Associate Water/Wastewater Engineer

Mannik Smith Group; Rockford (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401(K) Retirement Plan

Profit-sharing bonus plan

Paid time off

Awesome work environment

Job summary

Fehr Graham in Rockford, IL seeks an Associate Water/Wastewater Engineer to design water and wastewater systems and support client projects across the Midwest. The role targets early-career engineers (0–4 years) with a Civil or Environmental Engineering background who want hands-on design experience and mentorship within a growing firm.

You will collaborate across departments on upgrades, lead service line projects, and contribute to reports while enjoying a structured growth track and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering or related field.
• 0 to 4 years of professional experience, including internships.
• Early-career engineer with mentorship.

Responsibilities

• Provide water engineering design support, from water treatment plant upgrades to lead service line replacements.
• Provide wastewater engineering design support, from wastewater treatment plant retrofits to correcting effluent exceedances.
• Apply standard practices and techniques in specific situations, adjust and correlate data, and follow established procedures through detailed steps and processes.
• Draft reports, prepare plans, assist with specifications, and support preliminary equipment selections.
• Work directly with clients to gather data and share information.

Skills

Team player

Strong communication

Analytical skills

Eager to learn

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering

Job description

Associate Water/Wastewater Engineer

Department: Water/Wastewater

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Rockford, IL

Compensation: $70,000 - $80,000 / year

Description

Are you a passionate water and wastewater engineer with a flair for designing innovative systems and analyzing treatment solutions? Fehr Graham is a fast-growing Midwest engineering and environmental firm looking for a motivated Associate Water/Wastewater Engineer to join our team. We're all about shaping the future of our communities, and we need an enthusiastic engineer eager to tackle a wide range of projects. If you're hungry for knowledge, ready to make a difference, and dedicated to providing personalized attention to our clients, we want you on our team.

Grow Your Career with Blueprint

This role includes a guaranteed seat in Blueprint, our new early‑career leadership program for engineers looking to grow beyond the typical entry‑level experience. Over six months, participants take part in a hands‑on curriculum covering professional development, business acumen, and project delivery—including case studies, simulations, and role‑play exercises. The program covers topics such as project economics, communication, and leadership fundamentals, and concludes with an in‑person capstone event where participants present their work and outline goals for the year ahead.

Your Future Starts With A Plan.

The program also emphasizes a clear roadmap for advancing technical, leadership, and business skills, ensuring graduates enter the workplace ready to contribute immediately.

Where you’ll work

The position is based in any of our 12 offices in Illinois, Iowa or Wisconsin. At Fehr Graham, we pride ourselves on delivering personalized attention and building trust with our clients. We believe in the power of skilled professionals who provide exceptional service. We also value work‑life balance and strive to inject a healthy dose of fun into everything we do. A positive, engaged work team propels collective success. Each office fosters an environment filled with positive energy and enthusiasm, encouraging employees to connect on multiple levels and support one another’s personal and professional growth.

What you'll do

• Provide water engineering design support, from water treatment plant upgrades to lead service line replacements.
• Provide wastewater engineering design support, from wastewater treatment plant retrofits to correcting effluent exceedances.
• Apply standard practices and techniques in specific situations, adjust and correlate data, and follow established procedures through detailed steps and processes.
• Draft reports, prepare plans, assist with specifications, and support preliminary equipment selections.
• Work directly with clients to gather data and share information.

What it takes

A bachelor's degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering (or related field). This role is designed for early‑career engineers—0 to 4 years of professional experience, including recent grads with relevant internship experience. Ideally, you will also:

• Be a team player, working across departments to support firm goals.
• Speak and write well.
• Have strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Be eager to learn and grow within a structured mentorship environment.

What you’ll get

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow professionally at our progressive firm, which began in 1973. Our people‑first organization focuses on giving employees the opportunity for growth. In addition to a competitive salary, we also offer:

• Medical/dental/vision
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• 401(K) Retirement Plan
• Profit‑sharing bonus plan
• Paid time off
• An awesome work environment

Learn more about Fehr Graham’s people, culture and projects on our website.

Benefits & Pay Transparency

The base salary range for this role is indicated in the posting. This range reflects the company’s good faith estimate of the compensation for this position at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, qualifications, internal equity, and geographic location.

We may use AI‑powered tools to support administrative aspects of recruiting, including sourcing support and note‑taking. These tools do not evaluate candidates or influence screening, interview, or hiring decisions. Every candidate is reviewed and assessed by human recruiters and hiring managers.

Fehr Graham provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.