Principal Wastewater Engineer
About The Position
The Principal Wastewater Engineer provides enterprise-wide technical leadership, strategic planning, and operational support for wastewater treatment systems across Land O'Lakes business units. This role is responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance, optimizing treatment system performance, mitigating long-term wastewater risks, supporting capital projects, and advancing corporate wastewater management strategies that promote safe, reliable, and compliant operations. Position Purpose: Are you passionate about solving complex environmental and wastewater challenges while influencing operations across an entire manufacturing network? If so, a career as a Principal Wastewater Engineer may be the right fit for you. As a key member of the Corporate Environmental Health & Safety team, this role serves as the company's technical wastewater expert, partnering with plant operations, engineering, environmental professionals, regulators, consultants, and business leaders to ensure wastewater treatment systems operate efficiently, sustainably, and in full compliance with regulatory requirements. This position is based in Arden Hills, MN and requires approximately 50% travel to Land O'Lakes facilities.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Environmental, Chemical, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science, or related field.
- 7+ years of industrial wastewater treatment experience.
- Food, dairy, agricultural, or industrial manufacturing experience.
- Experience supporting multi-site or corporate environmental programs.
- Experience with WWTP operations, optimization, and capital projects.
- Strong technical expertise in industrial wastewater treatment and environmental regulations.
- Strong data analysis and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent project management and communication skills.
- Ability to influence and collaborate across multiple stakeholders.
- Strategic thinking and risk management capabilities.
Nice To Haves
- Master's degree in related discipline.
- Knowledge of POTW discharge programs and high-strength waste management.
- PE license or wastewater operator certifications.
Responsibilities
- Provide technical leadership and support for wastewater treatment operations across multiple manufacturing facilities.
- Ensure compliance with wastewater permits, discharge agreements, sludge management requirements, and environmental regulations.
- Establish and manage wastewater performance metrics, scorecards, reporting systems, and leading indicators.
- Develop and maintain wastewater operational standards, SOPs, playbooks, best practices, and emergency response procedures.
- Analyze operational and laboratory data to identify trends, optimize process performance, and proactively address treatment challenges.
- Provide onsite technical support during wastewater treatment upsets and lead root cause investigations.
- Support wastewater-related capital projects including design review, construction, startup, commissioning, and training.
- Develop and implement Wastewater Management of Change (WWMOC) processes.
- Identify long-term wastewater treatment capacity constraints, compliance risks, and improvement opportunities.
- Develop and deliver wastewater training programs and facilitate network-wide operator meetings.
Benefits
- A broad portfolio of benefits to keep you and your family at your best.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
