Mechanical Engineer; Water Systems; Berkeley, CA

Position: Mechanical Engineer (Water Systems) - Berkeley, CA
DTS is looking for Mechanical Engineer (Water Systems) for our direct client position in Berkeley, CA

Key Responsibilities Water System Design & Engineering
- Lead the design and engineering of cooling water systems supporting ALS-U and ALS operational infrastructure.

- Develop system architectures, P&IDs, flow diagrams, hydraulic calculations, equipment specifications, and design documentation.

- Perform engineering analysis related to heat transfer, fluid flow, pump sizing, pressure drops, thermal stability, and water quality management.

- Specify and oversee procurement of pumps, heat exchangers, filtration systems, expansion tanks, piping systems, valves, instrumentation, and water treatment systems.

- Coordinate integration of water systems with accelerator, beamline, cryogenic, HVAC, and facility utility systems.

- Ensure designs comply with ASME, ANSI, California building and mechanical codes, laboratory engineering standards, and safety requirements.

- Oversee the daily operation of closed-loop LCW and DI water systems, monitoring critical parameters like resistivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH.

- Manage chemical dosing, UV sterilizers, mixed-bed deionizers, and reverse osmosis (RO) systems to prevent biological growth, scaling, and galvanic corrosion.

- Develop and execute preventative maintenance (PM) schedules. Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and chemical issues—including pump failures, resin degradation, and leaks.

- Plan, design, and commission system expansions or retrofits. Evaluate pipe materials (e.g., PVDF, electropolished stainless steel), valves, and instrumentation to maintain ultra-pure water standards.

- Ensure water systems adhere to strict environmental and industrial safety standards. Operations & Maintenance
- Serve as system owner for operational water systems supporting ALS and ALS-U.

- Develop preventive and predictive maintenance programs for cooling water infrastructure.

- Monitor system performance, reliability, and lifecycle condition.

- Troubleshoot operational issues including flow instability, thermal excursions, equipment failures, water chemistry concerns, and leakage events.

- Coordinate outages, repairs, commissioning activities, and maintenance schedules to minimize operational impact.

- Support 24/7 operational reliability and rapid response during facility incidents or system failures. Project Management & Installation Support
- Manage water-system-related projects from conceptual design through installation and commissioning.

- Coordinate with contractors, vendors, installation teams, and facilities personnel.

- Develop project schedules, cost estimates, and technical scopes of work.

- Review installation quality and ensure conformance with engineering specifications.

- Support startup, testing, balancing, and commissioning activities. Documentation & Configuration Control
- Maintain accurate engineering documentation including drawings, specifications, operating procedures, maintenance procedures, system inventories, and engineering calculations.

- Support configuration management and change control processes.

- Develop operational standards and best practices for facility water systems. Safety & Compliance
- Ensure all activities are conducted in accordance with Integrated Safety Management (ISM), EH&S requirements, laboratory policies, and applicable regulatory standards.

- Participate in hazard analyses, readiness reviews, and safety assessments.

- Support lockout/tagout planning and operational safety procedures.

Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related discipline.

- Minimum 8 years of relevant professional engineering experience, including substantial experience in the design, operation, and/or maintenance of industrial process or facility water systems; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Specific knowledge of the design, operation, and maintenance of the facility’s Low Conductivity Water (LCW) and deionized water systems.

- Ensure optimal water purity, prevent equipment corrosion, manage chemical treatments, and lead troubleshooting efforts to minimize system downtime.

- Experience with closed-loop cooling water systems, process utilities, mechanical infrastructure, and industrial piping systems.

- Knowledge of hydraulic and thermal system design principles.

- Experience interpreting and producing engineering drawings and P&IDs.

- Familiarity with pumps, heat exchangers, cooling towers, water treatment systems,…