Wastewater Process Engineer (Cottage Grove, MN)

National Black MBA Association; Cottage Grove, Northern (MN, KY); Hybrid; USD 99,000 - 121,000; Full time

Job summary

3M is seeking a Wastewater Process Engineer to oversee traditional wastewater treatment operations at onsite Cottage Grove, MN. You will optimize treatment to meet permit requirements and lead process improvements across cross-functional teams.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree in engineering or science and a wastewater operator license (Class A or B). Travel up to 10% and relocation may be authorized.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in science or engineering completed before start.
• Eligibility to work in the US without sponsorship.
• Experience with wastewater treatment processes and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Oversee traditional wastewater treatment operations.
• Optimize treatment to meet internal goals and permit requirements.
• Conduct process modeling, data analysis, and evaluations for cost efficiency.
• Develop and maintain standard work and control procedures for wastewater operations.
• Lead investigation teams for root-cause analyses.
• Provide engineering support to operations, address issues outside normal hours.
• Participate in project planning and implementation of improvements.

Skills

Team collaboration

Project management

Strong communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in Environmental Engineering or Chemical Engineering

Wastewater operator license (Class A or B)

Tools

Excel

Access

SharePoint

Job description

Job Description:

Job Title

Wastewater Process Engineer

Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World

Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

As a Wastewater Process Engineer, you will have oversight traditional wastewater treatment operations, including:

• Optimizing treatment effectiveness to achieve internal goals and discharge permit requirements.
• Conduct process modeling, data analysis, and technical evaluations to improve treatment and cost efficiency.
• Develop and maintain standard work and process control procedures for wastewater treatment Operations
• Lead investigation teams as needed to conduct root cause investigations
• Provide engineering support to Operations including troubleshooting treatment issues and recommending corrective actions. Must be available outside of traditional work hours to help address equipment issues.
• Actively participates in and may lead project planning efforts. Suggest changes or future direction as needed. Participates in implementing changes and future direction.
• Involved with the implementation of environmental stewardship, sustainability, and continuous improvement programs

Your Skills and Expertise

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in science or engineering disciplines (completed and verified prior to start)

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Environmental Engineering or Chemical Engineering from an accredited university
• Class A or B wastewater operator license
• Experience with wastewater treatment processes
• Experience with NPDES permit compliance and State and Federal water quality regulations
• Previous environmental experience in an industrial or manufacturing setting
• Experience with project management
• Experience with spreadsheet and/or database application programs (such as Microsoft Excel and/or Access and SharePoint)
• Strong communication skills, and ability to work effectively in teams
• Positive attitude

Location: Onsite Cottage Grove, MN

Travel: May include up to 10%

Relocation: May be authorized

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

Responsibilities of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.

U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, 'Temporary Residents' (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum.

To comply with these laws, 3M must help assess candidates' U.S. person status.

The questions asked in this application are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only. Failure to provide the necessary information in this regard will result in our inability to consider you further for this particular position.

Supporting Your Well-being

3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope.

Chat with Max

For assistance with searching through our current job openings or for more information about all things 3M, visit Max, our virtual recruiting assistant on 3M.com/careers.

Applicable to US Applicants Only: The expected compensation range for this position is $98,964 - $120,957, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/

Good Faith Posting Date Range 09/16/2026 To 10/16/2026 Or until filledAll US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.

Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties. Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.

Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.

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