Engineer C (Process Engr) - Austin Water

Job Description

About This Position

ABOUT AUSTIN WATER:
For over 100 years, Austin Water has been committed to providing safe, reliable, high-quality, and affordable water services to our customers. Today, we serve over 1,000,000 people in the Austin metropolitan area, across more than 548 square miles. The utility draws water from the Colorado River into three regional water treatment plants, Handcox, Davis, and Ullrich, which have a combined capacity of 335 million gallons per day. Austin Water has two wastewater treatment plants, Walnut Creek and South Austin Regional, that can receive up to 150 million gallons per day of sewage to treat. Wastewater is cleaned into high-quality effluent that is safely returned to the Colorado River to augment environmental flows. More than a billion gallons of this high-quality effluent are reclaimed each year for outdoor irrigation, industrial cooling, manufacturing, and other uses.
Austin Water consistently ranks among the best in the country when it comes to water quality. We also treat, return, and recycle wastewater in ways that protect environmental resources. Austin Water exceeds federal and state requirements for clean water and environmental compliance at our water and wastewater treatment plants.

Job Description:
Engineer C
Purpose:
Under minimal supervision with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment, this position performs highly complex engineering functions that include designing, planning, and overseeing work in support of construction, maintenance, and alteration of structures, facilities, processes, equipment, and systems.
Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:
Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.
Approves, processes, and seals plans, specifications, or construction documents by applying engineering standardization of practices and principles of highly technical and complex calculations for applied discipline within Local and State regulatory requirements.
Manages engineering projects that are technically complex, highly visible, priority projects or programs. These projects require a high level of technical proficiency as well as coordinative and administrative responsibility.
Identifies, evaluates, and provides improvement recommendations with preliminary and final designs and design criteria for assigned program or projects that may be complex and non-routine. Assists in the preparation of preliminary and long-range plans, schedules, estimates, budgets, detailed final plans, specifications, special conditions, and agreements. Provides technical oversight of project progress from design through completion.
Develops cost estimates, tracks expenditures, and prepares cost estimates and engineering and feasibility reports and studies for projects. Prepares and assists with preliminary contract documents, specifications, and plans. Prepares final plans, specifications, special conditions, and agreements and coordinates and oversees work of contractors, affected public agencies, and utilities. Writes complex technical specifications for construction contracts.
Reviews plans and approves permits by applying complex engineering standardization of practices and principles for applied discipline within Local and State regulatory requirements.
Inspects and monitors projects for legal compliance by reviewing work completed by contractors and ensuring compliance to specifications by completing complex calculations that are used to further provide analysis of preliminary results of a project.
Develops cost estimates or tracks expenditures by reviewing and writing contract change orders in the area of technical expertise and negotiates and recommends financial arrangements for changes to contract.
Leads, as necessary, activities of a design team in the preparation of preliminary and long-range plans, schedules, estimates, budgets, detail final construction plans, specifications, and agreements.
Conducts field inspections of work done by contractors to ensure compliance with plans and specifications. Drafts and recommends approval of contract change orders.
Researches and performs statistical analysis for validation of reports and publication of results in various communication formats.
Develops standard operating procedures, policies, and ordinances for various contracts or projects. May provide analysis and recommendation of performance of various personnel assigned by contract or projects.
Is responsible for designing and maintain database systems for project or program areas.
Prepares and delivers presentations to public, City Council, or customers.
Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:
May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.
Knowledge of diversified, fundamental scientific and civil engineering concepts, phenomena, and relationships, and utilize such changes in solution of theoretical or practical civil engineering problems.
Knowledge of advanced mathematical techniques such as trigonometry, calculus, and coordinate geometry.
Knowledge of modern methods, materials, and techniques of assigned discipline.
Knowledge of one or more of the following disciplines: Civil, Environmental, Structural, Architectural, Mechanical, and/or Electrical engineering terminology and techniques.
Knowledge of City of Austin purchasing and contract policies and procedures.
Knowledge of applicability of established engineering principles and methods.
Knowledge of phases of the plans review and inspections processes.
Knowledge of preparation of cost estimates and engineering and feasibility reports.
Knowledge of regulatory requirements within Local and State ordinances and laws.
Skill in oral and written technical or general communication including preparation of written reports.
Skill in negotiations and handling conflict resolution.
Ability to perform more complex engineering computations, calculus, geometry, and trigonometry, rapidly and accurately.
Ability to interpret and explain maps and other related documents.
Ability to interpret and make decisions not within established policies and practices.
Ability to coordinate the efforts of a multi-discipline, multi-agency project team to complete a defined assignment or CIP.
Ability to communicate and provide direction to peers and assigned personnel.
Ability to organize, analyze, interpret, and evaluate scientific civil engineering problems and provide practical, cost-effective solutions.
Ability to observe, compare, or monitor objects and data to determine compliance with prescribed operating or safety standards.
Ability to use graphic instructions, such as blueprints, schematic drawings, layouts, or other visual aids.
Ability to use a personal computer, engineering applications, and data management software.
Minimum Qualifications:
Graduation with a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Engineering or in a field related to the job, plus eight (8) years of engineering experience acquired before and/or after licensing as a professional engineer.
Licenses and Certifications Required:
Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the State of Texas; or if currently licensed in another state, must have the ability to obtain a Texas P.E. license within six (6) months of employment.
Preferred Experience:
Bachelor or higher of Science in Civil, Environmental, Water Resources Engineering or related field.
Experience or knowledge in water or wastewater treatment processes.
Experience or knowledge in design, construction, and/or operation of water or wastewater treatment plants.
Experience or knowledge in water or wastewater regulatory compliance and reporting.
Experience with technical writing and presenting to a wide range of technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Experience building, calibrating, and analyzing process models using Sumo, BioWin, and/or GPS-X.
Familiarity with biological nutrient removal (BNR) principles and techniques in municipal wastewater treatment.
Ability to learn from and collaborate with peers.
Ability to travel to more than one work location.

Notes to Candidate:
Position Overview:
Austin Water's Process Engineering team supports the reliable and efficient operation of our wastewater treatment facilities. We work closely with plant Operations staff to troubleshoot treatment process issues, improve performance, maintain regulatory compliance, and identify opportunities to reduce energy and chemical usage while strengthening plant resiliency.

This is a hands-on engineering role that combines technical analysis with time spent in the treatment plants. Approximately 25% of the position's time is spent in the field, working directly with operators to understand process challenges, evaluate operating conditions, and implement improvements. Other responsibilities include analyzing process data, optimizing biological nutrient removal, evaluating treatment technologies, supporting regulatory compliance, and contributing to capital improvement projects in a technical review role.

Our team works on a wide range of challenges involving wastewater treatment processes, equipment, operating strategies, and strategic long-term facility performance. This position offers the opportunity to apply engineering principles to real-world problems, collaborate with experienced operators and engineers, and see the results of your work in the performance of our facilities. You'll have the opportunity to work with a diverse range of wastewater treatment technologies, contribute to high-profile and innovative projects, and collaborate with some of the industry's leading en