Associate Project Director - Water Infrastructure Long Beach, San Diego, Oakland
Regular, Full-Time
Hybrid
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 authorities on complex, heavy civil infrastructure projects?
Lead with a team of experienced leadersTo support 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 projects -including major dam and water conveyance programs such as the Anderson Dam project - while helping position COWI for upcoming pursuits across the Los Angeles / Long Beach region.
Your key responsibilities will be to:
- 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
Your skills. Our team. Together we design the futureLike us, you believe that leadership growth comes from setting a clear and meaningful direction for your team and supporting them in taking ownership of their work. You always delegate responsibility and ensure an open and safe dialogue, and you coach your people to achieve their aspirations through constructive, fact-based feedback. Attracting and nurturing a diverse group of high-potential team members is at the top of your agenda, as is creating an inclusive, caring, and trusting culture in your team.
On top of that, you will have:
- 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
A place to work and so much moreAt 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.
With offices primarily located in the Nordic region, the UK, North America and India, we are currently more than 7,500 people who bring their expertise in engineering, architecture, energy and environment into play.
What we also offer:Being part of the COWI community offers more than just a competitive salary. We take care of our people both professionally and personally.
Some of our benefits include:
Flexible working arrangement | Top-up parental and childbirth recovery leave | Fantastic close-knit team with a wealth of knowledge to share | Full time hires get 5 weeks vacation to start | Floating holiday to celebrate employee diversity | Paid sick leave | Annual fitness subsidy - yes, you can use this for a 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
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.
Got more questions?Get to know us even better at our website, www.cowi.com, where you can learn more about our projects, our strategy, what we want to achieve and what life is like at COWI.
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