How to hire a wastewater project engineer

How to hire a wastewater project engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step wastewater project engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a wastewater project engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new wastewater project engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a wastewater project engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the wastewater project engineer you need to hire. Certain wastewater project engineer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A wastewater project engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, wastewater project engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of wastewater project engineers.

   Type of Wastewater Project Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Wastewater Project Engineer	Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry to develop solutions to environmental problems. They are involved in efforts to improve recycling, waste disposal, public health, and water and air pollution control.	$26-50
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62
   Water Resources Engineer	A water resource engineer develops new systems and equipment for a water resource management facility. You will be responsible for dealing with the provision for wastewater and sewage disposal, and prevention of flood damage... Show more	$27-53

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Autocad
   • Pump Stations
   • Data Collection
   • Wastewater Treatment
   • Construction Management
   • EPA
   • Shop Drawings
   • Design Drawings
   • Contract Administration
   • Development Projects
   • M Manuals

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage custom product design & generate all require documentation for both customer and manufacturing groups using AutoCAD rel.
   • Contribute to successful investments in water and energy-from-waste projects in the UK by conducting in-depth project analysis and regulatory due diligence.
   • Contribute to successful investments in water and energy-from-waste projects in the UK by conducting in-depth project analysis and regulatory due diligence.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the wastewater project engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A wastewater project engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a wastewater project engineer in Minnesota may be lower than in Oregon, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level wastewater project engineer. Additionally, a wastewater project engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average wastewater project engineer salary

   $76,181yearly

   $36.63 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level wastewater project engineer salary

   $55,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average wastewater project engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$103,670	$50
   2	Massachusetts	$88,168	$42
   3	California	$85,967	$41
   4	Vermont	$84,450	$41
   5	New Mexico	$83,015	$40
   6	Virginia	$82,653	$40
   7	New Jersey	$82,587	$40
   8	Oklahoma	$82,201	$40
   9	Colorado	$81,989	$39
   10	Texas	$81,942	$39
   11	North Dakota	$81,194	$39
   12	Delaware	$80,627	$39
   13	Georgia	$80,485	$39
   14	Florida	$79,062	$38
   15	Nebraska	$76,583	$37
   16	North Carolina	$75,438	$36
   17	Kansas	$74,813	$36
   18	Wisconsin	$68,226	$33
   19	Minnesota	$67,524	$32
   20	Indiana	$67,440	$32

   Average wastewater project engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	EMA	$129,488	$62.25
   2	CDM Smith	$83,627	$40.21	41
   3	HDR	$82,328	$39.58	36
   4	Arcadis	$82,323	$39.58	46
   5	AECOM	$81,816	$39.33	89
   6	Gannett Fleming	$80,857	$38.87	7
   7	Huitt-Zollars	$79,886	$38.41	1
   8	Olsson	$79,297	$38.12	38
   9	Black & Veatch	$78,826	$37.90	44
   10	Timmons Group	$78,263	$37.63	8
   11	Century Engineering	$76,568	$36.81
   12	Cp&y, Inc.	$76,300	$36.68
   13	Lochmueller Group	$76,161	$36.62	2
   14	Ruekert & Mielke	$76,077	$36.58	8
   15	JEO Consulting Group	$75,853	$36.47	16
   16	CES	$75,608	$36.35
   17	Lkb Consulting Engineers	$75,608	$36.35
   18	McCarthy Holdings, Inc.	$75,560	$36.33
   19	The Foth Companies	$75,475	$36.29	18
   20	Murraysmith	$75,312	$36.21

4. Writing a wastewater project engineer job description

   A good wastewater project engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a wastewater project engineer job description:

   Wastewater project engineer job description example

   Dewberry | Hydro has an immediate opening for an Engineer experienced in water and wastewater engineering for our growing Jacksonville, FL office. This is an excellent career opportunity for an enthusiastic and talented individual to become part of an exciting team of professionals working in a great environment and applying the latest technology. Typical projects involve helping local, state, and regional clients solve complex water and wastewater challenges.
   
   Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more than 50 locations and 2,000 professionals nationwide. What sets us apart from our competitors are our people. At Dewberry, we seek out exceptional talent and strive to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Whether you're an experienced professional or a new graduate, you'll have the chance to collaborate with the best and brightest and work on innovative and complex projects at the forefront of the industry. Our commitment to excellence stems from our personal integrity and from other defining attributes, which we call "Dewberry at Work," that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century.
   
   The successful candidate will collaborate and work within multi-disciplined teams for the planning, evaluation and design of water and wastewater system improvements, including: pump stations, pipelines, storage tanks, and small community water and wastewater treatment facilities.
   + Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, environmental or chemical engineering or related field.
   
   + 5-10 years of experience in water/wastewater analysis, design, permitting, and construction administration.
   
   + Florida PE License is required.
   
   + Specific experience for municipal water and wastewater system projects such as preparing reports, performing calculations, preparing design documents and performing construction services for pipeline/pump station/plant projects.
   
   + Project management or deputy project management or design team leadership experience
   
   + Strong writing and communication skills
   
   + Experience coordinating engineering and interfacing with other disciplines as needed.
   
   + Experience interfacing with clients.
   
   *At this time, Dewberry will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization.
   
   *Dewberry is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.
   
   *Only recipients of an offer of employment from Dewberry, will be required to submit to a background screening which may include, but is not limited to, employment verification, educational and other credential verification, driving record check, criminal background check, and an investigative consumer report. These screenings will be conducted by Dewberry's background vendor of choice and will be conducted in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law.
   
   #LI-KR1
   
   ID: 10940
   
   Relocation Bonus Eligible: No
   
   Service Line: IES
   
   External Company URL: www.dewberry.com
   
   Street: 7220 Financial Way, Suite 200

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find wastewater project engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your wastewater project engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit wastewater project engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit wastewater project engineers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new wastewater project engineer

   Once you've found the wastewater project engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new wastewater project engineer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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