Senior water and wastewater engineers help communities and organizations plan, design, and improve the systems that deliver clean water and safely manage wastewater. These experienced professionals lead technical work across treatment plants, pipelines, pump stations, and other critical infrastructure. Explore vetted senior engineering opportunities on Ladders, including roles with salaries of $100,000 or more.
Responsibilities vary by employer and project, but senior engineers commonly evaluate existing systems, develop engineering plans, prepare technical reports, and guide projects from early studies through construction. They may oversee process, civil, or hydraulic design; review calculations and drawings; coordinate permitting; and support construction administration and commissioning. Many roles also involve mentoring engineers and working closely with clients, utilities, contractors, and regulators.
Employers typically seek a degree in civil, environmental, or a related engineering field, along with substantial experience in water or wastewater projects. A Professional Engineer (PE) license is often preferred or required, particularly for roles that involve approving engineering work. Valuable qualifications include knowledge of treatment processes, hydraulic modeling, design standards, regulatory requirements, project management, and technical communication.
Senior water/wastewater engineers work for engineering consultancies, water utilities, public agencies, and infrastructure organizations. Depending on the employer, they may specialize in drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, collection and distribution systems, reuse, stormwater, or resilient infrastructure. Experienced engineers can advance into principal engineer, technical director, department manager, or project executive positions.
Search Ladders for senior water and wastewater engineering roles that match your expertise, location, and career goals. Ladders focuses on vetted professional opportunities paying $100,000 or more, helping experienced engineers explore their next career move.
$87K - $108K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of water and energy utilities by leading proposal development, coordinating resources, and implementing winning strategies. Collaborate with experts to create imp...
1 week ago
Commissioning Senior Project Manager
$120K - $160K *
Engineer the future of critical facility commissioning by leading project teams, managing schedules, and ensuring compliance with design and safety standards. Drive successful project execution throug...
1 week ago
Senior Customer Advocacy Specialist
$92K - $139K *
Elevate your career by leading customer advocacy initiatives that drive engagement and impact. Collaborate cross-functionally to enhance customer relationships and leverage insights for program growth...
3 weeks ago
Regional Sales Manager - Commercial & Industrial Water Treatment
$100K - $120K *
Unlock potential by driving commercial and industrial water treatment sales. Manage customer accounts, develop strategies, and actively participate in trade shows, ensuring robust client relationships...
Reposted today
General Engineer - Direct Hire - SME
$88K - $105K *
Lead investigations into pipeline incidents, ensuring safety and compliance. Collaborate with federal and state agencies to analyze failures and share insights, enhancing national pipeline safety thro...
2 days ago
Mid-Level Grid Interconnection Consultant
$81K - $124K *
Lead the charge in utility planning and advisory projects, focusing on generator interconnection applications, power system studies, and advanced grid evaluations to support clients in optimizing thei...
1 week ago
Regional Sales Manager - Tekmar
$115K - $130K *
Grow your career with a strategic role driving sales in the Upper East USA. Partner with industry leaders to develop innovative solutions, build relationships, and achieve sales targets while enhancin...
3 weeks ago
Project Engineer - Solar and Storage
$95K - $115K *
Lead solar resource assessments and performance analytics for utility-scale projects. Engage with clients, optimize energy yield, and enhance methodologies while ensuring operational excellence in sol...
2 days ago
$148K - $263K *
Champion innovative financial solutions by leading complex OneStream implementations. Collaborate with teams to design scalable architectures, optimize performance, and ensure high-quality deliverable...
Yesterday
$148K - $263K *
Architect high-performance OneStream solutions by translating complex requirements into scalable designs. Lead a team of consultants, ensuring technical quality and optimizing integrations while excee...
1 week ago
Senior Test Automation Engineer
$110K - $130K *
Elevate your career as a Senior Test Automation Engineer, leading testing initiatives, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring software quality through innovative automation strategies...
