Water Innovation and Technology Portfolio Manager

Stantec - Boston, MA

Part-time - Mid Level

Boston, MA

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Water Innovation and Technology Portfolio Manager at Stantec is a pivotal role focused on advancing research and digital tools within the water, wastewater, biosolids, and energy sectors. This position is designed for a professional who can bridge the gap between innovative technology and practical application in the water market. The manager will work closely with various stakeholders, including Sector Leaders, the Water Delivery Center, and the Applied Research Group, to drive innovation in two key areas: the application of machine learning (ML) and the development of digital solutions tailored for the water sector. The goal is to enhance Stantec Water's market position and profitability through cutting-edge research and technology. In this role, the manager will lead critical applied research projects, serving as a principal investigator or subject matter expert as needed. They will also be responsible for developing digital tools that support project implementation, collaborating with product development managers and DevOps teams to ensure that solutions meet customer needs and market demands. The manager will play a key role in fostering a culture of innovation within the water business, leveraging new technologies to support digitalization efforts and exploring partnerships with digital platform OEMs to bring innovative solutions to market. Additionally, the manager will act as a liaison with customer-advisory groups to gather market intelligence and user feedback, ensuring that the digitalization efforts align with customer expectations. They will support the Director of Water Innovation & Technology in communicating progress and key performance indicators to stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment across the organization. This role is essential for driving the future of water management and technology at Stantec, contributing to sustainable solutions that benefit communities and the environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and drive critical applied research projects on the application of ML and digital solutions in the water, wastewater, biosolids and energy sectors.
• Drive the development of select process engineering, O&M focused and/or system planning/design digital tools to support the project implementation process.
• Lead solution development in collaboration with a product development manager, scrum leader and DevOps team.
• Collaborate with the OI&T team to build a strong Innovation group and culture across the water business.
• Effectively leverage new and emergent technologies in support of water digitalization and delivery practice and innovation efforts.
• Explore and develop partnerships with key digital platform OEMs to bring innovative digital solutions to market.
• Serve as an innovation coach for select greenlight and other 'pull-innovation' submissions from Water BOU professionals.
• Collaborate on pilot-scale and/or large bench-scale testing of water/wastewater treatment processes and technologies.

Requirements

• 6 years of work experience in the water industry, preferably as a process engineer in water, reuse, wastewater or biosolids/energy.
• Minimum master's degree in a technical field (chemical engineering, computer science or environmental engineering preferred).
• Ability to think strategically and act tactically.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to independently manage multiple priorities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work within all levels of an organization.
• Expert level Microsoft product user; Office365 Suite including Visio and Project.
• Functional knowledge of common industry products; Bluebeam, Autodesk Platform Products, Bentley products, ESRI products.
• Functional knowledge of python and willingness to develop and enhance low-code/no-code skill sets.
• Process engineering experience is a valued preference (water, wastewater or biosolids/energy) including advanced process modeling.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with machine learning applications in the water sector.
• Familiarity with digital transformation initiatives in engineering or environmental sectors.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Wellness program
• Health saving accounts
• Flexible spending accounts
• 401(k) plan
• Employee stock purchase program
• Life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
• Short-term/long-term disability plans
• Emergency travel benefits
• Tuition reimbursement
• Professional membership fee coverage
• Paid family leave
• Ten paid holidays per year
• Accrual of vacation between 10 and 20 days per year
• Paid sick leave in accordance with state and local law.