How to apply for Industrial Water Technical Manager

About Woodard & Curran

Woodard & Curran is an employee-owned engineering, science, and operations firm focused on clean water and environmental solutions. The firm is privately held and states that it puts employees first, with a flexible work environment and competitive benefits. This role is remote and sits within the Industrial Water Practice.

About the role

As an Industrial Water Technical Manager, you will lead water and wastewater system designs for industrial and commercial clients across the U.S. You will also mentor a team of engineers and support technical delivery for the Industrial Water Practice. The role combines client-facing engineering work with team leadership.

A typical day

A typical day may include reviewing design work for an industrial water or wastewater project, meeting with clients to discuss technical requirements, and mentoring engineers on the team. The role is remote, so much of the work happens through virtual collaboration and project delivery. Exact daily routines should be confirmed with the hiring team.

Who Woodard & Curran is looking for

• A licensed Professional Engineer with technical experience in industrial water and wastewater system design.
• A client-focused professional who has worked with industrial or commercial clients and can lead design delivery.
• Someone with an entrepreneurial spirit and a demonstrated focus on industrial clients and safe practices.
• A mentor who can guide a team of engineers while managing project technical work.

Tips for this application

• State your PE license and any industrial water/wastewater design experience clearly in the first few lines of your resume.
• Name specific industrial sectors or project types you have supported, such as manufacturing, food and beverage, or power, if applicable.
• Show examples of leading design work and mentoring engineers, since the role includes both technical delivery and team leadership.
• Mention any experience working remotely or with distributed teams, as this position is remote.
• Reference Woodard & Curran's employee ownership and Industrial Water Practice in your cover letter to show you understand the firm's structure.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Your PE license and direct experience designing industrial water and wastewater systems.', 'A specific project where you led technical delivery for an industrial client from design through completion.', 'How you have mentored or developed engineers on a technical team.', 'Why you want to work at an employee-owned firm focused on water and environmental solutions.']

Research before applying

• Read Woodard & Curran's Industrial Water Practice page to understand the services and client types they serve.
• Look up the firm's employee ownership structure and what that means for employees.
• Find recent Woodard & Curran industrial water or wastewater projects to reference in your application.
• Check the company's stated values and benefits to see how they describe flexibility and employee-first culture.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Describe an industrial water or wastewater design project you led. What was your technical role and what was the outcome?
• How do you approach mentoring engineers while maintaining your own project delivery responsibilities?
• Give an example of working with an industrial client to define requirements and solve a technical problem.
• What experience do you have with safe practices in industrial water system design and operations?
• Why are you interested in Woodard & Curran's Industrial Water Practice and employee-owned model?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without a PE license or without stating your license status clearly, since the role requires a Professional Engineer.
• Submitting a resume that lists general engineering experience but does not name industrial water or wastewater projects.
• Ignoring the mentorship and leadership part of the role and only focusing on technical design work.