Process Design Engineer (Water & Wastewater)
Innova Water Pty Ltd – Ascot, Brisbane QLD
$115,000 – $140,000 + Super
About the Role
Innova Water is seeking a mid-level Process Design Engineer to join our Brisbane team.
This role is ideal for an engineer with 4–6 years' experience who can take ownership of design packages, work directly with clients, and contribute across design, construction and commissioning.
You will:
- Work independently on smaller projects
- Support a Senior Engineer on larger, complex designs
- Take ownership of technical design, coordination and client interaction
This role is suited to a practical engineer who enjoys seeing designs built and commissioned — not just developed on paper.
This is not a purely desktop design role — you will be involved in site work, commissioning and real-world project delivery.
Key ResponsibilitiesProcess Design
- Develop and review:
- Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs)
- Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs)
- Mass balances
- Complete process design calculations across water and wastewater treatment units
- Perform:
- Equipment sizing and selection (pumps, blowers, valves and process equipment)
- Hydraulic assessments and system design
- Prepare and review:
- Basis of Design reports
- Detailed design reports
- Develop:
- Functional descriptions
- Process control philosophies
Design Coordination & Project Delivery
- Coordinate with civil, structural, mechanical, electrical and controls disciplines
- Review drawings, specifications and design deliverables
- Manage RFIs, technical queries and design actions
- Prepare:
- Technical specifications
- Scopes of work
- Review:
- Vendor submissions and equipment selections
- Participate in client meetings and design reviews
- Provide guidance to junior engineers/designers
Risk & Technical Reviews
- Participate in structured risk processes including:
- HAZOP
- CHAIR workshops (1/2/3)
- CHAZOP
Construction, Commissioning & Handover
- Prepare:
- Commissioning Plans
- Proof of Performance (PoP) plans
- Provide on-site commissioning support, testing and fault finding
- Conduct site inspections and support construction activities
- Prepare:
- O&M manuals
- SOPs
- Operator training materials
- Support contractors and clients through construction and startup
About You
Australian Permanent Residency or Citizenship is required for this position.
Essential
- Degree in Chemical Engineering
(Civil or Environmental considered with strong process focus)
- 4–6 years' experience in water, wastewater or a closely related process industry
(minimum 3 years required)
- Demonstrated ability to:
- Develop PFDs, P&IDs and process calculations independently
- Contribute to and review technical design documentation
- Experience writing:
- Functional descriptions and/or control philosophies
- Strong communication skills and ability to be client-facing
- Willingness to be involved in site work, commissioning and construction support
- Demonstrated interest in building a career in water and wastewater infrastructure
Highly Regarded
- Experience with:
- Treatment plants, pump stations, pipelines or recycled water systems
- Exposure to:
- Design coordination across disciplines
- Managing junior engineers/designers
- Experience from:
- Engineering consultancies or construction/project delivery roles
- Experience with:
- AutoCAD (essential)
- Basic AutoCAD drafting proficiency is required for this role.
- Other process modelling or design software
Not a Perfect Fit? Still Apply
We recognise strong engineers don't always come from identical backgrounds.
We will consider:
- Engineers from construction or contractor environments with strong delivery and client-facing experience
- Candidates with minor gaps in specific design areas who demonstrate high capability, ownership and practical project experience
About Innova Water
Innova Water is a specialist process and hydraulic design consultancy focused exclusively on water and wastewater infrastructure.
- Based in Brisbane (Ascot), delivering projects across Australia's east coast
- Working on treatment plants, pump stations, pipelines and recycled water infrastructure
- A young, high-performance consultancy (small team, high accountability)
- Focused on delivering practical, construction-ready designs and supporting projects through commissioning and handover
Why Join Innova Water?
- Direct mentoring from an industry-leading process engineer
- Accelerated technical development compared with large consultancies
- Early exposure to:
- Client interaction
- Real design decisions
- Site and commissioning work
- Small, high-trust team where your contribution matters
- Opportunity to grow with the business
You will see your designs through to construction, commissioning and operation — and be directly involved when things don't work as expected.
Working arrangements:
- Based in Ascot (Brisbane inner north)
- Predominantly office-based
- Up to 1 day per week work-from-home
- Short periods of site work throughout the year
Salary & Incentives
- $115,000 – $140,000 + super (depending on experience and capability)
- Additional incentives or bonus structures may be considered for the right candidate
Pay: $115,000.00 – $140,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
