JOB TITLE: Applications Development Engineer (Wastewater Process & Field Applications)
STATUS: Full Time Position, Salary Exempt
SCHEDULE: 8 am – 5 pm – must be able to accommodate flexible working hours, particularly for lab work, WWTP visits, pilot testing, and travel. 45–50 hours/week.
SUPERVISOR: Engineering Manager
This is an onsite position located in Saginaw MI and is not eligible for relocation.

Summary:
Duperon Corporation (DC) manufactures patented screening, compacting and dewatering equipment that is customized (made to order) for each project. The Applications Development Engineer supports R&D and Product Engineering by developing, validating, and optimizing wastewater applications involving fine screening, Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR) pretreatment, sludge handling, biological processes, thickening, and dewatering. The role requires wastewater operator knowledge, pilot testing, field sampling, laboratory testing, regulatory awareness (NPDES), and hands-on validation at municipal and industrial Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs.)

Essential Duties:
• Required to conduct field and pilot-scale testing at WWTPs, document equipment performance, screening capture, solids behavior, hydraulic impacts, and downstream effects to the plant (e.g., MBR, pumps, clarifiers).
• Document engineering work, sampling logs, lab results, process observations, and technical reports aligned with internal R&D protocols.
• You will perform testing and data interpretation; must be able to convert findings into actionable process recommendations.
• You will develop sampling plans, maintain chain-of-custody, and ensure data integrity aligned with regulatory expectations.
• You will need to develop repeatable process parameters (flows, loading, capture efficiency, operating envelopes) for wastewater applications.
• You will perform wastewater sampling and laboratory testing such as: TSS/VSS, SSV/SSV30, SVI, jar tests, pH/alkalinity, DO, ammonia
itrate
itrite, orthophosphate, Fats Oils and Grease (FOG), sludge profiles.
• Diagnose and trouble shoot process issues such as blinding, ragging, solids carryover, grit capture and carryover, sludge handling, MBR fouling trends, odor/corrosion drivers, biological upsets; recommend corrective actions.
• Interpret SCADA / plant trends, flow data, pump run times, event logs; correlate equipment behavior to plant-wide performance.
• Coordinate with vendors/suppliers/consultants/sites to secure materials and services; keep projects on schedule and within budget.
• Support installation, startup, troubleshooting, sampling and operator training for Duperon equipment and pilot systems.
• You will need to represent our “you’ll like working with us” creed.
• Ability to create a “partnership” relationship with our customers and team members.

Education
Education: High School diploma required; BS in Environmental/Civil/Mechanical Engineering or equivalent wastewater operations experience is required
Preferred: Wastewater Operator Certification (Class B/C or equivalent), familiarity with fine screens, MBR systems, sludge management, thickening, dewatering; basic instrumentation/controls understanding. SolidWorks Experience is a plus.

Skills and Knowledge:
• Required: 4 years’ experience in wastewater treatment operations, laboratory testing, equipment startup, process optimization; R&D or pilot testing experience.
• Required: Able to read mechanical blueprints and Electrical diagrams.
• Required: Knowledge of Wastewater processes and operator-level understanding.
• Required: Strong communication skills, verbal and written, to communicate with operators, superintendents, and plant engineers and Duperon product team.
• Required: Strong documentation skills (testing plans, SOPs, technical reports).
• Required project management skills to track projects and meet deadlines as well as report out any deviations from the plan.
• Required: Able to work independently as well with a team of engineers/contractors/ and site personnel.
• Required: Learn and fully understand our R&D process; able to work in an environment that will not have all the information at times. Have a natural curiosity to see what can be learned from not knowing. Make adjustments at the site to keep the project moving forward.
• Strong Mechanical skills; comfortable working with equipment in harsh wastewater environments.

Working Conditions:
• Our Headquarters is located in Saginaw, Michigan.
• Drug-free, non-smoking environment.
• Travel is required 30-50% of the time. Multiple overnight stays may be required
• Must maintain a good driving record to be insured as a driver for our company.
• Must have a high level of personal integrity, ownership, and pride; must see something possible for oneself as an individual within the company vision.
• This position is required to perform their work in a variety of environments such as our office, shop and a customer site.
• Office environment requires the ability to sit and work on a computer for long periods of time, talk on the phone, video conference calls etc. When working in the office, the dress code is business casual
• Shop floor or Customer site: Dress code is steel toed boots, jeans and shirt, (no inappropriate logos).
• This position requires on-site work as well as the ability to work in our assembly facility. Physical requirements to work on machines may include lifting of 50 lbs. or more, as well as stooping, kneeling, or bending for extended periods of time. Climbing on the machine is required at times.
• Travel and working in the conditions of a wastewater treatment plant will be part of this role. Site visits may require the ability to climb stairs and walk long distances (more than 100 yards) over steep or uneven terrain, and in varying weather conditions. Sites vary in conditions; any obstacles presented by the site must be overcome as we do not manage site conditions.
• Customer sites may have specific requirements to be at their site, and may include safety training, dress code requirements etc. When these occasionally happen, we will follow their requirements.
• Duperon Corporation is a dynamically-paced company with a fast-growth strategy – which often means that protocols and processes that were appropriate a year ago are no longer valid. Applicants should examine their personal style and preferences to determine if this would be a suitable environment.

Safety & Compliance Requirements:
• Confined Space Entry training (or ability to obtain); familiarity with Lockout/Tagout and respiratory protection.
• Adherence to PPE requirements and safe practices in wastewater environments.
• Awareness of NPDES permit compliance and laboratory QA/QC standards.