Water Program Manager - Data Centers

Overview

We have an exceptional opportunity for a Water Infrastructure Program Manager (PgmM), focused on developing, coordinating, and delivering water infrastructure consulting and design projects and tasks for data center clients. The role will coordinate and collaborate with teams inside HDR to support water infrastructure‑oriented tasks—including environmental, permitting, industrial water/wastewater treatment, building architecture—and other expertise from all HDR service areas relating to data center water infrastructure.

The role will also work with vendors and subconsultants as needed.

This role includes program development, planning, and project delivery responsibilities supporting water infrastructure relating to designing and constructing data centers for a specific client or set of clients. It will manage teams working to complete tasks from front‑end site due‑diligence evaluation, consulting, planning, and detailed design support through the construction administration and commissioning phases of data center projects. Services provided may include planning/consulting (due diligence/campus planning phase), design (including construction administration and commissioning phases), and O&A/retrofit scopes.

The PgmM will also support water sustainability initiatives aligned with client goals. To execute these scopes, the role will collaborate with practices and professional discipline groups across HDR on staff assignments, technical services, continuous improvement of standards and best practices, and implementation of effective quality assurance and quality control procedures. The PgmM must balance the fast pace and variable environment of working with data center clients.

The PM will participate in and oversee the execution of consulting, planning, and design scope delivery, managing performance, financial metrics, schedule, quality, contractual compliance, safety planning, risk mitigation, and overall client experience and satisfaction. Responsibilities also include day‑to‑day coordination of new potential task orders with the client and HDR’s Tech/Media/Telecom (TMT) business‑development teams, working with TMT leadership to grow HDR’s water‑related work for data center clients and continue our growth as a leading data center designer.

The role will collaborate with business‑development teams to identify and develop opportunities and pursuits and work with client managers to formulate project approaches and detailed scopes that meet client expectations. HDR’s responsibilities require travel of 20‑30% across diverse geographic locations.

• Incorporate our HDR Corporate 2027 Goals and specific strategic vision within the data center / mission‑critical market to become the industry leader.
• Communicate strategic and growth business plans to meet key financial objectives of our TMT sector, specifically focused on Data Centers.
• Serve as the Client Manager for water infrastructure scope with selected data center clients in North America and be active and visible in the industry.

• Support business‑development and pursuit activities through identification of project opportunities, proposal development, presentation to clients, and scope development/contract negotiations after selection. Opportunities may include both new and existing sites.
• Cultivate long‑term, sustainable, value‑based client relationships with clients. In time, the role may expand to include partners such as subconsultants, water treatment vendors, and water treatment equipment manufacturers.

• Take on Project Management (PM) and Principal in Charge (PIC) assignments to drive client satisfaction, staff development, technical excellence, and mentoring opportunities.
• Manage day‑to‑day activities of project‑based team members, ensuring they meet deadlines and deliver high‑quality work, including task assignment, feedback, and collaboration facilitation.
• Identify key staff for new opportunities, monitor workload, and facilitate work sharing within and between HDR groups.…