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?

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. We believe water is more than a resource – it is 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 to treating wastewater responsibly, developing sustainable water supplies, and protecting lives and property through flood control.

HDR is looking for an energetic, hard‑working problem solver to become a full‑time Senior Operations Specialist. The role involves working on both municipal and industrial water treatment facilities, reviewing operability, conducting Haz Ops analysis, managing operations and maintenance projects, and performing startup and commissioning of new facilities.

• 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 client contractors and operators.
• Perform startup and commissioning of new water treatment facilities in collaboration with contractors and engineers.
• Provide formal and informal training to help our clients’ treatment plants operate at optimal performance.
• Participate in testing of facilities to ensure startup readiness and compliance with design capacity.
• Conduct condition assessment and asset management tasks on water and wastewater facilities using advanced evaluation tools.
• Perform operational or maintenance troubleshooting and evaluations on municipal and industrial water facilities.

• Minimum 10 years of field experience troubleshooting mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation equipment at water treatment facilities and/or resolving water treatment process problems. Additional construction experience is a plus.
• High‑level water treatment operator license or professional engineering license.
• Ability to interpret engineering plans and specifications.
• Experience with Microsoft Office products and computerized maintenance and management systems.
• Commitment to being an active participant in our employee‑owned culture.
• Valid driver’s license.

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Microsoft Office product experience.
• General background‑related experience.
• Commitment to being an active participant in our employee‑owned culture.

Work location will be at the HDR office nearest to your current location. Please visit the HDR website for the nearest office.

Travel: 30–40% of the time; weekend travel is normally not required.

HDR is our company. Together we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages trust, and connects us more closely to our clients and communities.

As employee owners, we all play a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected, and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, short and long‑term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time away, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, employee referral bonus, and tuition reimbursement. The expected compensation range for this position is $71,960–$128,500, depending on skills, experience, education, and geographic location.

United States–Virginia–Vienna

Full‑time

Dec 31, 2025

WW Treatment and Effluent Mgmt

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest, and conviction records.

For more information, visit HDR Our Story and Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.