Water/Wastewater Project Manager at River City Construction – Champaign, Illinois

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Project Manager - Water/Wastewater Treatment

Position Description

At River City Construction, Project Managers for our Water/Wastewater treatment projects play a critical role in delivering essential infrastructure that serves communities. These leaders guide projects from preconstruction through closeout, working closely with field teams, engineers, design consultants, and facility owners to ensure work is delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in full compliance with regulatory requirements.

Why This Role Is Different

Compared to typical vertical or commercial building projects, water and wastewater work offers:

1. Greater exposure to process, hydraulic, structural, civil, electrical, and controls systems
2. Significant heavy civil and heavy concrete construction, including large cast-in-place structures and below-grade facilities
3. Meaningful problem-solving due to unknown conditions and active plant constraints
4. More hands-on involvement in design coordination and constructability
5. The opportunity to directly influence both design decisions and construction execution

This is complex, technical infrastructure work that requires leadership, sound judgment, and collaboration across disciplines.

This role is well-suited for engineering-minded professionals, including civil, mechanical, electrical, environmental, or construction engineers, who enjoy being deeply involved in both design coordination and construction execution. It is particularly attractive to EITs and early-career Project Engineers who want more responsibility, broader exposure, and closer involvement in decision-making than is typically available in large design firms.

Our water and wastewater projects often involve active treatment facilities, incomplete or outdated as-builts, evolving site conditions, and operational constraints. Unique project elements may include deep excavations requiring earth retention, rock excavation, tight site logistics, maintaining plant operations throughout construction, and integration of specialized, custom process equipment. These conditions create opportunities for contractor-led design coordination, real-time problem solving, and meaningful collaboration with owners and engineers of record.

Project Managers are expected to understand the full picture of their projects, including process systems, heavy concrete structures, civil works, structural components, electrical systems, and controls integration, while independently managing priorities and leading teams that may include superintendents, foremen, engineers, safety staff, procurement professionals, and subcontractors. Project Managers may also support pursuit efforts by building relationships with municipal clients, utility districts, and design consultants.

Key Responsibilities

1. Project Leadership

Collaborate with fellow Project Managers, Superintendents, Field Operations, and company leadership to deliver high-performing water and wastewater infrastructure projects. Ensure compliance with environmental regulations, permits, and utility coordination requirements while maintaining safety and quality standards.

1. Engineering & Design Coordination

Support contractor-led design coordination efforts for treatment plant projects, including reviewing submittals, coordinating with equipment vendors, and assisting with modifications to structural, civil, electrical, process piping, hydraulic, and controls layouts. Participate in design discussions and help present proposed solutions to owners and engineers of record.

1. Project Execution & Controls

Manage budgets, procurement, forecasting, job costs, cash flow, RFIs, and change management on technically complex scopes. Treatment projects often involve greater uncertainty, requiring proactive issue identification and collaborative problem solving.

1. Field & Team Coordination

Work closely with the Superintendent to coordinate daily activities, document progress, resolve issues, and keep the team aligned. Support field teams on challenges unique to water/wastewater construction, such as bypass pumping, confined space work, dewatering, maintaining plant operations, and large cast-in-place concrete placements.

1. Client & Partner Relationships

Serve as a primary point of contact for municipal clients, utility districts, engineering partners, and vendors. Build trust through responsiveness, technical understanding, and a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach.

1. Documentation & Compliance

Oversee QA/QC documentation, permitting requirements, submittals, and closeout activities. Ensure environmental and safety compliance throughout the project lifecycle.

Work Environment

We offer a flexible work environment that supports team members in balancing work and life while meeting project needs.

Water and wastewater treatment projects vary in complexity and client requirements. While many assignments allow for a hybrid schedule (often including onsite presence several days per week), certain projects, particularly active treatment plant work or complex pursuits, may require a full-time onsite Project Manager for the duration of the assignment.

Work location expectations will be clearly defined prior to assignment, and Project Managers are expected to adapt their presence based on project phase, operational constraints, and client needs.

To support field leadership responsibilities and project-related travel, a monthly vehicle allowance of $775 is provided. In addition, gas mileage is reimbursed at the applicable GSA rate.

Compensation & Benefits

RCC offers a competitive benefits package including:

1. $775/month vehicle allowance plus GSA mileage reimbursement
2. Low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance
3. Employer-paid life insurance (up to 200% of base salary)
4. 401(k) through Fidelity Investments with company match (up to 10% at ½ ratio)
5. Mid-year and year-end bonus opportunities
6. 15 days PTO (available upfront), 7 wellness days, and 10 paid holidays
7. Company cell phone & laptop

1. 3-5+ years of experience in construction, engineering, or water/wastewater infrastructure preferred. While this experience is preferred, we are also open to newly graduated candidates who are motivated to build their careers in infrastructure construction.
2. Bachelor’s degree preferred: Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Environmental Engineering, Construction Management, or related field.
3. EIT certification or PE licensure is valued.
4. Strong organizational and communication skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
5. Collaborative mindset with professionalism, humility, and an enterprise-first mentality.
6. Interest in working closely with field teams and engaging in technically complex, infrastructure-focused projects.

River City Construction provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website as a result of your disability, you can request reasonable accommodation by calling 1.309.694.3120 or by sending an email to mpfoff@rccsg.com.

All employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.