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How to hire a wastewater treatment engineer

Wastewater treatment engineer hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring wastewater treatment engineers in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a wastewater treatment engineer is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new wastewater treatment engineer to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a wastewater treatment engineer, step by step

To hire a wastewater treatment engineer, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a wastewater treatment engineer, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step wastewater treatment 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 treatment engineer job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new wastewater treatment engineer
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you post your wastewater treatment engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a wastewater treatment engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A wastewater treatment engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, wastewater treatment 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 treatment engineers.

    Type of Wastewater Treatment EngineerDescriptionHourly rate
    Wastewater Treatment EngineerEnvironmental 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.$19-66
    EngineerEngineers 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 EngineerA 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
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Process Design
    • Design Drawings
    • Water Treatment Plant
    • Capital Projects
    • Autocad
    • Water Treatment Systems
    Responsibilities:
    • Develop process models for existing and propose wastewater treatment plants using BioWin and GPS-X modeling platforms
    • Monitor potable pilot plant for chlorination/dechlorination technologies including ozone, UV, chlorine gas/liquid emulsions, and peroxide.
    • Develop system sequence and interlock definition documentation for support of operating procedures and DCS system development.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your wastewater treatment engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A wastewater treatment engineer salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, wastewater treatment engineers' average salary in hawaii is 49% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level wastewater treatment engineers earn 70% less than senior-level wastewater treatment engineers.
    • Certifications. A wastewater treatment engineer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a wastewater treatment engineer's salary.

    Average wastewater treatment engineer salary

    $75,324yearly

    $36.21 hourly rate

    Entry-level wastewater treatment engineer salary
    $41,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 24, 2026
  4. Writing a wastewater treatment engineer job description

    A wastewater treatment engineer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a wastewater treatment engineer job description:

    Wastewater treatment engineer job description example

    The position supports delivery of public sector wastewater facility planning and design projects. In your role you will evaluate, model, design, and support startup and operation of public sector wastewater treatment facilities. In particular, your expertise in and understanding of wastewater treatment processes guides the design of these important facilities. You will evaluate appropriate biological, physical, and chemical processes and optimization opportunities utilizing models such as BioWin, Sumo,GPS-X, and clarifier 2Dc. You will support various types of wastewater field sampling and analysis efforts for operations support and model calibration.

    In addition, you will support projects as a critical part of the design team, a design lead, a task manager, and/or a project manager. You will prepare facility assessment and design reports, perform design calculations, perform process and/or hydraulic modeling, select and size equipment, prepare design documents and construction documents, support construction phase services both in office and in the field. Field work and site visits from planning through construction may require occasional travel. You will support and mentor junior engineers and will be supported by multiple senior mentors on projects and local and regional office leadership.

    Qualifications and Skills

    Required

    • Good verbal and written communication skills
    • BioWin, Sumo and/or GPS-X process models
    • Multiple years following PE licensure of documented design experience for water/wastewater facilities projects
    • Experience working on and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams in roles including Task Manager and/or Design Lead
    • Experience supervising, coordinating and reviewing work by junior and technical staff
    • Ability to estimate workload and develop schedules
    • Engagement with professional societies and similar organizations by participating in meetings and conferences
    • Proficient in standard software platforms (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite, Bluebeam, etc.)
    • Strong organizational skills

    Preferred

    • Experience serving as Project Manager for water/wastewater facility projects
    • Engagement in professional society leadership roles
    • Experience supporting proposal preparation and participating in interviews
    • Experience communicating and coordinating with clients
    • Experience mentoring junior and technical staff
    • Experience delivering water and/or wastewater facility projects from preliminary design through construction
    • Familiarity with CADD, GIS, Revit, and/or other software
    • Field sampling and analysis

    Education

    Required

    • Bachelor of Science degree in engineering
    • Texas PE or licensed PE in another state with ability to obtain Texas PE within 12 months of start date

    Preferred

    • Bachelor of Science degree in Civil, Environmental, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering
    • Masters degree in Engineering
  5. Post your job

    To find wastewater treatment engineers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any wastewater treatment engineers they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level wastewater treatment engineers with the right educational background.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your wastewater treatment engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit wastewater treatment 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 treatment 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.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 treatment engineer

    Once you have selected a candidate for the wastewater treatment engineer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

    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.

    To prepare for the new wastewater treatment engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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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How much does it cost to hire a wastewater treatment engineer?

Hiring a wastewater treatment engineer comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting wastewater treatment engineers involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of wastewater treatment engineer recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

Wastewater treatment engineers earn a median yearly salary is $75,324 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find wastewater treatment engineers for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $19 and $66.

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