Senior Operations Specialist (Water)

Senior Operations Specialist (Water) at HDR

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected. We foster a culture of inclusion and empower everyone to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work daily. We believe water is more than a resource‑ it is a shared responsibility. In our Water Business Group, you will shape how communities manage water for generations to come, delivering safe drinking water, treating wastewater responsibly, and protecting lives and property through flood control. Your work directly supports public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience.

Primary Responsibilities

• 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 HazOps analysis to ensure successful operation of diverse treatment processes.
• Manage operations and maintenance projects with both municipal and industrial clients, including client interfacing, regulatory reporting, personnel, subcontractor, and maintenance management.
• Develop startup and commissioning plans; host workshops for client contractors and operators to validate plant performance.
• Perform startup and commissioning of new water treatment facilities, collaborating with contractors and engineers to ensure new equipment functions correctly before hand‑over.
• Conduct formal and informal training to help clients’ treatment plants operate at optimal capability.
• Participate in facility testing to confirm readiness for startup and that post‑startup performance meets design capacity.
• Perform condition assessment and asset‑management tasks on water and wastewater facilities using state‑of‑the‑art evaluation tools.
• Diagnose operational or maintenance issues on municipal and industrial water facilities.

Strongly Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years field experience troubleshooting mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation equipment at water treatment facilities and/or resolving process problems; construction experience a plus.
• High level water treatment operator license or professional engineering license.
• Ability to interpret engineering plans and specifications.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and computerized maintenance and management systems.
• Commitment to participating actively in our employee‑owned culture.
• Valid driver’s license.

Required Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Experience with Microsoft Office.
• General relevant background experience.
• Commitment to participating actively in our employee‑owned culture.

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

Primary Location: Vienna, Virginia. Other potential locations across the United States.

Schedule: Full‑time, Regular Employee Status.

Compensation Range: $71,960 - $128,500 depending on skills, experience, education, and geographic location.

We are committed to employment equity and are an affirmative‑action and equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are considered, regardless of criminal histories or arrest and conviction records.