Gradiant is a Different Kind of Water Company. With a full suite of differentiated and proprietary end-to-end solutions for advanced water and wastewater treatment powered by the top minds in water, the company serves its clients mission-critical operations in the world's essential industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium and critical minerals, and renewable energy. Gradiant's innovative solutions reduce water used and wastewater discharged, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater. The Boston-headquartered company was founded at MIT and has over 1,400 employees worldwide. Discover us at www.gradiant.com.

About the Role

The Senior Process Engineer will lead process design, pilot-scale system development, and commissioning for PFAS-related water treatment technologies — translating process engineering fundamentals (PFDs, P&IDs, HAZOP, equipment sizing) into scalable, manufacturable designs. This is a hands-on engineering role spanning bench and pilot testing through full-scale commercial deployment, with project coordination across internal teams, vendors, and customers.

Key Responsibilities

Process Design & Engineering

Develop process design basis, technical specifications, operating windows, and performance assumptions/claims
Prepare Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), equipment lists, instrument lists, and General Arrangement (GA) drawings
Perform mass balance calculations, equipment sizing, and cost estimation
Maintain and standardize process design templates, calculation methods, and engineering tools

Pilot & Bench-Scale Execution

Design and execute experiments, including building and operating bench-scale and pilot-scale systems for proof-of-concept (POC), design verification, and validation
Lead pilot system design, setup, commissioning, and troubleshooting activities
Support on-site commissioning and pilot studies as required

Risk & Controls

Conduct technical risk assessments (e.g., HAZOP), including identification of failure modes, mitigations, and control strategies
Develop control philosophy and functional narratives in collaboration with PLC programmers to ensure robust system automation

Cross-Functional Delivery

Coordinate engineering inputs required for GA drawings, 2D layouts, and 3D models
Work closely with Engineering and Manufacturing teams to translate outputs into standardized, repeatable, manufacturable design packages
Establish commissioning and acceptance protocols, troubleshooting playbooks, and field readiness standards
Capture field learnings and translate them into design improvements and updated engineering standards
Execute NPI plans, including scope definition, milestones, and resource planning
Support proposal and regional manufacturing teams with costing exercises and technical proposals

Qualifications / Requirements

Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related discipline
3–7 years in the water industry (EPC, OEM, or water technology/solution companies preferred)
Hands-on experience leading or supporting bench-scale or pilot-scale systems, commissioning, and troubleshooting
Experience preparing PFDs, P&IDs, equipment lists, instrument lists, and GA drawings
Experience with process modelling/design software (Aspen, WAVE, IMS Design, OLI, or equivalent) is an advantage
Exposure to scale-up or commercialization of new technologies from lab/pilot to industrial scale preferred
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and project coordination skills across cross-functional teams
Excellent written and verbal communication with technical stakeholders

Note: this role involves applied process engineering with a strong hands-on pilot/lab component — not a laboratory research or materials R&D position.

Senior Process Engineer New Product Introduction (Water Treatment)