Assistant Water/Wastewater Department Manager

Assistant Water / Wastewater Department Manager

Role Overview

Michael Baker International is seeking an Assistant Water and Wastewater Department Manager to join our Inland Empire offices in California. Operating within our National Water Practice, this dedicated business line specializes in local government water and wastewater engineering services, including planning, management, design, and construction support for potable, recycled, and wastewater conveyance, distribution, storage, and treatment.

This is a hybrid role offering professional flexibility alongside localized corporate support. The successful candidate will lead business development efforts with a core focus on Eastern LA County and the Inland Empire , while actively supporting growth across Southern California. This unique leadership opportunity offers the platform to manage a diverse civil-focused municipal project portfolio with exceptional growth potential.

Core Responsibilities

Our project delivery models leverage multi-disciplinary teams across public and private sectors. Your scope of management spans the following operational areas:

Focus Area

Primary Responsibilities

Business Development

Identify regional market opportunities, build new client relationships, lead capture planning, develop technical approaches, project scopes, fee estimates, and direct technical proposal efforts.

Client Management

Maintain direct communication with existing clients to review performance on current contracts and secure upcoming project pipelines.

Operational & Financial Oversight

Monitor office performance objectives, optimize workshare distribution, and manage department profit and loss (P&L) metrics.

Staff & Leadership Development

Mentor engineering personnel, conduct staff workload assessments, coordinate resource planning, and facilitate career development opportunities.

Cross-Office Collaboration

Partner with alternative regional water practices to implement engineering best practices and coordinate inter-office workshare.

Additional Day-to-Day Duties

- Conduct routine department meetings to evaluate resource allocation and project performance.
- Accompany project staff to client meetings, technical workshops, and public presentations.
- Actively represent the firm at local and regional industry events or professional organizations.
- Enforce corporate quality control programs to ensure accurate and compliant engineering deliverables.

Job Requirements

- Work Style: Hybrid flexibility allowing for a blend of remote work and in-office collaboration out of our Inland Empire locations.
- Experience: 10 to 15 years of progressive experience in civil engineering, specifically focused on water, wastewater, or municipal utility infrastructure projects.
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related field.
- Licensure: Valid Professional Engineer (P.E.) registration in the State of California.
- Travel: Willingness and ability to travel within California on an as-needed basis to support client operations.

Total Rewards Package

Compensation

Base Salary Range: $125,556 – $196,083 per year

Note: This range represents a good faith estimate at the time of posting. Actual compensation is dependent upon factors such as education, qualifications, experience, skillset, and the physical work location of the hired candidate.

Benefits & Perks

Health & Wellness : Medical, dental, and vision insurance; Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA); Wellness program benefits.

Financial Protection : 401(k) retirement plan; Life, AD&D, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance.

Work-Life Balance : Generous paid time off (PTO) allocation; Hybrid remote work flexibility.

Growth : Dedicated pathways for professional and personal development.

#hybrid #LI-MF1