Senior Operations Specialist; Water

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves:
What is our impact on the world?

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Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe water is more than a resource, it's a shared responsibility. As part of our Water Business Group, you’ll help shape how communities manage water for generations to come. From delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater responsibly to developing sustainable water supplies and protecting lives and property through flood control, your work will directly support public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience.

We bring together experts across disciplines to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence. Whether you're modernizing aging systems or pioneering innovative approaches, your contributions will make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. This isn’t just a job, it's a chance to lead change, drive progress, and leave a lasting legacy.

For over 100 years, HDR has specialized in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services. We provide solutions to thousands of partners, from small local utilities to the largest global companies. HDR has nearly 13,000 employee owners worldwide and is ranked in the top 10 of Water design firms, Water Treatment and Desalination design firms, and Wastewater design firms.

Our Water Business Group has over 2,000 employee owners, with over 500 in our Eastern Region.

At HDR, we know work isn’t only about who you work for; it’s also about what you do and how you do it. Led by the strength of our values and a culture shaped by employee ownership, we network with each other, build on each other’s contributions, and collaborate together to make great things possible. When you join HDR, we give you license to do the same.

We help you take charge of your career, giving you multiple growth opportunities along the way.

• Support HDR project leaders at the local, state, and regional level on water treatment projects requiring input from Operations Specialists.
• Review drawings for operability review and Haz Ops analysis with an eye for what it takes to successfully operate a variety of treatment processes.
• Manage operations and maintenance projects with both municipal and industrial clients, including client interfacing, regulatory reporting, and personnel, subcontractor, and maintenance management.
• Develop startup and commissioning plans and host workshops to share those ideas with clients’ contractors and operators to ensure the plan will work for each specific plant.
• Perform startup and commissioning of new water treatment facilities, working alongside contractors and engineers to ensure new equipment functions correctly before handing it over to operations and maintenance staff.
• Perform formal and informal training to help our clients’ treatment plants operate as well as they can operate.
• Participate in the testing of facilities to ensure they are ready for startup and, after startup, meet the capacity requirements of the design.
• Perform condition assessment and asset management tasks on water and wastewater facilities using state‑of‑the‑art evaluation tools to efficiently capture information and opinions.
• Perform operational or maintenance troubleshooting and evaluations on municipal and industrial water facilities.

Work will involve a base of projects in the southern portion of the central United States, but will also include projects in several sites across the country. The role may require 30‑40% travel, with weekend travel normally not required.

• Minimum 10 years field experience…