Principal Water Quality Compliance Engineer

Company Overview Metro Water Recovery in Denver, CO is a nationally recognized leader among clean water utilities, providing wastewater conveyance and treatment services for more than 2 million people in the Denver Metro area. At Metro, we help you be your best so we can do our best. You will join a team that offers stability, flexibility, and the opportunity to make a difference. We take pride in being part of an industry‑leading team who serves the community by protecting the region’s health and environment. Description Metro is seeking a Principal Water Quality Compliance Engineer to lead critical water quality and regulatory compliance work across our facilities. Key Responsibilities Lead end‑to‑end water quality compliance efforts, including pollutant loading and mass balance analyses Direct NPDES/CDPS permitting strategies and oversee complex regulatory submittals Interpret and apply federal and Colorado water quality regulations (Clean Water Act and associated programs) Evaluate treatment processes, design changes, and capital projects for compliance and permitting impacts Partner with operations and engineering to integrate environmental requirements into projects and long‑term planning Lead regulatory engagement, including rulemaking strategy and implementation Oversee biosolids, stormwater, SPCC, and related compliance programs Provide technical leadership on compliance evaluations, environmental release response, and fate and transport analyses Why Join Our Team You’ll be part of our highly respected Regulatory Compliance Division within Environmental Services. We offer a stable, mission‑driven environment with strong organizational support, long‑term career growth, and a genuine focus on work‑life balance—great work without a culture of constant overtime. Success Criteria You will thrive in this role if you: Bring deep expertise in the Clean Water Act and Colorado programs (NPDES/CDPS, SPCC, biosolids, stormwater, Reg 22) Apply advanced engineering judgment to complex treatment systems, facility modifications, and permitting decisions Lead high‑level technical analyses (e.g., mass balance, fate and transport) with defensible outcomes Excel at regulatory strategy, agency engagement, and translating requirements into practical solutions Provide technical leadership—mentoring staff, guiding consultants, and ensuring high‑quality, compliant deliverables Hold a Professional Engineer (PE) license in Colorado (or another state with reciprocity application) Subject matter expert for environmental compliance engineering with emphasis on federal Clean Water Act and Colorado regulations. Leads major compliance engineering evaluations and projects, ensuring defensible analyses and recommendations. Works under the general direction of the Senior Environmental Compliance Engineering Manager. May supervise lower‑level engineers and staff if assigned. Examples of Duties Provides engineering and regulatory expertise in support of assigned environmental program areas, performing and leading compliance work to meet Metro’s operational and programmatic requirements. Conducts or leads technical and regulatory analyses for water quality compliance programs, including permitting, biosolids management, stormwater, and WQCC Regulation 22 reviews for capital projects. Prepares and reviews engineering documentation for submittals, renewals, and reports. Leads and performs complex environmental compliance engineering evaluations and studies. Manages consultant scope and review when external services are used. Provides expert technical and regulatory consultation and quality review for engineering analyses and reports prepared by lower‑level staff. Supports regulatory stakeholder and rulemaking work. Analyzes proposed regulations to assess impacts on Metro’s facilities. Performs and leads environmental release responses, including fate and transport analyses, mitigation planning, and regulatory reporting. Provides support for air releases as assigned. Evaluates engineering design documents and process modifications for compliance impacts. Responsible for reviewing, signing, and stamping engineering studies, reports, and other materials related to environmental compliance. Leads environmental compliance engineering participation on assigned project teams from study and design through construction. Reviews and approves project documentation for regulatory completeness. Provides technical support for development of training programs for Metro staff. Ensures compliance activities, including record‑keeping and reporting, are completed on time. May work outside normal business hours to support emergency responses or meet business needs. Supervises lower‑level engineers and staff if assigned. Maintains and promotes a safe working environment and ensures employees complete required training and certifications. Performs other duties as assigned. Qualifications Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Knowledge of Federal and Colorado environmental regulations, advanced engineering principles, regulatory and technical requirements of the Clean Water Act, engineering methodologies, rulemaking processes, fate and transport evaluations, best practices in design review, Colorado professional engineering laws, project and consultant management, and technical communication. Skilled At Leading, performing, and reviewing complex engineering and regulatory analyses Planning, coordinating, and managing complex work assignments Writing clear, defensible technical reports and communicating complex concepts Using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for analyses and reports Applying advanced engineering judgment to evaluate facility modifications and capital projects Managing consultant engineering work and ensuring compliance with regulations Mentoring engineers and providing advanced technical guidance Training and mentoring staff Managing disagreements, negotiating win‑win solutions, and project management Ability To Serve as Metro’s subject matter expert on CWA/CO compliance engineering Develop and maintain understanding of Metro’s facilities, processes, and operations Integrate technical analyses into policy development and rulemaking participation Collaborate effectively across departments and with regulators Certify and stamp required engineering documents Support regulatory stakeholder and rulemaking activities Operate Metro vehicles, travel to all facilities, and work outside normal hours as required Use data analytics and visualization tools Maintain effective working relationships and enforce policies fairly Supervise staff Education, Licenses, and Certifications Bachelor’s degree in chemical, environmental, mechanical, civil, or other related engineering discipline from an accredited college or university. Valid driver’s license. Registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) in Colorado (or reciprocity if licensed elsewhere). A combination of education and relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. Working Conditions Variety of floor surfaces including concrete, gravel, asphalt, dirt, tile, loose stones, uneven surfaces, slippery surfaces, and wet surfaces; inside and outside environments year‑round. Exposure to chemicals, lighting conditions, vibration, moving equipment, and confined spaces. Body position demands include standing, walking, climbing stairs and ladders, reaching forward and overhead, balancing, handling objects, operating controls, sitting, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, typing, fine hand coordination. Physical demands include lifting up to 50 lbs and pulling up to 100 lbs. Sensory requirements include a wide field of view, spatial perception, smell, near and far vision, color discrimination, form perception, hearing, and speaking. Metro Water Recovery is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants for employment with Metro Water Recovery must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S. #J-18808-Ljbffr