Wastewater Treatment Engineer

Water Otter Job Board; Libertyville (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

UCC Environmental is hiring a Wastewater Treatment Engineer to support wastewater projects from proposal to on-site execution. You will perform sampling, design testing plans, and assist field engineers during startup and operation in industrial settings.

The role emphasizes collaboration, heavy travel, and applying membrane filtration and RO technologies to improve performance and reliability across projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Chemical or Mechanical).
• 3–5 years as an Engineer or comparable wastewater experience.
• Experience with wastewater treatment in industrial or power settings.
• Proficiency with filtration technologies and RO systems.
• Ability to evaluate system performance and recommend improvements.

Responsibilities

• Assist Sales and Engineering in proposals to ensure service readiness.
• Develop wastewater treatment standards and training materials for field execution.
• Support on-site outages, sampling, pilot projects, and system monitoring.
• Perform jar testing to determine chemicals and dosing rates.
• Ensure commissioning and startup activities meet timelines and budgets.
• Prepare reports on sampling, progress, and treatment effectiveness.
• Communicate with clients, contractors, and project stakeholders.
• Stay current with technology and network with industry partners.

Skills

Wastewater engineering

RO systems

Filtration tech

Membrane filtration

Project management

Effective communication

Education

Bachelors in Engineering (Chemical or Mechanical)

Tools

Testing & sampling equipment

Job description

Join UCC Environmental, a leader in sustainable technology solutions:

Looking for a career where your work has real impact? At UCC Environmental, you’ll join a company built on solving complex industrial challenges while advancing sustainable solutions for air, water, and solids handling around the world.

We’re a privately held, family-owned business with more than a century of experience supporting mission-critical industries. Our teams work with utility power providers and heavy industrial customers globally, delivering innovative solutions in environmental compliance, material handling, and high-performance aftermarket technologies.

At UCC Environmental, you’ll collaborate with a diverse, global team that values technical expertise, problem-solving, and long-term customer relationships. With continued growth across North America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific, we offer opportunities to contribute meaningfully to an expanding international business.

Headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, UCC owns and operates sales, manufacturing, assembly, and warehousing facilities across the United States, Canada, Germany, India, and China. If you're looking for a place where your ideas matter, your work has purpose, and your career can grow alongside a global organization, UCC Environmental could be the right fit!

The focus of the position will be to execute wastewater project activities as directed within UCC’s Field Engineering team. Primary responsibilities will include technically supporting wastewater projects throughout the entire contract process from Sales Proposals through onsite execution. Tasks will include: initial water sampling, engineering activities such as developing/reviewing test plans, assisting on site Field Engineers with startup, commissioning, and operational activities within the utility and industrial power plant and wastewater treatment markets, acting in the role of Wastewater Treatment Engineer.

The candidate will have demonstrated capabilities in collaborating with others to perform engineering tasks within a team environment. Work experience with a privately-held company will be beneficial.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

The Wastewater Treatment Engineer will:

• Assist Sales and Engineering departments in the preparation of proposals, particularly representing the needs and concerns of the Service Department to ensure that projects can be successfully executed by the Service Department.
• Assist in the development of wastewater treatment standards/training materials for the execution of projects in the field.
• Assist in the execution of on-site outage wash/water sampling/pilot projects including system monitoring, troubleshooting, adjusting, and operating activities as directed by the Supervisor, Technical Support.
• Perform onsite and in lab jar testing to assist in the determination of the proper chemicals to be used and their associated dosing rates.
• Play a critical role in ensuring that installation, commissioning, and startup activities are completed on time, within budget, and in accordance with UCC quality standards.
• Prepare regular reports, including but not limited to wastewater treatment sampling reports, progress status reports, challenges, resolutions, and treatment effectiveness.
• Ensure proper communication with project stakeholders, including clients, and contractors.
• Build and maintain technical expertise by staying up to date with current technology and networking with customers, suppliers, and partners.
• Demonstrate UCC’s core values.
• All other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, (Chemical or Mechanical)
• 3 – 5 years as an Engineer or comparable experience in wastewater engineering technology
• Demonstrated knowledge of basic technical/engineering theories, practices, drawings and methods
• Experience working in wastewater treatment or a power or an industrial plant or similar environment
• Demonstrated experience in industrial or utility water/wastewater treatment systems, with a strong understanding of filtration and purification processes
• Hands-on or working knowledge of membrane-based filtration technologies, including microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and/or nanofiltration
• Experience with Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems, including operation, troubleshooting, and performance optimization
• Familiarity with media filtration systems, including sand filters, multi-media filters, and carbon filtration
• Experience with Electrodeionization (EDI) systems for high-purity or ultrapure water applications
• Ability to evaluate system performance, identify process inefficiencies, and recommend improvements across multiple treatment technologies
• Experience supporting start-up, commissioning, operation, or maintenance of filtration and water treatment systems is strongly preferred

Characteristics and Skills:

• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Strong communication skills
• General business acumen
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deal with ambiguity and competing priorities
• High energy and commitment

Essential Physical Abilities:

• Must be willing to travel 75+% based on project needs
• Ability to climb up and down stairs and ladders.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to work standing all day.
• Ability to utilize full manual dexterity (i.e. sitting, squatting, bending, kneeling, lifting, walking, manipulating tools with limbs extended).
• Ability to accommodate varying work schedules.

Core Values and Beliefs

Must be aligned with Core Values and Beliefs that drive UCC’s existing corporate culture;

• People – we trust and invest in our people, unlocking their full potential and they always come first
• Teamwork – we respect others and create a collaborative working environment of inclusion and inspiration
• Integrity – we are truthful and respectful to customers, employees, community and suppliers
• Customer Satisfaction – we keep existing customers by delivering exceptional customer service
• Innovative –we encourage resourceful problem solving in the face of adversity

Compensation and Benefits:

Base Pay Range: $90,000 to $130,000 annual pay based on skills and experience

Benefits:

• Insurance: Medical, Dental, Life, Disability, Employee Assistance Programs and Voluntary Options such as Vision, HSA, FSA (Medical, Dental, Vision and Dependent Care), Accident, Identity Theft, Legal coverage
• Retirement: 401(k) with up to 4% company match, Pre-Tax and Roth Options, and discretionary Annual Profit-Sharing contribution
• Time Off: 10 days of Vacation, Vacation Purchase Plan up to 10 days purchased per year, 5 days of Sick and 10 Holidays, Parental Leave, FMLA
• Miscellaneous: Student Debt Assistance, Tuition Reimbursement, Certification and License Reimbursement, Personalized Professional Development Plans and Career Path Options.

UCC Environmental is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran. If you have difficulty applying for this job online, by e‑mail, or need accommodations, please call us at 847-473-5900 and ask for Human Resources.