Senior Process Design Engineer (Technical Lead)

Kennedy Jenks; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance and incentive compensation

Flexible hybrid model

Job summary

A leading engineering and environmental consulting firm in Portland is seeking a Senior Process Design Engineer to lead complex projects in industrial water and wastewater. The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of relevant experience and a strong background in engineering design. This role involves managing project delivery, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and developing innovative solutions focused on sustainability.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of engineering experience in investigation, planning, design, construction, and commissioning.
• Strong background in industrial water/wastewater, mechanical infrastructure, system controls, process automation, or process design.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Project Technical Lead on complex industrial engineering projects.
• Establish overall process design and develop process flow diagrams.
• Oversee development of detailed water and mass balances for projects.

Skills

Engineering experience

Project management

Familiarity with drafting tools

Knowledge of industrial water/wastewater processes

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in relevant engineering field

Tools

AutoCAD

BlueBeam

REVIT

Job description

Senior Process Design Engineer (Technical Lead)

Kennedy Jenks (KJ) is a leading engineering, environmental consulting, and construction management firm focused on innovation and sustainability. Founded in 1919, we deliver exceptional services and are dedicated to client success and engineering excellence.

Base Pay Range: $140,000 – $210,000 per year, depending on education, experience, qualifications, licensure, and location.

We invite you to join our innovative team to drive growth and delivery of industrial water and wastewater projects across diverse market sectors. In this role you will lead complex process design efforts, guide multidisciplinary teams, and shape solutions that advance sustainability and efficiency for our clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as Project Technical Lead on complex industrial engineering projects, including wastewater, facilities engineering, and metals finishing.
• Establish overall process design and develop process flow diagrams.
• Oversee development of detailed water and mass balances for projects.
• Support and direct bench and pilot testing of complex industrial water and wastewater treatment systems.
• Prepare options/alternatives analyses, perform detailed process design engineering, and coordinate multi-disciplinary design delivery.
• Manage project delivery from planning and options analysis through design, construction, commissioning, and startup.
• Provide project development oversight including scope, schedule, fee preparation, negotiation, and staffing.
• Coordinate activities across planning, design, and construction phases.
• Collaborate and coordinate with multidisciplinary teams in a supportive, collegial environment.
• Travel to client and project sites as needed for client visits, meetings, and collaboration with other KJ offices.
• Leverage existing client relationships to expand services.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Chemical, Environmental, Mechanical, Civil, or related engineering field.
• 15+ years of engineering experience in investigation, planning, design, construction, and commissioning.
• Strong background in industrial water/wastewater, mechanical infrastructure, system controls, process automation, or process design.
• Experience across multiple market sectors (mining & metals, pulp & paper, food & beverage, data centers, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, etc.).
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• Proven project management experience including scope, schedule, and budget oversight.
• Technical expertise in industrial water/wastewater processes.
• Familiarity with computer-aided drafting and design tools (AutoCAD, BlueBeam, REVIT, etc.) preferred.

Work Environment & Locations

We support a flexible hybrid model encouraging office presence two to three days per week for collaboration and connection.

Primary Locations:

• Portland, OR
• Federal Way, WA
• Sacramento, CA

Compensation & Benefits

Salary range: $140,000 – $210,000 based on education, experience, qualifications, licensure, and location. Eligible for performance and incentive compensation.

Kennedy Jenks is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy and pregnancy‑related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability, citizenship status, genetics, protected veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.