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?

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.

You will be part of a team that modernizes aging systems and pioneers innovative approaches, making a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

HDR is looking for an energetic, hard‑working problem solver to become a full‑time Senior Operations Specialist on both municipal and industrial water treatment facilities. The role involves working on a variety of treatment technologies across a range of plant sizes—from small municipalities to some of the most iconic facilities in the United States. You will collaborate with the East Region team and nationwide Operations Team to share best practices and contribute to our extensive project backlog across the country.

• 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 municipal and industrial clients, including client interfacing, regulatory reporting, personnel and subcontractor management.
• Develop startup and commissioning plans and host workshops to share those ideas with client contractors and operators to ensure the plan works for each specific plant.
• Perform startup and commissioning of new water treatment facilities, ensuring new equipment functions correctly before handover to operations and maintenance staff.
• Perform formal and informal training to help our clients’ treatment plants operate at peak performance.
• Participate in testing of facilities to ensure readiness for startup and post‑startup capacity compliance.
• Perform condition assessment and asset management tasks on water and wastewater facilities using state‑of‑the‑art evaluation tools.
• 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 at several sites across the country. This role may require 30–40% travel; weekend travel is normally not required.

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

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Microsoft Office product experience.
• General background–related experience.
• Active participant of our employee‑owned culture.

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other’s life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day, shaping a collaborative culture that encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

As employee owners, we all have 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. Our eight Employee Network Groups help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

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