U.S. Water, Wastewater & Desalination Jobs – Engineering & Technical Careers
Industry OverviewWater and wastewater treatment, along with desalination, are critical infrastructure sectors in the U.S., ensuring safe drinking water, industrial process water, and environmental compliance. These systems support municipal utilities, industrial facilities, and commercial operations by treating, purifying, and managing water resources efficiently and sustainably.
At Industrial Recruitment Group (IRG), we connect skilled professionals with organizations that design, operate, and maintain water and wastewater systems, including desalination plants, treatment facilities, and industrial water systems. We provide recruitment services across the full lifecycle — engineering, operations, maintenance, and commercial roles — ensuring companies have the right talent to optimize system performance, efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
Key Industries Served - We recruit for sectors that rely on water, wastewater, and desalination systems:
- Municipal Utilities: Drinking water treatment, wastewater management, sludge processing- Industrial & Manufacturing: Process water treatment, cooling water systems, wastewater management- Food & Beverage: Water purification, wastewater recycling, sanitation compliance- Pharmaceutical & Biotech: Ultrapure water systems, sterile water generation, effluent treatment- Power & Energy: Cooling water systems, desalination for power plants, process water treatment- Desalination Facilities: Brackish water and seawater desalination plants (RO & thermal processes)- Commercial Facilities: Water reuse, stormwater management, building water systems
Equipment & Systems We Cover - Our recruitment expertise spans all critical equipment and systems used in water, wastewater, and desalination applications:
- Pumps & Turbomachinery: Centrifugal pumps, submersible pumps, booster systems, turbines- Filtration & Separation: Sand filters, membrane filters, ultrafiltration, microfiltration, clarifiers- Chemical Treatment Systems: Dosing pumps, chemical storage, neutralization, disinfection systems- Piping & Distribution Systems: Process piping, manifolds, skid-mounted systems- Instrumentation & Controls: PLCs, SCADA, sensors, monitoring systems- Desalination Equipment: Reverse osmosis, thermal distillation, electrodialysis systems- Aeration & Biological Treatment: Diffusers, blowers, activated sludge systems- Sludge Handling & Waste Management: Centrifuges, belt presses, digesters, dewatering systems- Support & Ancillary Equipment: Storage tanks, valves, heat exchangers, energy recovery systems
Roles We Recruit - We recruit across technical, operational, and commercial functions in water, wastewater, and desalination:
- Engineering & Design: Civil, Mechanical, Process, Environmental Engineers- Projects & Commissioning: Project Managers, Site Engineers, Commissioning Technicians- Operations & Maintenance: Plant Operators, Process Technicians, Maintenance Supervisors- Commercial & Sales: Technical Sales Engineers, Account Managers, Product Specialists- Health, Safety & Quality: HSE Advisors, Quality Engineers, Compliance Officers- Leadership & Executive: Plant Managers, Operations Directors, Engineering Managers
Future Trends & Outlook - The U.S. water and wastewater sector is evolving with a focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and advanced treatment technologies:
- Energy Efficiency: Pump optimization, variable-speed drives, heat recovery in treatment systems- Smart Water Systems: IoT-enabled monitoring, predictive maintenance, real-time process control- Sustainability & Water Reuse: Greywater recycling, stormwater capture, industrial water reuse- Advanced Treatment Technologies: Membrane filtration, desalination, chemical-free disinfection- Regulatory Compliance: Stricter EPA and state-level water quality and discharge standards- Health, Safety & Compliance (U.S.)
IRG recruits professionals familiar with U.S. water and wastewater regulations:
- EPA: Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), Clean Water Act (CWA), NPDES discharge permits- OSHA: Worker safety in water and wastewater operations- AWWA & WEF Standards: Design, operation, maintenance best practices- NFPA / ASME / ANSI: Pressure vessels, piping, mechanical compliance- State & Local Codes: Drinking water, wastewater discharge, desalination compliance
Key Employers & Industry Leaders - We connect professionals with leading U.S. and multinational organizations in water, wastewater, and desalination. Here are some industry leaders:
- Utilities & Municipal Operators: Veolia Water, Suez Water Technologies, American Water, Aqua America- Equipment & OEMs: Xylem, Grundfos, Pentair, Danfoss, Flowserve, Evoqua Water Technologies- Service & EPC Firms: Turnkey treatment contractors, maintenance providers, water system integrators
Skills & Competencies - Professionals we recruit typically have expertise in:
- Water and wastewater system design, operation, optimization- Desalination plant operations, membrane technologies- Pumping systems, aeration, sludge management- PLC, SCADA, instrumentation integration- Energy efficiency, sustainability in water systems- Regulatory compliance (EPA, OSHA, AWWA, state/local codes)- Technical sales, project management, commissioning
Why Industrial Recruitment Group? At IRG, we understand the U.S. water, wastewater, and desalination sectors, and the technical, operational, and regulatory challenges companies face. We connect employers with professionals who can improve system efficiency, ensure regulatory compliance, and optimize operation.
