[Hiring] Design Task Leader / Senior Project Manager @Ardurra

Role Description

Ardurra is looking to hire an experienced Design Task Leader / Senior Project Manager to support desalination projects in Texas! Ideally this position is based in Texas, or near one of our current office locations, but we are open to candidates based anywhere in the United States!

This major seawater desalination project is a once-in-a-generation water supply program and is poised to be one of the largest desalination facilities in the United States, representing a significant advancement in Texas water infrastructure. This project will be studied, analyzed, and referenced for decades to come as an opportunity to help define how coastal cities solve water scarcity in the U.S.

This is a high-visibility leadership opportunity for a proven senior professional who can drive project execution, lead technical teams, build trusted client relationships, and help grow Ardurra’s desalination practice in Texas and nationally.

The Design Task Leader / Senior Project Manager leads the full lifecycle delivery of complex desalination and advanced treatment projects, with full accountability for scope, schedule, budget, quality, and client outcomes.

This role requires deep experience in seawater or brackish desalination and oversight of key systems including:

• Pretreatment
• Reverse osmosis
• Post-treatment
• Concentrate management

The primary objective of this role is to deliver exceptional client outcomes on technically complex desalination projects while strengthening Ardurra’s technical leadership, client presence, and long-term growth in the desalination sector.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Environmental, Chemical, Mechanical, or related Engineering field
• 15–30+ years of experience in water infrastructure project delivery, with significant experience in desalination and/or advanced treatment
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required or ability to obtain reciprocity as needed
• Demonstrated success leading large, complex, multidisciplinary design projects for municipal, utility, or industrial clients
• Strong experience with one or more of the following:
  • Seawater reverse osmosis
  • Brackish reverse osmosis
  • Pretreatment systems
  • Post-treatment/stabilization
  • Concentrate/brine management
  • Intake/outfall systems
  • Pilot testing
  • Startup/commissioning
• Experience with alternative delivery, design-build, progressive design-build, or EPC-adjacent coordination is strongly preferred

Requirements

• Lead planning, design, and execution of large desalination and advanced treatment projects, including seawater and brackish reverse osmosis facilities
• Direct multidisciplinary teams through all project phases, from conceptual development and basis-of-design through detailed design, procurement support, construction-phase services, startup, and commissioning
• Define project scope, work plans, staffing plans, schedules, budgets, deliverable milestones, and quality review checkpoints
• Manage project financial performance, including forecasting, change management, invoicing, accounts receivable follow-up, and overall project profitability
• Apply strong project controls and risk-management practices to maintain performance against scope, schedule, and budget objectives
• Serve as a senior technical leader for desalination systems and advanced treatment processes
• Oversee development and review of key technical deliverables
• Guide pilot testing, process evaluations, and technology selection efforts where required
• Ensure designs are practical, constructible, code-compliant, and aligned with client, regulatory, operational, and maintainability requirements
• Coordinate with internal and external subject matter experts across various disciplines
• Build, lead, and mentor high-performing project teams
• Provide technical guidance, coaching, and quality oversight to project managers, discipline leads, and design staff
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, quality, and client service excellence

Benefits

• The expected base salary range for this role is $150,000 - $225,000 annually. Actual pay is based on job-related factors such as skills, experience, location, and internal equity.
• Additional compensation and benefits may apply.