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Design Manager - Water / Wastewater Design

Brown and Caldwell

Philadelphia, PA · HybridJob$142–194K/yrSeen 2 days agoSeen in employer's feed 2 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$142–194K/yr
Location
Philadelphia, PAHybrid
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Professional Engineer License

Job overview

Brown and Caldwell seeks a Design Manager to lead delivery of major water, wastewater, and infrastructure design projects, manage design resources and deliverables, and maintain client relationships. The role works with project managers on timelines, progress, milestones, performance analysis, and project risks. It is hybrid, with work from the Philadelphia office a couple of days per week. A bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture, or related professional experience and a Professional Engineer license are required.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Design Process LeadershipProject TechnologiesProject ProcessesProject DisciplinesTechnical LeadershipDesign Resource ManagementDesign QA/QC ManagementProject ManagementClient Needs PrioritizationTechnical WritingMarketingProposal WritingProposal ManagementPublic PresentationsCommunicationReport Preparation

Qualifications

5+ Years Professional Experience2+ Years Design Management ExperienceProfessional Engineer License8+ Years Related ExperienceBachelor's in Engineering or Architecture or Related ExperienceMaster's in Related Engineering

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Paid Time Off
Parental Leave
401(k) Match

Full job description

Description Brown and Caldwell is in need of the right candidate to provide design delivery leadership for our largest and most complex water and wastewater design projects. This is a rare opportunity to lead major projects and deliver exceptional service to our well-established clients. This position will be responsible for managing drinking water, wastewater, and/or infrastructure design projects and maintaining and enhancing relationships with existing clients. This is an excellent opportunity to join an established and growing company that places high value on exceptional client service, good science and employee growth and satisfaction. The Design Manager role will focus on planning and executing design projects. The role will work closely with project managers to develop project timelines, track progress, and ensure that project milestones are met. The role will conduct project performance analysis, identify trends, and provide insights to project managers. The role will also collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify and address project risks and issues. This position will be hybrid and you must be able to work from the Philadelphia office a couple of days/week. Responsibilities 1. Provide technical leadership within the team. 2. Lead the design process and ensure high-quality outputs. 3. Coordinate design teams to support project goals. 4. Assist the Project Manager (PM) in the development and implementation of design scope, schedule, and budget. 5. Manage design resources to ensure efficient utilization. 6. Coordinate the creation, submission, and revision of design deliverables to meet project demands. 7. Help oversee design quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) management. 8. Manage design deliverables in line with project requirements. 9. Flexibility to adapt and execute various additional assignments based on evolving needs. Mentorship 1. May provide mentorship, guidance, support, and knowledge-sharing to help less experienced team members develop their skills and grow within their roles. Skills and Competencies 1. Strong ability in design process leadership to achieve project goals. 2. Highly skilled with the technologies, processes and disciplines included in the projects. 3. Strong technical leadership ability and capability to provide guidance to teams. 4. Possess design resource management skills, ensuring optimal utilization. 5. Skilled in design QA and QC management. Experience 1. Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of professional or relevant experience, with 2 to 3 years of experience required in design management. 2. Licensed Professional Engineer required. Preferred Skills and Experience 1. 8+ years of progressively increasing responsibility in related experience preferred. 2. Demonstrated strong project management skills. 3. Ability to focus on client needs while balancing multiple priorities to include but not limited to project management, design, bidding and construction management services. 4. Strong technical writing skills required. 5. Successful marketing, proposal writing, proposal management, and public presentations experience. 6. Strong written and oral communication skills with demonstrated ability to conduct effective presentations and written report preparation. Education 1. A bachelor's degree in engineering or architecture or related professional experience is required. Preferred Education 1. Master's degree in related engineering field of Mechanical Engineering, Civil, or Environmental Engineering Salary Range: The anticipated starting pay range for this position is based on the employee's primary work location and may be more or less depending upon skills, experience, and education. These ranges may be modified in the future. Location B: $142,000 - $194,000 You can view which BC location applies to you here. If you have any questions, please speak with your Recruiter. Benefits and Other Compensation: We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee health, performance, and success which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time off and parental leave, paid holidays, 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match, performance-based bonus eligibility, employee referral bonuses, tuition reimbursement, pet insurance and long-term care insurance. Click here to see our full list of benefits. About Brown and Caldwell Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Brown and Caldwell is a full-service environmental engineering and construction services firm with 50 offices and over 2,100 professionals across North America and the Pacific. For more than 75 years, we have created leading-edge environmental solutions for municipalities, private industry, and government agencies. We strive to be the company of choice-to our clients, who benefit from our passion for delivering exceptional quality, and to our employees, present and future, who share our commitment to client service, collaboration, and innovation. Join us, and you will find a home where you can do your best work, reach new levels of expertise, and enjoy exceptional development opportunities. For more information, visit www.brownandcaldwell.com This position is subject to a pre-employment background check and a pre-employment drug test. Notice to Third Party Agencies: Brown and Caldwell does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement and approved engagement request with Brown and Caldwell, Brown and Caldwell reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Brown and Caldwell is proud to be an EEO/AAP Employer. Brown and Caldwell encourages protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, and applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Brown and Caldwell ensures nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. #LI-Hybrid #ACE26 #TRICON26 Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with DisabilitiesThis employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor. Brown and Caldwell is proud to be an EEO/AAP Employer-Minorities/Women/Disabled/Protected Veterans are encouraged to apply.

How this job compares

Set against the 566 open Design Manager jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 29, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$142–194K/yr
  • US median$130–235K/yr320 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $168K, is 11% below the US median midpoint ($188K) — in the middle half of Design Manager salary ranges across the US.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 16 open Design Manager jobs in Pennsylvania and 566 across the US. 2% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most across the US
Experience
This posting asks for at least 5 years of experience — less than three in four Design Manager postings that state a minimum ask for (median 10 years, across 435 postings).
Education
384 of the 566 open Design Manager jobs (68%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 29, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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