Director of Engineering: Wastewater Treatment Plants

Willdan is a leading, nationwide provider of comprehensive energy and sustainability solutions. The exciting and growing energy sector provides Willdan employees an opportunity to contribute to the clean energy economy. Willdan Performance Engineering, a division of Willdan Group, inspires and empowers communities by creating transformational environments. Our clients include school districts; universities; city, county, and state governments; private enterprises; and healthcare facilities. Our dynamic and inclusive culture embodies the following values:

1. We drive change.
2. We think long-term.
3. We are courageous experts delivering ambitious solutions.
4. Personal growth drives organizational growth; Organizational growth drives personal growth.
5. We succeed when we are accountable as a team.
6. We cultivate diverse, equitable, and inclusive teams committed to serving our communities.

We are looking for an eager and energetic Director of Engineering for Wastewater Treatment Plant that is passionate about the energy and sustainability industry. This individual will be a part of a dynamic team, delivering creative facility and energy solutions to our clients. The selected candidate will become a part of a growing organization that is invested in your career growth, with competitive benefits and a diverse project workload. This individual will be shaped to become the next leader in the energy industry. Come grow with us!

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

This role involves driving the optimization, process & performance improvements, renewable energy generation and modernization of water and wastewater treatment plants in the United States. You will act as a subject matter expert (SME) in water and wastewater treatment processes, renewable energy & biogas utilization, and integrating advanced technologies into existing facilities. The role is not focused on new plant design or expansion but on enhancing the efficiency, sustainability, and technological capabilities of existing systems. Proven experience in process engineering consulting for water, wastewater, and hazardous waste projects. You will then support those solutions as they progress through our design process, coordinating with other engineers, drafters, construction professionals, and commissioning agents.

• Evaluate the current performance of water and wastewater treatment plants to identify areas for efficiency improvements.
• Lead secondary treatment process optimization, including but not limited to aeration, pumping systems, nitrification, and denitrification processes.
• Develop and implement strategies to optimize solids train processes, including anaerobic digestion, co-digestion of high-strength organic wastes, and biosolids management.
• Conduct root cause analysis for operational inefficiencies and recommend corrective actions.
• Research, evaluate, and recommend innovative technologies to enhance treatment processes and biogas production/utilization while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations governing water, wastewater, and biogas systems.
• Implement modern automation and control systems to improve plant monitoring and performance.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for treatment plants and biogas systems to track progress and achieve performance goals.
• Identify opportunities for integrating co-digestion processes with landfill-diverted organic waste digestion to maximize biogas generation.
• Develop strategies to convert biogas into renewable natural gas (RNG) or other value-added products while evaluating various grant and funding opportunities.
• Evaluate implementation of Solar PV & Battery Storage technologies at the treatment plants.
• Act as a technical consultant for water and wastewater engineering projects in the United States, providing expertise in process engineering.
• Proven experience in process engineering consulting for water, wastewater, and hazardous waste projects.
• Partner with municipalities, utilities, and private entities to identify and implement solutions for improved treatment processes.
• Provide training and guidance to plant operators and technical teams to build operational capacity.
• Represent the organization at industry events, conferences, and technical workshops to share insights and advancements in water, wastewater, and biogas technologies.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to align plant operations with sustainability goals, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, optimizing energy usage, addressing deferred maintenance and utilizing grant funding.
• Prepare detailed technical reports, feasibility studies, and cost-benefit analyses for proposed improvements.
• Prepare & present formal presentations to stakeholders and customers with the business development team project details, reports, solutions, etc.

Job Requirements / Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in chemical, mechanical, electrical, or a related field on engineering is required.
• PE is preferred.
• Additional project development, engineering, and energy related professional certifications are a plus (e.g. LEED-AP, CEM, ASHRAE, DBIA, etc.)
• 10 or more years of leading Water and Wastewater Treatment plant projects.
• Experience in Public Sector energy engineering with Cities and Counties preferred.
• Excellent initiative, and interpersonal communications skills required.
• Demonstrates engineering and analytical acumen to develop complex situations and build credibility.
• Experience working on complex projects and interdisciplinary teams of professionals.
• Regional travel required with possibility of limited national travel; overnight travel about 30%.

EEO Non-Discrimination and ADA Reasonable Accommodation Statement Willdan is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religious creed, color, age marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, religion, military service or veteran status, disability, medical condition, childbirth and related medical conditions, genetic testing, reproductive status or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws and ordinances. Willdan does not discriminate on the basis of physical or mental disability where the essential functions of the job can be reasonably accommodated. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us.

Willdan Performance Engineering participates in E-Verify.