Brown and Caldwell (BC) has an exciting opportunity as Midwest Area Drinking Water Practice Leader to help us grow our already impressive portfolio of drinking water clients and projects. The Area Practice Leader (APL) will be responsible for driving growth in the Drinking Water Practice to advance the Midwest Area’s strategic goals. The APL will also help lead major drinking water projects and ensure exceptional client service.
The APL is a key member of the drinking water team driving the growth of the Practice within the Midwest geography. In this role, you will also be responsible for understanding the unique trends in your area and use that knowledge to create technical differentiation from that of our competitors while serving as an important conduit between the Drinking Water Practice and the Business Unit (BU). The ideal candidate is an established leader in the drinking water industry with strong collaboration skills. The APL collaborates with other roles at BC including the Regional Practice Lead (RPL), Project Managers, Client Service Managers and Subject Matter Experts.
Responsibilities
- Provide technical expertise and leadership on complex and high‑impact environmental engineering projects.
- Develop and approve advanced engineering analyses, designs, and strategic recommendations.
- Influence technical approaches, standards, and methodologies across projects and programs.
- Lead development of complex, multi‑disciplinary environmental management and infrastructure solutions.
- Provide expert technical guidance during regulatory negotiations, permitting, and stakeholder engagement.
- Flexibility to adapt and execute various additional assignments based on evolving needs.
Mentorship
- Provide mentorship, guidance, support, and knowledge-sharing to help less experienced team members develop their skills and grow within their roles.
Skills and Competencies
- Recognized expertise in environmental engineering and related regulatory environments
- Strategic and systems‑level problem‑solving skills
- Ability to influence technical decisions with significant organizational impact.
- Strong leadership, communication, and advisory capabilities.
Experience
- Typically, a minimum of 15 years of related work experience in Environmental Engineering or related field.
Preferred Experience
- B.S. or M.S. in engineering or a related field is required.
- Minimum of 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in the environmental services or water utility and/or consulting industry is required.
- Outstanding communication skills with the ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and professionally (verbal and written) for technical and non-technical audiences.
- Ability to demonstrate business acumen to guide decisions on assignment of personal and technical approaches to support business unit growth.
- Ability to demonstrate experience in guiding technical strategy for a large portfolio of projects and alignment or key technical differentiators and staff to those projects.
- Up to 30% travel
Education
- A bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or related field is required.
- Licensure as a professional engineer is required.
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: |
$144,000 - $196,000 |
| Location B: |
$158,000 - $216,000 |
| Location C: |
$172,000 - $236,000 |
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 firm with 50 offices and 2,100 professionals across North America and the Pacific. For 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
