Water/Wastewater Practice Lead

Are you excited by the opportunity to build something new while leveraging the strength of an established industry leader? Christopher B. Burke Engineering, LTD. (CBBEL) is seeking an experienced Water/Wastewater Practice Lead to expand and strengthen our municipal and water resource services throughout Illinois and Indiana. Join a team where technical excellence, collaboration, and client service drive meaningful infrastructure solutions that improve communities and protect vital resources.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise with proven leadership, business development, and team-building skills. They are passionate about delivering high-quality professional services, cultivating lasting client relationships, and mentoring staff. This individual is an effective communicator and strategic problem solver with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization.

Beyond technical expertise, we're looking for someone who shares our commitment to the values that define our culture and guide our work every day.

At CBBEL, our values guide everything we do:
Integrity – We follow through on our promises.
Excellence – We’re always learning, growing, and raising the bar.
Fellowship – We support each other like a true team.
Resilience – We stay steady even when challenges arise.
Collaboration – We bring our best when we work together.

If you're ready to make a meaningful impact, this is your opportunity!

What You’ll Do

• Lead the growth and strategic development of the Water/Wastewater practice throughout Illinois and Indiana
• Work collaboratively with company leadership to identify new service offerings, target markets and growth opportunities while developing and executing annual business development plans, growth objectives, and market strategies for municipal and utility clients
• Participate in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, onboarding, and mentoring technical staff to support growth of the Water/Wastewater practice
• Lead the planning, design, and delivery of municipal water and wastewater infrastructure projects including water distribution systems, sanitary sewer systems, pumping stations, storage facilities, and water and wastewater treatment facilities.
• Provide technical leadership, project oversight, and quality assurance for water and wastewater projects

• Develop project scopes, budgets, schedules, and proposals, while ensuring projects meet schedule and financial objectives
• Serve as trusted advisor and primary point of contact for clients, agencies, and project stakeholders

• Continually develops knowledge of water and wastewater regulations, technologies, engineering best practices, and industry trends through professional involvement and continuing professional development

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or related field
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in municipal water and wastewater infrastructure projects
• Professional Engineer (PE) license in Indiana and Illinois or the ability to obtain licensure within a reasonable period
• Knowledge of local, state, and federal permitting and regulatory processes.
• Experience with hydraulic and/or wastewater system modeling, calibration, and evaluation.
• Experience with AutoCAD Civil 3D, ArcGIS Pro, Microsoft Office Suite, and hydraulic modeling platforms such as InfoWater Pro, Water GEMS, Sewer GEMS, Info Works, SWMM, Bio-Win, GPS-X or similar software
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel to project sites and client meetings.

Bonus Qualifications

• Existing relationships with municipal clients, utility agencies, and regulatory authorities within Illinois and/or Indiana.
• Experience managing municipal water and wastewater projects within the Midwest region.
• Professional certifications, licenses, or active involvement in industry organizations related to water and wastewater systems preferred AWWA, WEF, IWEA, IWRA
• Experience supporting business development and proposal preparation.
• Previous experience mentoring engineering staff and leading technical teams.

Not Sure You’re a Perfect Match?

That’s okay. If you have a background in civil engineering, we encourage you to apply. Your practical experience and problem-solving mindset could be a great fit for our team.

Why Join CBBEL?

CBBEL is a full-service civil engineering firm with more than 250 professionals committed to delivering accurate, timely and cost-effective solutions to a wide range of engineering and environmental challenges. One out of every three team members has been with us for more than 20 years, demonstrating how our values create a place where people want to grow.

Our team serves as Municipal Engineer for 26 communities and supports hundreds of public and private sector clients with planning, design, and construction services. We boast a highly talented, experienced and educated team and are proud of our successful, long-term relationships with a wide variety of clients throughout Chicagoland. When you join us, you’ll find:

• Clear growth opportunities in civil design technical development, project management, or specialized areas like Construction, Environmental, or Water Resources
• Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, generous PTO, 401(k) matching, and discretionary bonuses
• A team that values your input, supports your goals, and celebrates shared success

Christopher B. Burke Engineering, Ltd. (CBBEL) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of CBBEL to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, changes in marital status, pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, parenthood, creed, veteran’s status, veteran’s disability and physical or mental disability, citizenship status or unfavorable discharge from the military. CBBEL intends that all matters related to recruiting, hiring, training, compensation, benefits, promotions, transfers, terminations, layoffs and recalls, as well as all CBBEL sponsored social and recreational programs, and all treatment on the job, be free of unlawful discriminatory practices. If you need to inquire about an accommodation, or need assistance with completing the application process, please email hr@cbbel.com.