Principal Engineer Water

Mott MacDonald Group; Freehold (NJ); On-site; USD 145,000 - 188,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k

Medical insurance

Dental and vision insurance

Short-term/long-term disability

Paid holidays

PTO

Parental leave

Life insurance

Job summary

Mott MacDonald seeks a Principal Engineer with extensive experience in drinking water quality and treatment process design to lead water infrastructure projects in North America. You will oversee treatment evaluations, planning studies, and designs for aging systems, ensuring compliance with evolving regulations and client expectations.

The role requires deep technical expertise, mentorship of staff, and collaboration with utilities and stakeholders within a hybrid in-office setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering; Master's preferred.
• 15+ years' experience in drinking water quality and treatment process evaluation, design and optimization.
• Professional engineering license (PE) in any State with eligibility for reciprocal licensing in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for drinking water treatment and distribution system water quality projects.
• Lead the preparation of quality deliverables from bench and pilot tests to preliminary and detailed design.
• Manage and coordinate multiple projects as part of a multidisciplinary design team.
• Provide specialist advice on interpretation of water quality data and regulatory requirements.
• Lead, mentor, and support the technical development of junior staff.

Skills

Water treatment expertise

Regulatory knowledge

Project leadership

Water chemistry

Bench and pilot testing

Team mentoring

Water distribution expertise

Client engagement

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Master's degree preferred

Professional engineering license (PE)

NJ/NY/PA licensure eligibility

Job description

At Mott MacDonald, we trust our brilliant people to do brilliant things in engineering, management, and development services, supporting multisector project work in over 150 countries. As one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes through our network of 20,000+ talented consultants. With sustainability and innovation at the heart of all our sectors in North America, including, Buildings, Energy, Transportation, and Water.

We believe in empowering our people to excel, learn, and grow, offering diverse opportunities to contribute to career-defining work. Join us and be part of a collaborative environment where your ambitions are united with ours, and you can truly shape your story.

If you share that vision, even if you don't meet every requirement listed, we'd still love to hear from you. We value potential and diverse perspectives as much as experience. Let's explore how we can support your growth and help you take the next step in your career, while contributing to an exciting new chapter for Mott MacDonald in North America.

As a principal engineer, with experience in drinking water quality and treatment process evaluation, assessment and design for water infrastructure projects, you will serve as technical lead for drinking water treatment process evaluation, planning studies and designs for projects that address treatment deficiencies, new regulations and aging infrastructure for both surface water and groundwater sources of supply. You will also provide expertise in the troubleshooting and optimization of treatment processes and in addressing distribution system water quality issues.

The position will play a critical role in Mott MacDonald's Water Sector growth. Demonstrated knowledge of water treatment processes is required as well as experience working with water utilities. Your range of drinking water treatment process experience may include but not be limited to the following:

• Water treatment chemistry, including coagulation, oxidation and disinfection
• Conventional and high-rate clarification technologies such as DAF, ballasted flocculation, plate settlers, tube settlers and traditional sedimentation
• Conventional gravity filtration facilities, including dual media filtration, GAC filtration and slow sand filtration
• Membrane filtration technologies, including UF, MF, NF and RO systems
• Ion exchange
• Carbon adsorption
• Disinfection methods, including both chemical and UV processes, and disinfection byproduct reduction strategies
• Advanced oxidation techniques such as UV AOP, Ozone and Ozone AOP
• Residuals treatment approaches, such as thickening and dewatering
• Distribution system water quality troubleshooting to address issues such as disinfection byproducts, nitrification, or lead and copper corrosion.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide technical leadership for drinking water treatment and distribution system water quality projects, using appropriate engineering methodology to give assurance that intended outcomes are identified and achieved.
• Lead the preparation of quality deliverables for drinking water treatment facility and distribution system water quality assessment, identification of alternatives, bench and pilot scale tests, and preliminary and detailed design.
• Manage and coordinate multiple projects as part of a multidisciplinary design approach.
• Provide specialist advice on the interpretation of treatment process water quality data, resolving complex or contentious technical queries and issues and enabling others to take appropriate actions.
• Lead, mentor, and support the technical development of junior staff.
• Manage water treatment process and water quality evaluations; provide stakeholders with accurate and relevant information and key recommendations.
• Act as subject matter expert in an area of technology, policy, regulation, or operational management for the team.
• Manage and liaise with equipment suppliers, contractors and sub-contractors working in an integrated team.
• Liaise with customers, internal and external stakeholders to ensure successful project delivery.
• Maintain external accreditations and in-depth understanding of current and emerging regulations and industry best practices through continuing professional development, attending conferences, and reading specialist media.
• Present at industry association conferences and author publications.
• Build on the strong foundation of water, wastewater and stormwater projects, to help us increase our market share across North America.
• Grow and nurture external relationships and build and maintain strong networks with key clients, business partners and competitors.
• Ensure technical excellence and best practice in the delivery of project outputs.
• Perform quality assurance following the relevant company Check, Review and Approve processes and QA management requirements.
• Contribute technical expertise to the preparation of winning proposals.

The ideal candidate will have the following experience:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering. Master's degree preferred.
• 15+ years' experience in drinking water quality and treatment process evaluation, design and optimization.
• Professional engineering license (PE) in any State with eligibility for reciprocal licensing in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania.
• In-depth understanding of water chemistry, including lead and copper corrosion chemistry and disinfection byproduct mitigation.
• In-depth understanding and knowledge of current drinking water quality regulations as well as developing regulations.
• Sound knowledge of alternative process technologies, strategies, and configurations.
• Proficiency in developing bench and pilot scale testing protocol to select appropriate process strategies and formulate suitable basis of design for implementation.
• Identification, evaluation, and implementation of suitable innovative or novel approaches to water treatment process optimization and control, corrosion control strategies, and disinfection byproduct mitigation strategies.
• Experience in startup and monitoring of treatment processes and facilities.
• Significant experience in water utility infrastructure projects.
• Significant experience in managing project teams of multiple concurrent projects.

• Working in a multi-disciplinary environment.

• Ability to network within a regional and global organization.
• Demonstrated innovation and creative thinking.
• Demonstrated ability to develop technical skills amongst junior staff.

Benefits & Reward

At Mott MacDonald, our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, providing them with a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses. We provide a comprehensive benefit package that includes 401k, medical, dental and vision insurance, short-term/long-term disability, paid holidays, PTO, parental leave, and company paid life insurance.

Individual pay is determined based on several factors such as work location, education, experience, and unique skills.

The expected salary for this position is:

NY: $153,000 - $188,000

NJ: $145,000 - $177,000

Collaboration at Our Core

At Mott MacDonald, we believe great ideas happen when we're together. Our hybrid approach centers on an in-office culture, with most of your time spent collaborating face-to-face and a minimum of three days per week in the office. We balance flexibility with connection, so you and your manager can choose how to meet client, team, and personal commitments.

Equal opportunity is the law.

We seek to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status or disability status.