Associate Project Director, Water Infrastructure, for COWI in North America

Do you want to play a pivotal role in expanding a growing water infrastructure business on the West Coast? Are you an experienced project leader who can both secure and deliver work? And do you bring deep experience working with California water agencies on complex, heavy civil infrastructure projects? Then join us to create the solutions the world needs today to enable a better tomorrow.

About the role

To further our growing presence in California, we are seeking an Associate Project Director, Water Infrastructure, to manage the delivery of major projects while contributing to business growth across key clients. You will work closely with senior leadership and technical experts on high-profile water resources projects, including tunnels, conveyance systems, dams, reservoirs, and hydraulic structures, while helping position COWI for future work across California and the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of complex water infrastructure projects, ensuring performance across scope, schedule, budget, quality, and risk management
• Build and maintain close relationships with California public water agencies (e.g., MWD, SFPUC, DWR), acting as a trusted client partner and positioning for repeat work
• Contribute to business development as a seller-doer by identifying opportunities, supporting proposals, and helping grow the pipeline across the Los Angeles / Long Beach market
• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams, aligning technical resources and providing direction through guidance with indirect responsibility for team performance
• Provide technical oversight across water and heavy civil infrastructure projects, including conveyance systems, hydraulic structures, flood control, and dams (design or CM experience is considered an asset)
• Mentor and support team capability while ensuring compliance with quality standards, project controls, and COWI’s delivery and governance frameworks
• Engage with and support COWI’s business development and technical teams across North America and globally to ensure the success of the company as a whole

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Structural Engineering (Master’s preferred) with 15+ years of experience delivering water infrastructure and heavy civil projects, particularly within California
• A Professional Engineer (PE) license (or ability to obtain in California), with demonstrated technical credibility across water conveyance, hydraulic structures, flood control, dams, and related infrastructure
• Demonstrated experience leading complex infrastructure projects as a Project Manager or Project Director, with an established presence in the Los Angeles / Long Beach market
• Demonstrated ability to manage multidisciplinary water infrastructure projects with full accountability for scope, schedule, budget, and commercial performance within California public works frameworks
• Demonstrated experience working with California public water agencies (e.g., MWD, SFPUC, DWR), including client relationship management, contract negotiations, and delivering high levels of client satisfaction
• Demonstrated success in financial and commercial performance, including managing project margins, mitigating risk, and securing follow-on work and repeat business
• Experience operating in a seller-doer capacity, contributing to business development, supporting proposals, growing market presence on the West Coast, and mentoring and coordinating project teams

Benefits

• Flexible working arrangement
• Top-up parental and childbirth recovery leave
• 5 weeks vacation to start (for full-time hires)
• Floating holiday to celebrate employee diversity
• Paid sick leave
• Annual fitness subsidy (usable for ski pass, yoga, or gym membership)
• 401K contribution matching with generous company match
• Personal and professional development fund
• Parking or public transit allowance
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (80% employer-paid premiums)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• STD, LTD, AD&D, and Life Insurance
• Referral incentive program
• Frequent social events

Pay

Base compensation: $160,800 to $240,000 for Long Beach, San Diego, and Oakland. Actual compensation is subject to variations due to education, experience, skill set, and location.

About COWI

At COWI, we work together with our customers to shape a sustainable and liveable world. We do it by applying our knowledge and curiosity – and sometimes even our courage – to create the solutions the world needs today to enable a better tomorrow. We support our customers’ transition towards increased sustainability. We strive to lead by example by embedding environmental management, social responsibility and good governance into our business practices and the options we provide to our customers. We value differences and development and cultivate an environment of belonging and having fun. Because that is what brings out the best in you, at work and at home.