Drinking Water Compliance Manager
At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.
Your impact
At Jacobs, we challenge what is currently accepted, so we can shape innovative and lasting solutions for tomorrow. Through the delivery of our operations and maintenance services, you’ll make it simpler and more seamless for our municipal clients to operate safely and efficiently, empowering communities to focus on what matters most – people.
Jacobs is seeking a Drinking Water Compliance Manager to join our team. In this leadership role, you'll drive compliance with federal and state Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements across assigned public water systems while leading our Compliance & Reporting (C&R) Drinking Water Coordinator team of six regulatory specialists. As a trusted subject matter expert, you will provide strategic guidance on SDWA regulations, regulatory interpretation, enforcement risk, and compliance strategy. You'll also develop and enhance company-wide programs, systems, and processes that promote sustainable compliance, reduce regulatory risk, and support operational excellence.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Leadership & Oversight
- Directly supervise the Drinking Water Compliance Coordinator team.
- Provides technical leadership, mentorship, and performance management to the team.
- Establishes priorities, allocates resources, and ensures consistent execution of compliance activities.
- Communicates, coordinates and works cooperatively with the C&R Management Team.
SDWA Expertise & Regulatory Strategy
- Serves as the C&R team’s primary authority on the Safe Drinking Water Act and state primacy program requirements.
- Interprets complex federal and state regulations and translates them into actionable company policies and operational procedures
- Maintains up-to-date knowledge of regulatory changes, emerging contaminants, enforcement trends, and industry trends to ensure organizational readiness and compliance adaptation.
Regulatory Requirements Include But Not Limited To
- Surface Water Treatment Rule
- Total Coliform Rule/Revised Total Coliform Rule
- Lead and Copper Rule/Lead and Copper Rule Revision
- Disinfection Byproduct Rule
- Groundwater Rule
- PFAS Rule
- Consumer Confidence Report requirements
Compliance Program Management
- Develops, implements, and continuously improves company-wide drinking water compliance programs, systems, and reporting frameworks.
- Ensures assigned public drinking water systems maintain compliance with monitoring, reporting, treatment technique, and operational requirements to protect public health
Oversees development and standardization of
- Monitoring plans
- Sample tracking systems
- Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR)
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
- Regulatory guidance documents
Regulatory Coordination & Representation
- Serves as the primary liaison with federal and state regulatory agencies.
- Leads high-level regulatory communications, negotiations, and resolution of enforcement actions or violations.
- Coordinates Jacobs OMFS participation in inspections, sanitary surveys, audits, and compliance reviews.
Audit, Risk, and Issue Resolution
- Oversee sanitary surveys, compliance audits, and support visits across all projects.
- Identifies systemic compliance risks and develops corrective action strategies.
- Ensures timely escalation and resolution of significant compliance issues.
- Reviews and approves corrective action plans and verifies closure of findings.
Technical Support & Operational Integration
- Collaborate with operations, engineering, laboratory, technical services and other disciplines to ensure compliance solutions are integrated into plant operations.
- Support emergency response and incident management activities related to drinking water quality and regulatory compliance.
Training & Capacity Building
- Develop and deliver training programs on SDWA requirements and compliance best practices to staff, leadership team, regulators and public stakeholders.
- Ensure consistent understanding of regulatory expectations across all project teams.
Business Development & Strategic Initiatives
- Support proposals, project startups, and due diligence related to drinking water compliance.
- Advise senior leadership on regulatory risk, compliance trends, and strategic planning.
Other Duties
- Perform additional responsibilities as assigned to support organizational needs.
- This is a hybrid position, working from home and traveling to project sites and regulatory meetings. This is a combination of office and field environments, including exposure to treatment facilities and associated hazards.
Bring your team-focus, adaptability, and commitment to excellence, and we’ll help you grow what drives you – and deliver the world’s most challenging Operations Management projects, together.
#omfs #ourjacobs #challengeaccepted
Here's what you'll need
- Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Chemistry, Biology, or related fields
- Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in drinking water compliance, including leadership roles
- Demonstrated expert-level knowledge of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and state implementation programs
- Extensive experience with Regulatory inspections and enforcement processes
- Extensive experience with Water treatment plant operations
- Extensive experience with Compliance monitoring and reporting systems
- Proven experience managing teams and leading cross-functional initiatives
- Strong communication, leadership, and regulatory negotiation skills
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and compliance data management tools
- Ability to travel 50% to project sites and regulatory meetings
- Valid U.S. driver’s license
Ideally, You'll Also Have
- High-level water operator certification strongly preferred
Working Conditions
Safety is a core value at Jacobs. We are committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for all employees. This position will spend a substantial amount of time performing safety sensitive labor or services.
Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan. Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full-time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.
The base salary range for this position is $127,400.00 to $155,600.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Job posted on July 07, 2026. This position will be open for at least 3 days.
We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.
Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.