1 week ago
Transportation Engineer 9-12 (Bridge Inspection Engineer) - Southwest Region
$69K - $123K *
Lead critical bridge inspections and collaborate with engineers to ensure safety and compliance. Engage in emergency responses, prepare detailed reports, and support project scoping within a dynamic t...
2 weeks ago
$110K - $177K *
Lead the charge in software development across a cross-functional team while ensuring quality and technical excellence. Balance hands-on coding with team leadership to deliver high-value applications...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Project Manager lll - Data Center and Mission Critical
$118K - $147K *
Unlock potential by leading cross-functional teams in mission-critical projects. Oversee deliverables, manage client relationships, and drive strategic business development while ensuring project obje...
2 days ago
Transmission Line Project Engineer - Remote
$95K - $115K *
Transform your career by leading high-voltage transmission line projects. Drive technical excellence, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, and ensure project success through effective planning, design...
Yesterday
Senior Electrical Design Engineer
$135K - $180K *
Drive innovative electrical design solutions for high-density compute environments. Collaborate across teams to ensure compliance with industry standards while mentoring junior engineers. Make a signi...
2 weeks ago
$140K - $184K *
Pioneer the development and operational convergence through automation, designing CI/CD pipelines and driving release process efficiency to enhance software delivery across diverse teams and projects...
Reposted yesterday
Senior Workforce Solutions Engineer
$104K - $153K *
Unlock your potential by leading the technical delivery of workforce applications. Collaborate with teams to enhance productivity through automation, AI, and integrations, ensuring secure and efficien...
2 weeks ago
Senior Operational Excellence Manager
$112K - $135K *
Unlock potential by driving continuous improvement initiatives across global operations. Lead and mentor teams to enhance safety, quality, and efficiency while managing large-scale projects and foster...
4 weeks ago
Senior Substation Physical Designer 1 -- Grid
$77K - $118K *
Elevate your career by designing high voltage substations, collaborating with engineers to create detailed drawings and plans. Utilize your expertise in AutoCAD or MicroStation to deliver high-quality...
1 week ago
$130K - $150K *
Transform your career by driving financial strategy and analysis. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance decision-making, optimize reporting tools, and provide insights that shape key busi...
2 weeks ago
$95K - $115K *
Empower innovation as you design complex electrical systems, lead projects, mentor teams, and ensure high-quality deliverables. Collaborate closely with multi-disciplinary teams, utilizing advanced BI...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
$115K - $130K *
Join a team that's dedicated to developing innovative web and cloud applications. In this role, you'll lead projects, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver hi...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$95K - $115K *
Support our Energy Resources team by conducting EMT studies and developing power system models. Collaborate with leadership to enhance staff expertise and deliver high-quality advisory services to cli...
2 weeks ago
$95K - $115K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of energy through advanced EMT modeling and power system studies. Collaborate with leadership to deliver innovative solutions and provide expert guidance to clien...
2 weeks ago
What does a senior water/wastewater engineer do?
A senior water/wastewater engineer plans and leads engineering work for water and wastewater infrastructure. Duties may include treatment process and pipeline design, hydraulic analysis, technical reviews, permitting support, project management, and mentoring engineering teams.
What qualifications are typically required for senior water/wastewater engineer jobs?
Employers commonly require a bachelor's degree in civil, environmental, or a related engineering discipline and significant relevant project experience. A Professional Engineer (PE) license is frequently preferred or required, depending on the position and jurisdiction.
Where do senior water/wastewater engineers work?
They work for engineering consulting firms, water and wastewater utilities, government agencies, and infrastructure companies. Projects can involve treatment facilities, pipelines, pump stations, water reuse, stormwater, and system upgrades.
Do senior water/wastewater engineers need a PE license?
Many senior roles prefer or require a PE license, especially when the engineer is responsible for approving or sealing designs. Requirements vary by employer, project responsibilities, and state or local regulations.
What is the salary for a senior water/wastewater engineer?
Pay varies based on location, experience, licensure, employer, and project scope. Ladders features vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more, including qualifying senior water and wastewater engineering opportunities.