Southern California Water Treatment and Reuse Leader

About the role

The Southern California Water Treatment and Reuse Leader is a key role within HDR’s growing Southern California Water Business Group. This position will help to develop and implement strategies for increasing HDR’s share of the water treatment market in Southern California and supporting the reuse market growth across California and the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and delivery for drinking water and potable reuse (IPR/DPR) pursuits and projects across SoCal; grow client accounts and win work.
• Guide advanced treatment process selection and design (UF/MF, RO/NF, UV/AOP, GAC/IX), pilots, and commissioning; troubleshoot operations and optimize performance.
• Build, mentor, and scale multidisciplinary teams; partner with technical directors on QA/QC and design excellence.
• Shape market presence through speaking, publishing, and committee leadership (AWWA, WateReuse, CWEA/WEF).
• Coordinate programmatic delivery (design-build/CMAR/progressive design-build), asset management, and digital enablement (SCADA, data analytics, digital twins).
• Support clients with funding strategy (WIFIA/SRF/grants), regulatory readiness (e.g., LCRR, PFAS compliance), and capital planning.

Requirements

• 10 years experience in water treatment design
• PE
• Proven industry leadership
• Team leadership experience
• CA experience is preferred but the right candidate can relocate for the role
• Seller-doer capability: client development, proposal leadership, and strategic positioning

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a Professional, Architecture, Engineering or closely related field
• Committed to quality, improvement and HDR values
• Maintains a professional or engineering registration and has related technical experience
• Experienced in development and management of diverse teams
• Works cooperatively with other area business class leaders, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts

Skills

• Advanced water treatment expertise (UF/MF, RO/NF, UV/AOP, GAC/IX), pilots/commissioning, and process optimization

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success, which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time away, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement.

Pay

The expected compensation range for this position depends upon skills, experience, education and geographical location. (Stated benefits are for full-time regular positions. Temporary and part-time roles eligible for limited benefits.)

Schedule

Hybrid flexibility (3 days per week in a Southern California office unless at a client site) with primary offices and clients across Los Angeles, Ventura, Long Beach, Claremont, Riverside, Irvine, and San Diego; periodic regional and national travel.

Location

Primary Location: United States-California-Irvine
Other Locations: United States-California-Los Angeles, United States-California-Rancho Cucamonga, United States-California-San Diego, United States-California-Ventura, United States-California-Riverside