PFAS Water Treatment Technical Specialist - HDR (Job)

Location: Charlotte, NC

Full-time Position

Closing Date: April 16, 2026

Salary Range: $0.00 - $0.00

Posted: March 16, 2026

Description:

We are seeking a PFAS Water Treatment Technical Specialist to support HDR’s industrial water, landfill leachate and remediation practices. The role has a senior responsibility level and will support PFAS treatment design, pilot testing, system optimization, and integration with industrial, solid waste and remediation projects across HDR’s multidisciplinary teams.
 

Primary Responsibilities

  • Provide strong technical expertise in PFAS treatment, industrial wastewater processes, and remediation system integration.
  • Lead bench-scale and pilot-scale treatability studies, including adsorption, foam fractionation and membrane performance, AOP evaluation, destruction technologies,  residuals management and hydraulic stress testing.
  • Conduct field diagnostics, process optimization, mass-balance evaluations, and full-scale performance validation for industrial and remediation systems.
  • Support and provide subject matter expertise.
  • Perform data analytics and modeling to support treatment design, including breakthrough analysis, fouling assessments, reactor sizing, and lifecycle cost evaluations.
  • Prepare technical reports addressing PFAS feasibility studies, industrial wastewater characterization, remedial technology selection, and regulatory compliance.
  • Mentor team and contribute to technical leadership within related professional organizations including committees, papers and conference presentations and panels.
  • Execute complex engineering assignments requiring independent judgment and advanced process evaluation.
  • Make key technical decisions related to PFAS treatment configuration, concentrate management, and integration with remediation systems.
  • Serve as a Technical Specialist or Project Manager on mid-size industrial water, landfill leachate and remediation projects.
  • Supervise small teams in laboratory testing, field investigations, pilot deployment, and system startup.
  • Perform additional duties supporting industrial water treatment and site remediation programs. Promote and collaborate with HDR practice groups.  
  • Leverage HDR’s performance metric tools to monitor the health (direct labor, bookings, and project losses) of your business class to help drive the success of the RBG.
  • Support development and application of remediation technical tools, technology, standards, recommended practices and techniques to enhance service quality and efficiency.  
  • Perform other duties as requested

Skills/Eligibility:

Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering or closely related Engineering field
  • A minimum of 10 years of experience in remedial investigation, design and implementation of remedial actions, as well as some project management experience
  • Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
  • Experience with Microsoft Office applications (including Access, Excel, Word)
  • Excellent communication skills are essential
  • Experience with soil and groundwater remedial technologies is preferred
  • An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

 

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in Environmental, Chemical, Civil, or related engineering field (Bachelor’s acceptable with significant experience).
  • Experience with landfill leachate, industrial wastewater, or contaminated groundwater with PFAS process engineering.
  • Demonstrated expertise in water chemistry, industrial wastewater and landfill leachate treatment, PFAS technologies, statistical analysis, and data interpretation.
  • Experience supporting engineering deliverables for treatment plants, pump stations, distribution/collection systems, and remediation treatment systems meeting scope, schedule and budgets.
  • Experience with soil remedial technologies is preferred.
  • Strong decision-making ability and accountability for technical outcomes.
  • Experience coordinating multidisciplinary and geographically distributed teams.
  • Demonstrated leadership in defining and delivering concept to operational systems for clients.
  • Active participation in professional organizations (WEF, AWWA, SWANA, NGWA, SERDP/ESTCP, etc.).
  • Advanced experience with PFAS treatment technologies (e.g., IX, GAC, membranes, foam fractionation, destruction technologies).
  • Pilot-scale system design, deployment, and performance evaluation experience.
  • Expertise in site remediation technologies (e.g., GWET, ISCO/ISCR, thermal remediation, PFAS mass-removal strategies).
  • Experience developing conceptual site models and performing fate-and-transport evaluations.
  • Experience with both public and private clients.
  • Familiarity with CERCLA, RCRA, and state cleanup programs.
  • Proficiency with process modeling tools (WaterCAD, BioWin, GPS-X, MATLAB, Python, etc.).
  • Record of innovation in treatment process development or applied research.
  • Participation in technical committees or research collaborations related to emerging contaminants.

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