Associate engineer Jobs in Tempe, AZ

Associate Water Resources Engineer - Mining

Phoenix, AZ

Burns & McDonnell is seeking a senior mine water management professional to serve as a technical and delivery-focused leader within our Environmental Services Global Practice. This role is intended for a highly experienced practitioner who brings deep mine water expertise, strong client presence, and the ability to integrate technical solutions from early concept through design and construction.

The position plays a critical role in shaping mine water strategies that are technically sound, constructable, and aligned with overall project delivery objectives. The successful candidate will support mining clients across the full project lifecycle, from planning and permitting through construction, operations, and closure, while working closely with engineering, construction, and environmental teams to deliver integrated, fit-for-purpose solutions.

This is an opportunity to influence both technical outcomes and business success as a senior technical leader in a collaborative, employee-owned culture where you will have the platform to mentor talent, shape best practices and strengthen Burns & McDonnell's growing mine water management capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide senior technical leadership for mine water management planning and execution across the mining lifecycle, including permitting, operations, closure, and long-term water stewardship.
• Lead and oversee mine water management strategies and analyses, including water balance development, surface water and groundwater interaction, water quality characterization, treatment, reuse, and conservation approaches.
• Direct, review, and validate hydrologic, hydraulic, and hydrogeologic analyses, including watershed-scale evaluations, probabilistic and risk-informed assessments, and scenario-based modeling.
• Support the planning, evaluation, and design of mine water infrastructure, including ponds, impoundments, conveyance systems, treatment systems, and water control structures, with consideration for constructability, sequencing, and operational practicality.
• Participate in constructability reviews and integrated design efforts to ensure mine water solutions can be efficiently implemented and aligned with construction means, methods, and schedules.
• Serve as a senior technical interface with mining clients, participating in key meetings to explain technical concepts, evaluate alternatives, and guide sound decision-making.
• Support sales and business development efforts by contributing mine water expertise to client discussions, opportunity shaping, and pursuit strategies.
• Lead or contribute to the preparation of technical proposals, scopes of work, work plans, and execution approaches related to mine water management.
• Develop or support the development of cost estimates, schedules, and resource plans for mine water-related scopes, with consideration for construction complexity, risk, and lifecycle performance.
• Assist in identifying follow-on opportunities and expanding existing client relationships through high-quality technical delivery and trusted advisory support.
• Serve as a project manager or senior technical lead, as appropriate, for mine water-related projects, with responsibility for scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, and client satisfaction.
• Manage project execution in alignment with financial performance goals, including monitoring labor, expenses, and overall project health.
• Collaborate closely with engineering and construction teams to integrate mine water considerations into broader project delivery strategies, including design-build and EPC delivery models where applicable.
• Partner with project teams to proactively identify and manage technical, regulatory, constructability, and execution risks throughout project delivery.
• Lead or oversee the development and application of mine water balance models using spreadsheet-based tools and advanced simulation platforms, as appropriate for project complexity.
• Apply statistical, probabilistic, and uncertainty-based analyses to inform risk assessments, design criteria, and long-term water management decisions.
• Integrate climate variability, extreme events, and long-term closure considerations into mine water strategies and technical evaluations.
• Translate complex technical analyses into clear, defensible recommendations to support client, regulatory, and internal decision-making.
• Mentor and technically develop engineers and scientists within Environmental Services, providing guidance, review, and coaching on mine water-related analyses, design, and project execution.
• Support the growth of junior and mid-career staff by sharing technical knowledge, practical judgment, and lessons learned from project delivery.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of internal tools, standards, and best practices for mine water management and integrated delivery.
• Support recruiting and onboarding efforts by helping evaluate and integrate new mine water talent into the practice.
• Collaborate closely with environmental permitting, remediation, engineering, and construction teams to deliver integrated mine water solutions that balance technical rigor, constructability, cost, and long-term performance.
• Work in partnership with project managers, discipline leads, and business development professionals to align technical execution with client objectives and business outcomes.
• Participate in internal knowledge sharing, technical forums, and lessons-learned discussions to continuously improve mine water services.
• All other duties, as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in civil, environmental, chemical, or mechanical engineering, or related engineering degree from an accredited program.
• 13 years of progressive experience in mine water management, water resources, hydrogeology, or closely related fields, with direct application to mining projects.
• Demonstrated experience with mine water balance development, surface water and/or groundwater modeling, and interpretation of hydrologic and hydrogeologic data.
• Experience interfacing directly with clients and supporting proposal development, scoping, and cost estimating for mine water-related work.
• Demonstrated ability to manage or support projects with accountability for scope, schedule, budget, and financial performance.
• Experience supporting projects through design and into construction, including participation in constructability reviews or coordination with construction teams.
• Strong technical writing and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex analyses clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively on multidisciplinary teams and provide senior-level technical judgment.Preferred
• Master's degree in a relevant technical discipline.
• Professional licensure (PE, PG) or ability to obtain.
• Experience supporting mine permitting, operations, closure, and reclamation from a water management perspective.
• Familiarity with industry-standard modeling and analysis tools (e.g., GoldSim, HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, MODFLOW, or similar platforms).
• Experience applying probabilistic, risk-informed, or uncertainty-based approaches to water management decision-making.
• Experience mentoring staff and contributing to the development of technical teams and practices.Background in mine closure planning, tailings-related water considerations, or long-term water stewardship strategies.