Design Task Leader / Senior Project Manager - Desalination

Ardurra Group; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Family-like culture

Career development programs

Job summary

A leading engineering firm is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead desalination projects across Texas. The ideal candidate will have 15–30 years of water infrastructure experience, focusing on complex projects. This role includes significant project leadership and technical responsibilities, requiring a strong background in seawater and brackish desalination processes. The compensation ranges from $150,000 to $225,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience. Join a company that prioritizes a supportive and enriching work culture.

Qualifications

• 15–30+ years of experience in water infrastructure project delivery, ideally in desalination.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required or ability to obtain reciprocity.
• Strong experience in leading large multidisciplinary design projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, design, and execution of desalination projects.
• Manage project financial performance, including forecasting and profitability.
• Oversee development and review of key technical deliverables.

Skills

Seawater reverse osmosis

Brackish reverse osmosis

Project management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Environmental, Chemical, Mechanical Engineering

Tools

P&IDs

Process flow diagrams

Job description

Ardurra is looking to hire an experienced Design Task Leader / Senior Project Manager to support desalination projects in Texas! Ideally this position is based in Texas, or near one of our current office locations, but we are open to candidates based anywhere in the United States!

Ardurra is seeking a senior leader to help deliver major desalination and advanced water treatment projects, with a focus on large-scale work supporting Houston, Corpus Christi, and the broader Texas market. We have recently secured large-scale infrastructure projects, including one of the most significant water supply projects in the country.

This major seawater desalination project is a once-in-a-generation water supply program and is poised to be one of the largest desalination facilities in the United States, representing a significant advancement in Texas water infrastructure. This project will be studied, analyzed, and referenced for decades to come as an opportunity to help define how coastal cities solve water scarcity in the U.S.

This is a high-visibility leadership opportunity for a proven senior professional who can drive project execution, lead technical teams, build trusted client relationships, and help grow Ardurra’s desalination practice in Texas and nationally.

Primary Function

The Design Task Leader / Senior Project Manager leads the full lifecycle delivery of complex desalination and advanced treatment projects. Through design, construction, and commissioning, with full accountability for scope, schedule, budget, quality, and client outcomes.

This role requires deep experience in seawater or brackish desalination and oversight of key systems including pretreatment, reverse osmosis, post-treatment, and concentrate management, along with multidisciplinary coordination across design, permitting, and construction.

The primary objective of this role is to deliver exceptional client outcomes on technically complex desalination projects while strengthening Ardurra’s technical leadership, client presence, and long-term growth in the desalination sector.

Primary Duties

Project Leadership and Delivery

• Lead planning, design, and execution of large desalination and advanced treatment projects, including seawater and brackish reverse osmosis facilities
• Direct multidisciplinary teams through all project phases, from conceptual development and basis-of-design through detailed design, procurement support, construction-phase services, startup, and commissioning
• Define project scope, work plans, staffing plans, schedules, budgets, deliverable milestones, and quality review checkpoints
• Manage project financial performance, including forecasting, change management, invoicing, accounts receivable follow-up, and overall project profitability
• Apply strong project controls and risk-management practices to maintain performance against scope, schedule, and budget objectives

Technical Leadership

• Serve as a senior technical leader for desalination systems and advanced treatment processes, including pretreatment, membrane systems, reverse osmosis, energy recovery, chemical systems, post-treatment, and concentrate/brine management
• Oversee development and review of key technical deliverables such as basis-of-design memoranda, process flow diagrams, P&IDs, technical specifications, design criteria, equipment selection documentation, and lifecycle or alternative analyses
• Guide pilot testing, process evaluations, and technology selection efforts where required
• Ensure designs are practical, constructible, code-compliant, and aligned with client, regulatory, operational, and maintainability requirements
• Coordinate with internal and external subject matter experts across civil, mechanical, structural, electrical, instrumentation and controls, coastal/marine, geotechnical, and permitting disciplines
• Build, lead, and mentor high-performing project teams
• Provide technical guidance, coaching, and quality oversight to project managers, discipline leads, and design staff
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, quality, and client service excellence

Education and Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Environmental, Chemical, Mechanical, or related Engineering field
• 15–30+ years of experience in water infrastructure project delivery, with significant experience in desalination and/or advanced treatment
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required or ability to obtain reciprocity as needed
• Demonstrated success leading large, complex, multidisciplinary design projects for municipal, utility, or industrial clients
• Strong experience with one or more of the following: seawater reverse osmosis, brackish reverse osmosis, pretreatment systems, post-treatment/stabilization, concentrate/brine management, intake/outfall systems, pilot testing, and startup/commissioning
• Experience with alternative delivery, design-build, progressive design-build, or EPC‑adjacent coordination is strongly preferred

Compensation and Benefits

The expected base salary range for this role is $150,000 - $225,000 annually. Actual pay is based on job‑related factors such as skills, experience, location, and internal equity. Additional compensation and benefits may apply.

Why Ardurra?

While Ardurra offers competitive compensation and rich benefits programs, it is our culture that truly sets us apart from our peers. We nurture a family‑like culture, striving to create a work environment that is enjoyable, challenging and rewarding but also fun. We are acutely focused on developing our staff, whether through our internal Ardurra Academy or through our industry‑leading Leadership program. We have made a deliberate and focused commitment to nurture a people‑centric culture where people are: valued as individuals; supported in their professional and career development with multiple, varied career paths; provided the tools and resources to be successful, engaged, and satisfied in their work; and positive benefits, time‑off programs, and flexibility to help maintain a healthy balance between work and home.

Ardurra is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.

NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES

Ardurra does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Agency Agreement, Ardurra will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee. If a resume or candidate is submitted to any hiring manager without a previously signed agreement, Ardurra reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. These candidates will be considered property of Ardurra. We’re not currently looking to add any more agencies to our list of approved vendors, so please do not contact any of our managers or recruitment team with sales calls or details of your candidates.