Manager, Industrial Water & Waste Systems

Manager, Industrial Water & Waste Systems | Permanent | On-Site | Durham, NC

Details

Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time

Schedule: Full-Time, On-Site

Location: Durham, North Carolina

Salary: $146,000 - $153,700

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Manager, Industrial Water & Waste Systems to lead engineering, operations, and maintenance activities for critical industrial water, wastewater, reclaim, and hazardous waste treatment systems within a complex manufacturing environment.

This leadership role is responsible for ensuring the reliability, efficiency, compliance, and continuous improvement of utility systems while driving operational excellence, cost optimization, and environmental stewardship. The successful candidate will lead multidisciplinary teams, develop long-term infrastructure strategies, and implement initiatives that improve system resilience, eliminate operational risks, and support business growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for industrial water, wastewater, reclaim, and hazardous waste systems.
• Oversee the operation and optimization of critical utility systems, including Reverse Osmosis (RO), Deionized Water (DI), Ultrafiltration (UF), Ion Exchange (IX), water reclamation systems, and advanced wastewater treatment technologies.
• Lead system hardening initiatives to improve reliability, redundancy, resiliency, and overall infrastructure performance.
• Identify and eliminate single points of failure (SPOFs) through system redesign, redundancy planning, and process improvements.
• Drive Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) investigations and implement sustainable corrective and preventive actions.
• Monitor system performance metrics and identify opportunities for optimization, increased uptime, and reduced operating costs.
• Support the startup, commissioning, and validation of new utility systems and facility equipment.
• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of managers, engineers, supervisors, and technicians responsible for industrial water and waste operations.
• Recruit, coach, mentor, and develop team members while promoting a culture of accountability, safety, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Develop long-term reliability and asset management strategies for critical utility infrastructure.
• Drive initiatives focused on operational excellence, energy efficiency, sustainability, and cost reduction.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to establish facility objectives and support broader organizational goals.
• Contribute to annual operating plans, capital planning activities, and budget management.
• Lead enterprise-wide improvement initiatives and influence stakeholders across multiple departments and locations.
• Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal environmental regulations and wastewater discharge requirements.
• Support vendor management, contract negotiations, and service agreements related to utility operations.

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 8+ years of experience managing industrial water and wastewater systems within a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Demonstrated success leading system reliability, infrastructure optimization, and cost reduction initiatives.
• Strong people leadership experience with the ability to build, develop, and manage high-performing teams.
• Proven track record of delivering measurable operational savings and reliability improvements.
• Extensive technical knowledge of Reverse Osmosis (RO), Deionized Water Systems (DI), Ultrafiltration (UF), Ion Exchange (IX), water reclamation systems, filtration technologies, and industrial wastewater treatment processes.
• Strong understanding of process integration, automation, PLC controls, and SCADA systems.
• Experience utilizing data analytics, performance monitoring, and process optimization tools.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and decision-making abilities.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.
• Experience within semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, pharmaceutical, chemical processing, or other highly regulated industries is considered an asset.
• Familiarity with environmental compliance requirements, including wastewater discharge regulations and POTW requirements, is an asset.
• Project management experience involving utility infrastructure and capital improvement projects is preferred.

What We Offer

• Opportunity to lead high-impact infrastructure and sustainability initiatives.
• Competitive compensation package and comprehensive benefits program.
• Professional development, continuing education, and leadership growth opportunities.
• Exposure to large-scale utility infrastructure, reliability, and environmental compliance projects.
• Inclusive and collaborative workplace culture that values innovation and continuous improvement.
• Employee resource groups, community engagement opportunities, and family-friendly programs.
• Opportunity to make a measurable impact on operational performance, system reliability, and environmental stewardship.

What You Need to Do Now

If you meet the requirements and are interested in this opportunity, please apply directly with an up-to-date resume.

Thank you for your interest. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

This posting represents an existing vacancy within the organization.

AI tools may be used as part of the screening process.