Research and Development Engineer

KUBOTA Water and Environment U.S.A.; Canton (OH); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement plan with company match

Generous paid time off

Work-life Balance

Professional Development

Job summary

KUBOTA Water and Environment U.S.A. (KWU) is seeking an R&D Engineer to advance wastewater and water treatment technologies, reporting to the General Manager of R&D.

The role evaluates lab, pilot, and full-scale studies at municipal and industrial facilities across the United States, with on-site work at the Canton, OH location. The candidate should have a relevant engineering degree, research experience in water treatment, data analysis skills, and proficiency with MS Office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Research experience related to wastewater and/or water treatment.
• Knowledge and experience with wastewater/water sample collection and analysis.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Ability to travel up to 50% as required for pilot studies, conferences, and treatment plant visits.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Observe and evaluate pilot-scale wastewater and water treatment plant operation and testing according to the experimental plan.
• Collaborate with Kubota Japan Research Department including data and reports presentations.
• Plan and design experiments, model wastewater treatment processes, and analyze data.
• Manage projects including budgeting, pilot system design, and scheduling.
• Prepare internal reports, conference papers, white papers, and magazine articles.
• Travel to conferences to present research and enhance Kubota’s market presence.
• Coordinate with engineering firms and treatment plants across the United States for research projects.
• Conduct research at facilities using Kubota membranes and MBR systems.
• Assist KMU Technical Specialists with troubleshooting at full-scale plants.
• Perform any other timely tasks assigned by supervisors.

Skills

Water/wastewater treatment knowledge

Research experience

Data analysis

Technical writing

Presentation skills

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in related field

Tools

BioWin

Job description

KUBOTA Water and Environment U.S.A. (KWU) manufactures and sells wastewater treatment equipment and advanced membrane bioreactor (MBR) solutions across North America. As part of Kubota Corporation’s Water and Environment segment, KWU operates under the promise “For Earth, For Life,” focusing on supporting sustainable human life while protecting the environment. The company addresses global challenges in food, water, and the environment by delivering products and technologies that promote stable food production, reliable water supply and restoration, and comfortable living environments. Since 2001, KWU has provided high-level water treatment solutions using its MBR technology, producing effluent suitable for sensitive aquatic environments. With over 400 installations in North America, KWU is recognized as a premier provider of MBR systems for demanding water treatment requirements.

Job Summary

We are seeking a Research and Development (R&D) Engineer to support the strategic direction of the company’s wastewater and water treatment technologies portfolio for successful developmental improvements and deployment into the market. The R&D Engineer will report to the General Manager of R&D.

The primary function of this position is evaluating the performance of lab, pilot, and full-scale wastewater and water treatment studies in municipal and industrial environments. This will include industry standard experiments and analyses as well as original experimental design. Onsite work with membrane bioreactor (MBR) pilot treatment plants where studies will be conducted at full-scale wastewater treatment facilities across the United States; this will entail working with the pilot plant manufacturer, treatment plant staff, engineering consultants and KWU staff to ensure successful studies. Many projects will entail work on or at the pilot-scale MBR facility at the R&D Center as well. The R&D Engineer will write technical papers and make presentations at various conferences.

The ideal candidate has a sound understanding of wastewater and water treatment processes/technologies to properly conduct related research projects. A high degree of initiative and independent/creative thought is essential to the position and our research. An aptitude for learning new skills and venturing into new fields of study is also necessary. This is a fully on-site role based in Canton, OH, supporting a collaborative team in a mission‑driven organization serving the water and environmental sector.

Responsibilities

This position will focus on wastewater and water treatment related research projects, onsite and remote pilot-scale MBR plant operation, and development of new and existing technologies.

• Observing and evaluating pilot-scale wastewater and water treatment plant operation and testing in accordance with the company’s experimental plan.
• Collaboration with Kubota Japan Research Department including presentation of data & reports.
• Experimental planning and design, wastewater treatment process design and modeling, data analysis and interpretation.
• Project management: capital planning, budget management, pilot system design, pilot-study logistics & scheduling.
• Technical writing: internal reports, papers/presentations for conferences, white papers, peer-review publications, magazine articles, etc.
• Traveling to conferences to present research, ensuring Kubota is well-represented and respected in the market.
• Establish good working relationships and collaborate with engineering companies to conduct research projects; these will likely be held at other wastewater treatment plants across the United States.
• Conduct research projects at wastewater treatment plants with Kubota membranes and/or the Kubota MBR System.
• Assist KMU Technical Specialists with trouble‑shooting issues at full-scale treatment facilities.
• Any other task assigned by either supervisor to be completed in a timely manner.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Research experience related to wastewater and/or water treatment.
• Knowledge and experience with wastewater/water sample collection and analysis.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Ability to travel up to 50% as required for pilot studies, conferences, and treatment plant visits.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D.) in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a related field such as Chemistry or Biology.
• Emphasis or specialization in wastewater and/or water treatment.
• Direct knowledge of membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems.
• Experience in wastewater treatment plant operations.
• Experience troubleshooting wastewater treatment systems, particularly MBR systems.
• Experience with BioWin or similar wastewater treatment process modeling software.
• Experience presenting technical research at conferences and/or authoring technical papers, peer-reviewed publications, or industry articles.
• Project management experience including budgeting, capital planning, scheduling, and pilot system implementation.
• Experience collaborating with municipalities, engineering consulting firms, or industrial treatment facilities.

The salary range will take into account a wide range of factors that include a candidate’s education; skills; experience, training, and industry knowledge; licensure and certifications. The compensation structure is base salary plus a discretionary annual bonus.

• Retirement plan with company match
• Generous paid time off and company holidays
• Work-life Balance
• Professional Development and Career Growth Opportunities

Kubota Water and Environment USA is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

Kubota Water and Environment USA is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.