Water Treatment Plant Project Manager

About the role

GHD is looking for a hands-on leader to run day-to-day operations at a 24/7 water treatment facility in Questa, New Mexico. This isn't a desk job. You'll manage the operations team and the compliance team, drive commissioning and troubleshooting, and treat the whole operation like a project with a schedule, a budget, and a bar to clear every single day. If you've got the chemistry chops, the leadership instincts, and the grit to run a plant that never sleeps, we want to talk to you.

Responsibilities

• Manage and lead the plant's operations team across 24/7, two-shift coverage
• Oversee the compliance team and ensure the facility consistently meets discharge and regulatory requirements
• Run the operation like a project — schedule, budget, resourcing, and performance all on you
• Lead commissioning activities and troubleshoot process and equipment issues as they arise
• Own day-to-day performance of chemical treatment processes, including coagulation, lime softening, chemical precipitation, clarification, and filtration
• Build and mentor a strong, accountable team culture — this role needs a genuine team player, not just a boss
• Partner with client and project leadership to keep the site running safely, compliantly, and efficiently

Requirements

• 10–15+ years of experience in water/wastewater treatment operations
• Strong working knowledge of chemical water treatment processes — coagulation, lime softening, chemical precipitation, clarification, and filtration
• Proven experience managing people and managing projects — you can run a team and a P&L-style operation at once
• Commissioning experience on treatment facilities
• Strong troubleshooting instincts — process, mechanical, and people problems alike
• A genuine passion for water treatment and doing the work right
• Operator's license strongly preferred
• PE preferred, not required
• OSHA 30 or similar safety certification a plus
• Team-first mindset with the leadership presence to run a 24/7 operation

Location

Questa, New Mexico — a legacy mine site treatment facility, part of a major long-term contract.

Benefits

• 401K — Employees are eligible to participate on the first day of the month following 3 months of service
• Paid time off — PTO starts at 16 days per year and increases with years of service (covers rest, sick, and personal time)
• Holiday pay — GHD observes 9 holidays per year; pay based on the employee's regular set schedule
• Wellness Benefit — Regular full-term employees eligible for 50% reimbursement up to $250 annually for: health club membership fees, home exercise equipment purchases, bicycles, race/run/marathon entrance fees, smoking cessation programs, weight loss programs (e.g., Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig), Fitbits and fitness tracking devices

Pay

Salary Range: $94,000.00 - $156,750.00, varies based on experience and location.