Data Center Water Treatment Subject Matter Expert

Salute Inc.•Afton, TX

3h•$155,000 - $170,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Water Treatment Subject Matter Expert (SME) is the primary technical authority for water chemistry and treatment systems supporting a high-capacity, mission-critical data center campus. Reporting to the Data Center Manager, the role is responsible for the reliability, efficiency, and regulatory compliance of industrial water systems, including boilers, chillers, cooling towers, thermal storage, and wastewater treatment. The SME advises site operations, engineering, and client teams, and develops and executes proactive strategies to preserve asset integrity and optimize system performance. This is an on-site position in Afton, Texas. Relocation assistance is available. The schedule is Monday through Friday during normal business hours. The stated annual base salary range is $155,000–$170,000. Salute describes itself as a provider of data center infrastructure services serving clients worldwide and emphasizes sustainable solutions, reliability, and customer service.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in industrial or data center water treatment operations.
Demonstrated expertise in water chemistry, systems integration, and maintenance.
Strong understanding of industrial water chemistry programs, including chemical feed, corrosion control, scaling prevention, and biological fouling mitigation.
Ability to develop and maintain SOPs, MOPs, and water treatment management procedures for consistent performance and regulatory compliance.
Familiarity with EPA, state, and local environmental regulations and reporting requirements.
Experience providing QA/QC oversight of mechanical installations, retrofits, and service contracts.
Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, schematics, and technical manuals.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Strong communication and presentation skills and ability to collaborate across client, vendor, and internal technical teams.
Ability to lift up to 50 pounds, climb ladders, and move safely through operational and mechanical areas during inspections or maintenance activities.

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree or equivalent experience.
Experience supporting mission-critical environments such as data centers.
Certified Water Technologist (CWT) certification or equivalent credentials.
Familiarity with SCADA, PLCs, and automated control systems.
Experience with reverse osmosis, filtration, UV sterilization, and closed-loop systems.
Familiarity with water quality monitoring platforms and data analysis tools.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary subject matter expert for water treatment-related inquiries and initiatives.
Provide hands-on guidance in developing, optimizing, and troubleshooting water chemistry programs.
Review water chemistry laboratory results and testing data to identify trends and mitigate fouling, scale, and corrosion.
Support boilers, chillers, cooling towers, thermal storage, wastewater, and open- and closed-loop systems to prevent scaling, corrosion, and biological fouling.
Provide technical guidance on water chemistry quality, testing, laboratory analysis, and corrective actions needed to maintain parameters.
Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and operations teams to support integrated system performance and reliability.
Advise customers on strategies to improve water quality, operational efficiency, and system longevity.
Lead and manage water treatment projects from design through implementation.
Coordinate with internal and external teams to support timely and effective project delivery.
Provide QA/QC oversight of water system installations, retrofits, and service contracts.
Ensure compliance with industry standards and environmental regulations.
Conduct audits and assessments to validate performance against internal and regulatory requirements.
Support incident investigations and root cause analysis involving water-related issues.
Develop and maintain SOPs, MOPs, and internal water treatment management procedures.
Evaluate and recommend technologies, methods, and tools to optimize treatment strategies.
Stay current on developments in chemical feed, filtration, and sterilization systems.
Engage with research partners and industry forums to advance internal best practices.
Deliver technical training and mentorship to on-site teams and customer personnel.
Create and distribute training materials to promote best practices and continuous improvement.
Collaborate with client representatives to align water treatment programs with customer protocols and sustainability goals.
Partner with Salute and customer engineering teams to ensure cross-functional communication and consistency across sites.
Participate in client governance and performance review meetings to maintain transparency and alignment on key metrics.