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.
Senior Constructability Manager
$150K - $185K *
Join a dynamic team to evaluate and enhance data center construction feasibility. Leverage your expertise to assess sites, identify risks, and influence project decisions, ensuring efficient and safe...
3 weeks ago
$100K - $120K *
Drive the development and integration of advanced nuclear energy systems by applying systems engineering methods to translate objectives into clear, verifiable requirements and solutions, while collab...
2 weeks ago
Senior Project Manager - Network Infrastructure Design & Standards
$120K - $145K *
Lead the charge in shaping network infrastructure standards for data centers. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure compliance and excellence in design, construction, and acceptance of tel...
1 week ago
$120K - $145K *
Lead the financial planning and analysis function, establishing processes and insights to support divisional leadership. Drive strategic financial decisions and enhance operational efficiency while ma...
1 week ago
$110K - $130K *
Champion innovative EBOS design solutions for utility-scale solar projects, ensuring compliance, manufacturability, and cost-efficiency while mentoring junior engineers and collaborating cross-functio...
1 week ago
Enterprise Implementation Consultant - Public Sector
$88K - $119K *
Lead the charge in transforming public sector operations by deploying IoT solutions. Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure customer success and drive efficiency, safety, and sustainability across g...
1 week ago
Compliance Specialist Air Quality
$87K - $99K *
Transform air quality compliance by leveraging your expertise in permitting and regulatory analysis. Collaborate with clients to develop solutions for emission sources, ensuring adherence to environme...
1 week ago
Lead Electrical Specialist 1 - Construction Management
$118K - $180K *
Shape the future of power generation by overseeing electrical systems' performance, reliability, and safety. Collaborate with teams to manage maintenance, troubleshooting, and improvements across dive...
2 weeks ago
Hazardous Waste Compliance Team Lead (Environmental Specialist 5)
$76K - $102K *
Lead the charge in hazardous waste compliance efforts, guiding a team of inspectors to ensure adherence to regulations, enhance program integrity, and address emerging challenges across diverse sector...
2 weeks ago
Senior Virtualization Engineer (Azure + VMWare)
$120K - $145K *
Engineer and optimize virtualization infrastructure, ensuring seamless operation and support for Azure and VMWare environments. Collaborate with teams to enhance performance, troubleshoot issues, and...
3 weeks ago
$150K - $180K *
Accelerate progress at a dynamic organization by leading a talented engineering team. Drive innovation in AI-assisted software development for healthcare solutions, ensuring quality, security, and ope...
2 days ago
Senior Project Manager, Data Centers - Remote (U.S.)
$110K - $130K *
Unlock potential by leading complex data center projects, managing $5M-$8M in revenue, and ensuring successful execution across teams. Collaborate globally with clients and stakeholders while driving...
2 weeks ago
Construction Project Management Director
$140K - $160K *
Lead our initiatives in designing and constructing innovative water and carbon capture facilities globally. Collaborate across teams to ensure project success within budget and timeline while promotin...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$168K - $214K *
Join a dynamic team to build innovative on-vehicle communication frameworks and enhance autonomous vehicle safety through advanced software solutions and monitoring systems...
6 days ago
$105K - $140K *
Join a team that's dedicated to designing and maintaining robust network infrastructures. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure high-performance connectivity for our 24x7 operations, lever...
Reposted 2 days ago
Senior Underwriter (Excess Petroleum)
$93K - $116K *
Join a team that's redefining insurance underwriting by evaluating petroleum distribution applications, determining coverage levels, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Leverage your expe...
4 weeks ago
Construction Manager Central Engineering - Corporate
$110K - $130K *
Manage and oversee construction projects, ensuring safety and efficiency while coordinating resources, schedules, and budgets. Collaborate with teams to drive project success from planning through exe...
6 days ago
Senior Consultant Defense & Security Internal Controls & Fraud
$89K - $148K *
Lead the charge in enhancing risk management and compliance by driving internal control improvements, managing teams, and engaging clients to deliver actionable insights and high-quality outputs in a...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$140K - $165K *
Contribute to governance, risk, and compliance initiatives, leading audit remediation for SOC 2, TISAX, and DORA. Drive proactive risk management and maintain stakeholder confidence through transparen...
6 days ago
Commissioning Project Engineer
$100K - $120K *
Pioneer innovative commissioning processes while collaborating with diverse teams. Oversee project execution, ensuring compliance with ASHRAE, CSA, and LEED standards. Drive technical excellence acros...
3 weeks ago
Broadband Engineering Consultant (Remote)
$69K - $100K *
Unlock potential by supporting broadband consulting for public-sector clients. Leverage your technical expertise in network design and analysis to guide municipalities and state offices in effective t...
Reposted 3 days ago
$95K - $115K *
Transform acquisition support for DHS by leveraging expertise in cost analysis, ensuring fair pricing, and enhancing proposal evaluations. Collaborate with stakeholders to deliver high-quality financi...
1 week ago
Sr Project Engineer (SRM) (Remote Option Available)
$95K - $125K *
Lead and coordinate engineering projects, ensuring technical quality and compliance. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions while managing resources, schedules, and bu...
1 month ago
Senior Financial Analyst (Operations)
$66K - $105K *
Help us optimize financial performance through advanced analysis and modeling. Collaborate with business leaders on budgeting, forecasting, and strategic initiatives, providing insights to drive reven...
Reposted 1 week ago
$90K - $110K *
Advance your career by overseeing inventory accounting and cost analysis, ensuring accurate financial reporting and collaboration across teams. Drive efficiency and automation while maintaining high s...
4 days 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.