Process Engineer – Industrial & Hazardous Wastewater Treatment (WWTP) | S$4,500 basic + bonus

WWTP Process Engineer

• Salary range: $4500 - $5000

• Working Hours: 5.5-day work week, Mon to Fri, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Sat, 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

• Working Environment: Plant-based / On-site operational environment

• Industry: Industrial Wastewater / Hazardous Wastewater Treatment / Environmental Services

About the Company

Our client is an established company in the waste management and environmental services industry, providing integrated solutions for waste treatment, wastewater management, disposal, recycling, and environmental compliance. The company operates industrial wastewater treatment facilities and is committed to maintaining safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible operations while meeting stringent discharge and regulatory requirements.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced WWTP Process Engineer to oversee the operation, monitoring, optimization, and continuous improvement of industrial and hazardous wastewater treatment processes at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).

The role will provide technical judgement, process troubleshooting, and engineering support to ensure stable treatment performance, compliance with discharge standards, operational efficiency, and EHS requirements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Process Operation & Optimization

• Take responsibility for the daily operation, monitoring, and optimization of industrial and hazardous wastewater treatment systems.

• Monitor and optimize key treatment units, including but not limited to:

  • Physico-Chemical Treatment: Lamella Clarifier, DAF (Dissolved Air Flotation), CAF (Cavitation Air Flotation).

  • Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP): Micro-electrolysis oxidation, Fenton oxidation, electro-catalytic oxidation, catalytic ozonation, and UV photocatalytic oxidation.

  • Biological Treatment: Anaerobic systems such as UASB and CSTR, as well as aerobic systems including activated sludge and MBR.

  • Tertiary / Polishing Treatment: MBR and RO (Reverse Osmosis).

• Adjust operating parameters based on variations in influent wastewater quality, including COD, BOD, SS, oil & grease, toxicity, and other relevant parameters.

• Monitor treatment performance and identify opportunities to improve process stability, efficiency, and overall treatment effectiveness.

• Provide technical support to operations teams to ensure treatment systems operate within required parameters.

2. Technical Evaluation & Process Development

• Conduct technical evaluations of new incoming wastewater and waste streams.

• Assess wastewater characteristics and determine suitable treatment routes and pretreatment requirements.

• Plan, organise, and execute bench-scale testing, including jar tests and pilot trials, to verify treatment feasibility.

• Analyse test results and evaluate the effectiveness of proposed treatment processes.

• Provide technical recommendations to support operational decisions and commercial assessments.

• Support the development and improvement of treatment processes for new or changing wastewater streams.

3. Troubleshooting & Problem Solving

• Troubleshoot wastewater treatment system abnormalities, including:

  • Effluent non-compliance.

  • Biological inhibition.

  • Membrane fouling.

  • Process instability.

  • Other treatment process and equipment-related performance issues.

• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to identify the underlying causes of process and treatment problems.

• Recommend and implement appropriate Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA).

• Work closely with operations, laboratory, and relevant technical teams to resolve process issues.

• Provide technical judgement and timely recommendations during abnormal operating conditions.

4. Documentation & Technical Management

• Prepare, update, and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and wastewater treatment process documentation.

• Establish, review, and maintain appropriate process operating parameters and control limits.

• Prepare technical reports relating to process performance, troubleshooting, testing, and optimization.

• Guide technicians and laboratory staff on sampling, testing, monitoring, and on-site process adjustments.

• Work closely with operations and laboratory teams to ensure accurate sampling, testing, and process monitoring.

• Participate in government inspections, customer audits, and technical discussions.

• Provide technical information and support during regulatory, customer, and internal reviews.

5. Safety & Compliance

• Ensure the safe operation of chemical treatment systems, advanced oxidation units, biological treatment processes, and associated WWTP systems.

• Ensure operations are conducted in accordance with applicable EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) requirements.

• Identify and manage operational risks associated with wastewater treatment processes and chemicals.

• Participate in Risk Assessments (RA) and Management of Change (MOC) reviews.

• Support the implementation of safe operating procedures and controls to minimise operational and environmental risks.

• Ensure wastewater treatment activities are conducted in compliance with applicable environmental and discharge requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or above in Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Biotechnology, or a related discipline.

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in industrial wastewater or hazardous wastewater treatment.

• Hands-on operational experience in one or more of the following wastewater treatment systems is preferred:

  • Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP), including Fenton, electrochemical, ozone, and UV processes.

  • Biological Treatment Systems, including anaerobic and aerobic treatment systems.

  • MBR (Membrane Bioreactor) systems.

• Experience with wastewater treatment processes such as physico-chemical treatment, advanced oxidation, biological treatment, tertiary treatment, and membrane processes will be advantageous.

• Able to independently perform process evaluation, troubleshooting, and operating parameter optimization.

• Strong understanding of common wastewater quality parameters and their impact on wastewater treatment performance.

• Good knowledge of parameters such as COD, BOD, SS, oil & grease, toxicity, and their relevance to treatment processes.

• Competent in bench-scale test design, execution, and data analysis, including jar tests and pilot trials.

• Able to interpret process and laboratory data and translate findings into practical operational recommendations.

• Good communication skills with the ability to work effectively with operations teams, laboratory personnel, technicians, and management.

• Strong sense of responsibility with the ability to make sound technical judgements under abnormal or challenging operating conditions.

• Able to work effectively in a plant-based, on-site operational environment.

• Hands-on, analytical, and practical approach to wastewater treatment process management and troubleshooting.