Principal Membrane Bioreactor Process Engineer

Brown and Caldwell (BC) is seeking a Principal Membrane Bioreactor Process Engineer to serve as technical leader in Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) and advanced membrane treatment systems for our municipal wastewater, industrial wastewater, and reuse technical practices. The successful candidate will serve as a Subject Matter Specialist in MBR process engineering, providing strategic technical leadership, driving innovation solutions, developing talent, and supporting business growth across BC.

Who You Are

• A recognized expert in membrane system engineering, with deep technical expertise in MBR design, optimization, and operations, along with familiarity in RO/NF/UF/MF membrane technologies.
• A strong collaborative leader who consistently provides technical strategy, cross-functional teaming, coaching, and communication.
• A strategic thinker with experience in business development, problem solving, innovation, and talent development.
• Equally comfortable guiding internal teams and advising external clients with confidence, humility, and pragmatic solutions.
• Someone who thrives at the intersection of technical excellence, client engagement, and strategic practice leadership.

What You Will Do

Technical Leadership – MBR & Membrane Systems

• Serve as BC national technical leader for MBR systems, leading development and governance of MBR process and design standards, modeling approaches, and best practices.
• Provide deep technical guidance on MBR configurations, including membrane selection, biological process integration, pretreatment strategies, system troubleshooting, and lifecycle optimization.
• Lead technical reviews and risk assessments on complex MBR and membrane projects, driving high‑quality outcomes and consistent technical practices across project teams.
• Support multidisciplinary teams with MBR expertise across concept development, process design, pilot testing, startup/commissioning, performance troubleshooting, and optimization.

Project Delivery Quality & Efficiency

• Support development and evolution of national membrane technical tools, design guidelines, and model scopes to improve delivery efficiency.
• Provide hands-on involvement in strategic and complex projects across all phases—concept, design, execution, commissioning, and operations support.

Client Development & Sales

• Partner with Client Service Teams to serve as client‑facing technical leader for strategic municipal and industrial client opportunities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients and industry partners; identify needs and translate them into winning technical solutions.
• Support competitive positioning by understanding market trends, competitor strengths, and existing and emerging technologies in membrane systems.
• Contribute to proposal development, strategic pursuits, and thought leadership that differentiate BC’s membrane capabilities.

Knowledge Management & Standards

• Lead creation, refinement, and rollout of technical standards for MBR and membrane process engineering.
• Collaborate with National Specialty Leaders to ensure robust SMS governance, competency standards, and performance expectations.
• Champion quality fundamentals across the practice.

Talent Development

• Mentor and develop next-generation membrane and biological process engineers through project engagement, coaching, and formal training.
• Support recruitment efforts and help identify skill gaps and hiring needs across the practice.
• Contribute to training programs for membrane and process engineering.

BC Brand & Industry Leadership

• Elevate BC’s visibility as an industry leader in MBR and membrane treatment through publications, conference participation, strategic messaging, and professional society engagement.
• Support development of strategic conference plans and technical participation across geographies.

Desired Skills & Experience

• B.S. degree in Chemical, Civil, Environmental Engineering, or related field required; M.S. or Ph.D. preferred.
• Minimum 20 years of progressively responsible experience in MBR and membrane treatment system planning, modeling, design, commissioning, troubleshooting, and optimization.
• Proven leadership in delivering complex water/wastewater projects, preferably with municipal and industrial clients.
• Demonstrated experience developing technical standards, coaching staff, and influencing cross-regional technical practices.
• Strong communication skills, including technical writing and public presentation abilities.
• PE license (or ability to obtain within 12 months).
• Demonstrated success in client engagement, business development, and strategic positioning of technical capabilities.

Salary Range: The anticipated starting pay range for this position is based on the employee’s primary work location and may be more or less depending upon skills, experience, and education.  These ranges may be modified in the future.  

Location A: $170,000 - $200,000

Location B: $185,000 - $215,000

Location C: $200,000 - $230,000

You can view which BC location applies to you here. If you have any questions, please speak with your Recruiter. 

Benefits and Other Compensation:  We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee health, performance, and success which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time off and parental leave, paid holidays, 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match, performance-based bonus eligibility, employee referral bonuses, tuition reimbursement, pet insurance and long-term care insurance. Click here to see our full list of benefits. 

About Brown and Caldwell  

Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Brown and Caldwell is a full-service environmental engineering and construction services firm with 50 offices and over 2,100 professionals across North America and the Pacific. For more than 75 years, we have created leading-edge environmental solutions for municipalities, private industry, and government agencies. We strive to be the company of choice—to our clients, who benefit from our passion for delivering exceptional quality, and to our employees, present and future, who share our commitment to client service, collaboration, and innovation. Join us, and you will find a home where you can do your best work, reach new levels of expertise, and enjoy exceptional development opportunities. For more information, visit www.brownandcaldwell.com 

This position is subject to a pre-employment background check and a pre-employment drug test.  

Notice to Third Party Agencies: Brown and Caldwell does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement and approved engagement request with Brown and Caldwell, Brown and Caldwell reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency.   

Brown and Caldwell is proud to be an EEO/AAP Employer. Brown and Caldwell encourages protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, and applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Brown and Caldwell ensures nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.