Water Services Leader

We are seeking a Water Services Leader to join Arup’s Los Angeles office as an Associate — a leadership level that shapes our business through technical expertise, client leadership, project delivery, people development, and market influence.

Arup is recruiting a leader to grow and deliver water engineering and advisory services in the Southern California market. The role spans our full water engineering portfolio—water resources, water/wastewater treatment, conveyance, pump stations, reservoirs, and stormwater—delivering sustainable, resilient, climate-adaptive solutions.
At Arup, leadership is measured by impact, not hierarchy. Working with our Western U.S. water business leader and our Los Angeles Civil and Water team, you will draw upon Arup’s local, regional, and global expertise to pursue opportunities and deliver integrated solutions. Central to this role is serving as a trusted advisor to Southern California’s leading water agencies and sustaining the long-term relationships that drive our regional business.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical judgment, multidisciplinary project experience, and a drive to grow the business. You will foster technical excellence, accountability, and collaboration, mentor emerging leaders, and help shape our water business and the communities it serves across Southern California and beyond.

• Metropolitan Water District
• Los Angeles Bureau of Engineering
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
• Los Angeles County Public Works
• Inland Empire Utilities Agency
• Orange County Sanitation District
• Orange County Water District

The Water Services Leader will own and grow these relationships, maintaining an active presence with each agency between pursuits and projects.

• Serve as a trusted advisor to key regional water agencies, maintaining consistent engagement.
• Lead account strategy for priority clients, aligning Arup’s capabilities with their capital programs.
• Lead local business planning and service development for Water Infrastructure Services.
• Support marketing, lead generation, and pursuits to win new work and secure repeat business.
• Collaborate with clients, design partners, subconsultants, and stakeholders to deliver impactful projects.

• Manage complex multidisciplinary projects, overseeing commercial, contractual, and technical performance.
• Provide technical leadership across water engineering disciplines, including water resources, treatment, conveyance, pump stations, reservoirs, stormwater, hydrology/hydraulics, and floodplain and/or watershed planning.
• Prepare reports and technical deliverables.
• Develop project plans covering staffing, commercial management, and quality assurance.
• Serve as senior technical reviewer and QA/QC lead, ensuring all deliverables meet Arup’s quality standards.
• Lead, mentor, and develop mid-level and junior team members, supporting individual and team success.
• Support recruiting, onboarding, and integration of new team members as we grow in Southern California and across the region.
• Foster a collaborative culture where team members understand expectations and feel empowered to grow their careers.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Civil Engineering with water specialism
• Minimum 12 years of relevant experience
• Professionally qualified engineer (PE/P.Eng or equivalent) preferred
• Project Management Professional (PMP) and/or Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) certification preferred
• Deep technical expertise in one or more of the following:
  • Water resources and municipal infrastructure
  • Water and wastewater treatment
  • Conveyance and pump stations
  • Reservoirs and storage
  • Stormwater management for urban and land…