional Engineer (APEGA)

Job description

Senior Project Engineer – Water Treatment

Our client is seeking a full-time Senior Project Engineer to lead the design and execution of the core lithium extraction and refining process within the planned Clearwater Central Processing Facility in central Alberta, with work primarily coordinated from the client's corporate headquarters in Calgary.

This role oversees the water treatment, ion exchange, and evaporation units needed to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate from brine.

As the Senior Project Engineer, you will act as the technical lead for the Water Treatment scope and will be responsible for driving the engineering and execution of this scope through the entire project lifecycle.

About Our Client

Our client is pioneering a new industry and redefining what is possible as it deploys local know-how to bring lithium into Alberta's value chain. This is innovation at scale, driven by bold ideas, cutting-edge technology, and a team that thrives on solving tough challenges.

Joining the organization means more than just building a career; it is joining an ambitious team that collaborates naturally and is committed to building a new industry within Canada. This role offers an unparalleled opportunity to be part of a company on the rise in one of the most crucial industries of our time. The organization supports growth and curiosity, celebrates balance, and provides the space to achieve big things.

Based in Calgary, recognized as one of North America's most livable cities, employees will find themselves working at the intersection of innovation, impact, and quality of life.

Responsibilities

• Champion a strong safety culture across the organization, reinforcing that safety is a core value and a shared responsibility rather than a compliance exercise.
• Lead the FEED and detailed engineering execution through procurement, construction, commissioning, and readiness for operations of the water treatment process area.
• Define and manage the technical scope, schedule, and risks for the water treatment scope, escalating budget and execution decisions to the Senior Project Manager as needed.
• Monitor expenditures and schedule performance for the water treatment scope, flagging variances and supporting budget forecasting.
• Define engineering milestones, track deliverables, and adjust schedules to minimize delays within the water treatment scope.
• Track and report on KPIs established for the water treatment scope to measure technical progress and cost performance.
• Act as the primary technical point of contact between engineering firms, equipment suppliers, and field contractors for the water treatment scope.
• Coordinate interfaces with internal stakeholders to ensure the water treatment design integrates with the broader process area.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior engineers and designers supporting the water treatment scope.
• Oversee engineering, procurement, and construction activities delivered by external contractors and consultants for the water treatment scope, ensuring all work aligns with contract requirements and technical specifications.
• Ensure designs and installations comply with applicable codes, standards, regulatory requirements, and applicable specifications.
• Support permitting and regulatory submissions related to the water treatment scope.
• Lead a thoughtful, purpose-driven design review process for the water treatment scope, capturing key input on constructability, operability, reliability, and process safety.
• Lead commissioning and start-up planning for the water treatment systems, including development of commissioning plans and technical support during field execution.
• Provide regular progress reports on the water treatment scope to the Senior Project Manager and project stakeholders.
• Evaluate change requests for the water treatment scope and recommend a path forward that protects budget, schedule, and technical integrity.
• As part of a young and growing company, establish the processes and procedures that set the team up for long-term success, taking a systematic approach in areas where no formal processes or procedures currently exist, and continuously evolving them to support the organization's growth.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, or related discipline).
• Registered as a Professional Engineer with APEGA in good standing.
• 10+ years of project engineering experience on facilities in the oil & gas, chemical processing, water treatment, or related industries.
• Proven track record delivering complex facility scopes in excess of $20MM from FEED through construction and commissioning, on time and on budget.
• Experience working alongside EPC contractors through the FEED, detailed engineering, and construction and commissioning support phases.
• Experience supporting complex capital procurement programs with equipment and materials sourced from global suppliers.
• Experience with complex material selection for applications in corrosive or high chloride environments.
• Direct experience with facility projects that handle and treat large volumes of water or brine.
• Experience working with nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, or evaporation technologies.
• Working knowledge of Alberta's regulatory environment for the energy and chemicals sectors.
• Demonstrated application of the design codes and standards associated with water handling and treatment.