Water Utilities Jobs in Rio Rancho, NM (NOW HIRING)

INTERA Incorporated is seeking an experienced mid-level Water Resources Engineer to join our Albuquerque, New Mexico office. Candidates based in Texas, Arizona, or other Western U.S. office locations will be considered. The ideal candidate will bring a civil or infrastructure-focused background with experience in water utility infrastructure planning and design, including water supply, treatment, conveyance, and distribution systems. This position supports the engineering planning, analysis, and design of water resources and water infrastructure projects for municipal utilities and other clients with water supply assets.

This is an opportunity to contribute to impactful water resource solutions while advancing professional expertise in a collaborative and forward-thinking environment. Responsibilities include applying sound engineering judgment, quantitative analysis, and practical design expertise to advance water system planning efforts, groundwater supply development, and infrastructure improvement initiatives. This role offers the opportunity to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of engineers, hydrogeologists, data scientists, and modelers to evaluate, plan, develop, and optimize water supply systems. The position fosters continued professional growth through hands-on project experience, expanding project management responsibilities, and engagement with subject matter experts across INTERA’s diverse service lines. Join us today in delivering innovation, quality, and excellence to our clients as we help them navigate the future.

Key Responsibilities

This position involves close collaboration with a multidisciplinary team on water resources and infrastructure projects. Tasks and responsibilities include:

• Water Infrastructure Planning: Contribute to the development of planning studies for water utilities of all sizes, including the preparation of Preliminary Engineering Reports (PER’s). Collect and evaluate available information to assess system needs, identify proposed solutions, develop conceptual designs for supply, treatment, conveyance, and distribution improvements, estimate and evaluate life-cycle costs, identify permitting requirements, and provide recommendations for implementation.
• Water Infrastructure Design and Construction: Support design, permitting, and construction of water infrastructure using a combination of in-house and subcontracted engineering services. Support INTERA hydrogeologists in the development of bidding documents for water supply wells. Perform engineering calculations, support specification of pumping systems for wells and conveyance systems, coordinate support from subcontracted surveying firms, and structural and electrical engineering consultants to complete preliminary and final design efforts.
• Permitting and Regulatory Compliance: Support preparation of regulatory compliance documents, such as Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) and Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans.
• Engineering Data Analysis and Technical Support: Compile, manage, and analyze groundwater, surface water, and environmental datasets in support of engineering evaluations, alternatives analyses, and design documentation.
• GIS and Spatial Analysis: Use GIS tools to support engineering planning, infrastructure layout, wellfield evaluation, and technical visualization.
• Quality Assurance / Quality Control (QA/QC): Apply established QA/QC procedures to engineering analyses, calculations, and design documents to ensure technical accuracy and consistency.
• Technical Documentation and Reporting: Prepare and contribute to technical memoranda, engineering reports, figures, and supporting calculations under the supervision of senior engineers.
• Mentorship and Professional Development: Work directly with licensed Professional Engineers who will provide technical guidance, design review, and mentorship to support PE licensure and long-term career development.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, or other engineering disciplines
• Professional registration or the desire/ability to earn a professional registration (EIT or PE)
• 3-5 years of professional experience in water resources or water infrastructure engineering
• Experience supporting the evaluation, planning, or design of water infrastructure, such as wells and intakes, treatment, pumping systems, and pipelines
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification with a demonstrated intent to pursue PE licensure when eligible.
• Experience performing engineering calculations and contributing to technical design deliverables.
• Proficiency with design software (e.g., AutoCAD, Civil3D).
• Elementary proficiency with GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS) for spatial analysis and mapping
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex engineering concepts clearly and effectively to clients, regulatory agencies, and multidisciplinary teams
• Capability to take initiative on individual assignments while fostering effective collaboration within multidisciplinary project teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or other engineering discipline that is eligible for PE licensure
• Experience preparing or supporting preliminary engineering reports (PERs), feasibility studies, or alternatives analyses
• Experience working with regulatory agencies and supporting permitting or compliance efforts for water and stormwater infrastructure
• Familiarity with hydraulic modeling applications for water distribution, stormwater, or other systems
• Active engagement in professional organizations (e.g., ASCE, AWRA, AWWA, or NGWA) demonstrates commitment to advancing the water resources profession

About INTERA & Our Benefits

INTERA is a Top Workplaces USA 2025 award winner!

Founded in 1974, INTERA has grown into an international geosciences and engineering consulting firm that helps clients make informed business decisions, mitigate risk, and drive optimal outcomes in a multitude of industries. Building and sustaining a strong company culture is at the heart of INTERA’s practice of good stewardship. We strive to foster an environment where people love the work that they do and the place that they work because we believe that our employees are our most valuable asset. As an employee-owned company, we are committed to investing in our people’s needs for security, health, and well-being with:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance that includes a free health plan option for employee-only coverage
• Paid parental leave – up to 12 weeks for birthing and non-birthing parents
• Group term life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance, short-term and long-term coverage – paid 100% by the company
• Paid holiday, vacation, and sick time
• Opportunities for stock ownership
• Performance-based bonuses and award programs for technical paper publication and employee referrals
• Career coaching instead of performance evaluations
• Tuition reimbursement, financial assistance for professional licensure and registration, and one paid membership to a professional society
• Pet insurance, LegalShield, IDShield, and more

These are just some of the reasons why many of our employees have spent 10 to 25 years at INTERA. We love what we do, and it shows.