Project Manager

Boston Water & Sewer Commission; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A municipal water authority is seeking a qualified individual to handle technical work and manage contracts with outside firms. This role requires expertise in civil engineering and experience with planning, compliance with environmental regulations, and data management. Ideal candidates will possess a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or Planning and five to ten years of related experience. The position offers opportunities for fieldwork and collaboration with regulatory bodies.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years’ experience in planning and engineering.
• 3 years of project management experience.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in Massachusetts.

Responsibilities

• Manage databases and compliance with discharge permits.
• Evaluate impacts of regulation changes on operations.
• Develop reports for compliance with EPA regulations.
• Coordinate Illicit Discharge Detection Program.
• Manage Lead Tap Water Sampling Program.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

MS Office proficiency

Arc PRO familiarity

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or Planning

Master’s Degree preferred

Tools

DHI Mike Urban

CHI PCSWMM

EPA SWMM

Badger Meter data analysis

Job description

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

Employees must be Boston residents on their date of hire and for the duration of their employment subject to BWSC policies and collective bargaining agreements.

Position Purpose

Perform technical work and administer professional services contracts with outside firms. The technical work involves managing databases, investigating conditions within the collection system, complying with state and federal discharge permits and planning for capital improvements. The position will address requests to assess pipe capacities and flooding potential; analyze flow metering data; and interpret and apply rainfall data. The position will also interact with MWRA staff and regulators concerning the performance of the Commission’s water distribution, sanitary sewer, and combined sewer systems.

Essential Functions

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

• Assists the Director Planning and Sustainability, Chief Engineer, Deputy Chief Engineer, and Director of Engineering in matters related to Federal, State and Local Regulations.
• Evaluates impacts of new and revised local, state and federal regulatory requirements on the Commission’s operations and systems. Prepares written comments on new and revised regulatory requirements.
• Develops reports to comply with the Commission’s regulatory requirements, including but not limited to, the Commission’s Consent Decree with EPA, the Commission’s NPDES Permits for CSOs and stormwater, and the MWRA’s Municipal Discharge Permit.
• Prepares reports, permit applications, and grant requests for local state and federal agencies.
• Directs the Commission’s Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Program (IDDE), including notifying property owners of upcoming dye testing, coordinating correction of illicit connections, pursuing enforcement for correction of illicit connections by private owners, supervising consultants during plug dye testing and tracking program progress.
• Manages the Commission’s Lead Tap Water Sampling Program, including identifying sample sites, contacting and providing results of sampling to participants, coordinating sampling, delivering sample bottles, preparing compliance reports and ensuring chain of custody compliance.
• Compiles, maintains and evaluates data collected from rain gauges, flow meters and level sensors within the Commission’s collection system.
• Provides technical review of projects or studies that can affect changes in water quality and discharge amounts into and from the collection system.
• Maintains and updates the Commission’s sewer and drain models. Using the model, simulates hydraulic conditions in the Commission’s sewer and drain systems. Develops model scenarios and assess their effectiveness. Responds to requests for hydraulic analysis.
• Monitors changes in the collection system to be incorporated into the models used by the MWRA and the Commission. Utilize the Commission’s Sewer and Drain Models and ArcMap to track implementation of Green Infrastructure projects and assess progress towards achieving the Commission’s compliance with phosphorus reduction goals.
• Makes recommendations for Green Infrastructure Implementation.
• Coordinate Green Infrastructure partnership with other public agency and environmental groups, including reviewing designs of proposed projects.
• Evaluates and prepares written comments regarding impacts of private development projects on the Commission’s water distribution, sewer and stormwater collection systems.
• Assists in the coordination and compilation and tracking of inflow projects that are assigned to development firms as part of DEP’s 41 Inflow Reduction Program.
• Manages consultants performing professional and technical services. Functions include the procurement of professional services, contract negotiations, monitoring project progress, processing invoices and managing costs.
• Oversees programs for Inflow / Infiltration Reduction.
• Recommends and develops capital improvement projects including planning, scheduling, and budgeting.
• Prepares and implements plans for sampling projects involving water, sewer and drain systems.
• Prepares authorization and informational memoranda to the Board of Commissioners
• Prepare monthly and quarterly progress reports of programs and projects.
• Integrate and update data collected during field studies into the Commission’s Cityworks and UMAX systems.
• Performs similar or related work as required, directed or as situation dictates.

Recommended Minimum Qualifications

Education, Training and Experience

Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or Planning, Master’s Degree preferred; five to ten (5-10) years’ experience in planning, design and engineering and urban hydrology with three (3) years of project management experience. Municipal experience administering compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act, modeling collection systems and managing programs to identify and reduce water quality problems and flooding concerns. Licensed as a Professional Engineer (PE); Registered Professional Engineer with the MA Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors. Must possess a valid Massachusetts Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Ability and Skill

Knowledge

Knowledge of fundamental engineering principles in designing sewer, drain and water construction projects; knowledge of city, state and federal laws and regulations relative to and governing water and sewerage systems, pollution control, water quality and environmental protection; knowledge of the Commission’s procurement policy and knowledge of financing, permitting, planning and design of water, sewer and storm drain projects; knowledge of Green Infrastructure, and working knowledge of MA laws and City of Boston ordinances in relation to bidding, contracts, codes and environmental regulations.

Ability

Ability to interpret reports and construction drawings and specifications to others. Ability to apply engineering principles for the review of studies and for the systematic analysis of water and sewer problems and development of alternatives to solve problems. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, supervisors and the general public.

Skill

Strong interpersonal skills, excellent written and verbal communication skills, proficient computer skills including MS Office applications and Arc PRO. Familiarity with specialized software such as DHI Mike Urban, CHI PCSWMM, EPA SWMM, or Badger Meter data analysis is desirable.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position is regularly required to sit, talk, and hear; uses hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands and arms as in picking up paper, files, and other common office objects. Physical agility required to access all areas of inspection sites. Employee may occasionally lift and/or move objects weighing up to 30 pounds. Vision and hearing at or correctable to normal ranges.

Supervision

Supervision Scope Performs various duties of a routine to complex nature following acceptable standards of quality and performance, requires independent judgment in determining methods of completion and carrying out assignments.

Supervision Received Works under the direct supervision of the Director of Planning and Sustainability.

Supervision Given None.

Job Environment

• General office conditions, field work is performed outdoors with loud noise levels and exposure to variable weather conditions/hazards associated with heavy equipment and construction sites, the workload is subject to seasonal and weather-related fluctuations, responds to emergencies. When in the field may be required to wear safety hat, vest and shoes.
• Operates telephone, computer, hand power tools, survey equipment and standard office machines.
• Makes frequent contact with other departments within BWSC as well as MWRA staff. Contacts are in person, by phone, email and group meetings.
• Has access to department-related confidential and/or sensitive information.
• Errors could result in delay or loss of services, personal injury to self and/or others, damage to building and equipment, and significant monetary loss and/or legal repercussions.