Engineer (Water Services)

The Role

Plans, designs, manages, and authorizes the provision of engineering services, operations, and assets in the Division for linear water and wastewater infrastructure in the Region.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Chairs project teams independently or in support of senior engineer/supervisor for high profile/complex/politically sensitive projects. Establishes project scope and requirements with senior engineer/supervisor review/support. Delivers project from conception to completion. Work is reviewed at project milestones. Resolves new/unusual problems in consultation with senior engineer/supervisor.
• Conducts assessments and studies required for project planning and optimization projects.
• Designs capital projects that involve multiple components and several engineering areas/activities.
• Develops and manages schedules and budgets (up to multi-million).
• Identifies need for and manages property transactions, access agreements and approvals, involving multiple stakeholders, in consultation with supervisor/senior staff.
• Provides guidance to engineering interns and directs technical and survey staff on design projects and in preparing final contract drawings. Provides direction, guidance and performance evaluation to consulting engineers, with input into their hiring and dismissal.
• Liaises with other divisions to implement linear infrastructure projects. Reviews design reports and drawings. Sits on project teams and provides technical input.  
• Develops scope of work and procures goods and services pertaining to optimization of distribution and collection systems. Manages and negotiates work plans and budgets with consultants. Approves invoices.
• Visits construction sites to assess quality and progress of work. Ensures work is completed per contract documents and legislation.
• Reviews development applications related to water and wastewter servicing, and manages tracking system.  Assissts with servicing agreements. 
• Manages hydrualic network models for water and wastewater systems. Oversees validation, calibration and measurement exercises as required.  
• Participates in project teams for linear infrastructure carried out by area municipalities. Asssists with preparation of isolation sequencing plans.
• May assume professional engineering responsibility for work within a defined professional scope of practice including application of a professional seal or signature for linear infrastructure, such as MECP Form 1, CLI-ECA, etc.
• Provides technical subject matter expertise for water distribution and wastewater collection systems.
• Develops program for water leakage loss reduction. Develops program for inflow and infiltration reduction.
• Provides input for the ten-year capital program and operating budgets.
• Writes/reviews technical reports, for supervisor/senior engineer review, as required. Major contributor to preparation of the Annual Water and Wastewater Monitoring Report.
• Writes and presents reports to Committees and Council.
• Represents the Region in dealings (e.g., negotiations, agreements, cost-sharing, approvals) with stakeholders including area municipalities, utility companies, provincial Ministries, the media, and public, with support from senior staff/supervisor.
• Collaborates with Regional staff, including IT, Legal Services, Planning, and Finance to deliver projects and resolve issues.
• Provides coaching to junior staff on linear infrastructure.
• This role involves the active participation of development application review process for water and wastewater capacity and servicing. This role also requires a fundamental understanding of pipe hydrualics and open channel flow to make decisions pertaining to linear infrastructure systems. A fundamental understanding of pipe and sewer installation design and installation approaches are also necessary.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of municipal engineering, normally acquired through a degree in engineering or applied science, plus progressively responsible related experience in a municipal water distribution and wastewater collection systems.  (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).  
• Must be licensed and in good standing as a Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario, or be a member in good standing holding a Limited License in the area of practice(s), issued by the PEO. For those trained outside of Canada, equivalency will be determined by the PEO. Participates in activities to maintain professional license.
• Knowledge of and ability to comply with corporate policies and procedures, related legislation (e.g., Occupational Health and Safety Act, Construction Lien Act, Environmental Protection Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Safe Drinking Water Act), Ontario Provincial Standards, Canadian Standards, Ministry guidelines, contract law, and engineering standards.
• Demonstrated engineering knowledge of pumps, flow control valves, watermains, auto-flushers, DMA's, storage, metering, pressure zones, etc.
• Knoweledge of development application process. 
• Familiarirty with preparation of multi-year capital and operating budgets.
• Ability to work independently on concurrent projects (consulting with senior staff/supervisor as applicable); review decisions/problems with Regional/political sensitivity with management; explore project alternatives individually/as part of a project team; and make recommendations on improvements to existing contract and engineering standards and procedures.
• Computer skills with ability to use software such as Microsoft Office, computer aided design, specialized systems, and computer models, such as hydrualic network modelling.
• Communication and human relation skills to direct and guide contractors, consultants and staff; coordinate and negotiate project requirements; prepare and present written and visual materials for formal public meetings; conduct presentations to Committees, area municipalities and Councils; hold open houses and formal meetings for the media and public; respond to public inquiries; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to write project correspondence, reports, contracts, agreements and project definition reports for contractors, consultants, committees, Regional and area municipal Councils, staff, media and the public where applicable. Ability to read and interpret policy and procedure manuals, engineering and technical journals, design specifications, contracts, reports, legal documents, and memos.
• Ability to travel within Waterloo Region. 
• Ability to adjust hours to attend open houses and deal with emergencies.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.