PFAS Water Treatment Technical Specialist

PFAS Water Treatment Technical Specialist

HDR | Posted Feb 21, 2026 | Full-time | Negotiable | Advanced (5-10 yrs)

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.

• 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.

• 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 (Water
  
  CAD, Bio Win, GPS‑X, MATLAB, Python, etc.).
• Record of innovation in treatment process development…