Job Description

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) enriches the environment and protects public health for all New Yorkers by providing 1.1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water, managing wastewater and stormwater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous materials pollution. DEP is the largest combined municipal water and wastewater utility in the country, with nearly 6,000 employees. DEP's water supply system is comprised of 19 reservoirs and 3 controlled lakes throughout the system's 2,000 square mile watershed that extends 125 miles north and west of the city.

The Bureau of Wastewater Treatment (BWT) is responsible for the operation and maintenance of all facilities related to the treatment of sewage within the five boroughs of the city. This includes 14 wastewater treatment plants, sludge dewatering facilities, collections facilities (pumping stations, combined sewer overflow retention facilities, regulators, tide gates, etc.), wastewater laboratories and harbor vessels.

The New York City (NYC) Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Bureau of Wastewater Treatment (BWT) is seeking to fill the position of Assistant Commissioner, Engineering. This is a senior management level position that also serves on BWT’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT). The ideal candidate will bring both a depth and breadth of leadership, management and technical expertise in planning for and delivering large utility type construction and contract maintenance programs. This is an exciting opportunity to join the largest water and wastewater utility in North America and engage in meaningful and impactful work that touches every person who lives, works and visits the greatest city in the world.

With nearly 6,000 employee's system-wide, DEP is the largest municipal water and wastewater utility in North America. We protect public health and the environment by supplying clean drinking water, collecting and treating wastewater, and reducing air, noise, and hazardous material pollution. Every day DEP delivers 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water to 8.5 million New Yorkers and collects and treats 1.3 billion gallons of sanitary and storm water. In support of our work, we implement one of the largest construction programs in the region. DEP’s capital program will make an average investment of $3 billion per year over the next ten years.

With 1,800 staff members, BWT is the largest of DEP’s bureaus. We operate and maintain all facilities related to the pumping and treatment of wastewater within the five boroughs. These facilities include 14 wastewater resource recovery facilities, six sludge dewatering facilities, collections facilities (96 pumping stations, 140 miles of interceptors, four combined sewer overflow facilities, regulators, tide gates), five wastewater and three microbiology laboratories, and marine vessels for transporting sludge and monitoring water quality. In addition to a $400M per year operating budget, BWT will benefit from a $10B investment in capital construction over the next 10 years.

Reporting to the BWT Deputy Commissioner, the Assistant Commissioner for Engineering (ACE) is a key member of the SLT and is responsible for leading and managing a comprehensive array of complex services and programs. The successful candidate will exercise an extremely wide latitude of independent judgment and initiative in improving existing and implementing new programs, policies and activities for high-level Bureau and Agency priorities. In addition to being responsible for over 150 indirect reports, the ACE is directly responsible for the “Director of Planning, Procurement and Program Management” and the “Director of Engineering, Construction Management and Contract Maintenance”. These two Directorates oversee and deliver all programs that support the long term and sustainable maintenance and State of Good Repair of BWT’s operational assets. These programs include long term Planning; inhouse and contract design work; construction management; asset maintenance and support through contracted services; and budgeting and procurement.

As the ACE, the successful candidate will establish and maintain strong and collaborative working relationships with BWT’s AC of Operations, AC of Digital Transformation, and Director RCI utilizing these relationships to ensure that BWT’s Operational assets are planned for and available in time for regulatory requirements and NYC’s aggressive goals towards carbon neutrality, zero waste to landfill and resiliency goals. BWT’s ACE will also establish and maintain strong and collaborative working relationships with entities outside of BWT including DEP’s Energy Office, DEP’s Agency Chief Contracting Officer (ACCO), DEP’s Bureau of Legal Affairs, DEP’s Bureau of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs, the Commissioner’s Office, DEP’s Bureau of Engineering Design and Construction (BEDC), DEP’s CFO’s Office, Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and Department of Buildings.

Qualifications

A valid New York State License as a Professional Engineer and six (6) years of full-time satisfactory experience in chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, or plan examining work, at least two (2) years of which must have been in an executive, managerial, or administrative capacity.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.