Mechanical Engineer (Water Systems) - Berkeley, CA

DTS is looking for Mechanical Engineer (Water Systems) for our direct client position in Berkeley, CA

Key Responsibilities 
Water System Design & Engineering
 
- Lead the design and engineering of cooling water systems supporting ALS-U and ALS operational infrastructure. 
- Develop system architectures, P&IDs, flow diagrams, hydraulic calculations, equipment specifications, and design documentation. 
- Perform engineering analysis related to heat transfer, fluid flow, pump sizing, pressure drops, thermal stability, and water quality management. 
- Specify and oversee procurement of pumps, heat exchangers, filtration systems, expansion tanks, piping systems, valves, instrumentation, and water treatment systems. 
- Coordinate integration of water systems with accelerator, beamline, cryogenic, HVAC, and facility utility systems. 
- Ensure designs comply with ASME, ANSI, California building and mechanical codes, laboratory engineering standards, and safety requirements.
- Oversee the daily operation of closed-loop LCW and DI water systems, monitoring critical parameters like resistivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and pH.
- Manage chemical dosing, UV sterilizers, mixed-bed deionizers, and reverse osmosis (RO) systems to prevent biological growth, scaling, and galvanic corrosion.
- Develop and execute preventative maintenance (PM) schedules. Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, and chemical issues—including pump failures, resin degradation, and leaks.
- Plan, design, and commission system expansions or retrofits. Evaluate pipe materials (e.g., PVDF, electropolished stainless steel), valves, and instrumentation to maintain ultra-pure water standards.
- Ensure water systems adhere to strict environmental and industrial safety standards.
Operations & Maintenance
- Serve as system owner for operational water systems supporting ALS and ALS-U. 
- Develop preventive and predictive maintenance programs for cooling water infrastructure. 
- Monitor system performance, reliability, and lifecycle condition. 
- Troubleshoot operational issues including flow instability, thermal excursions, equipment failures, water chemistry concerns, and leakage events. 
- Coordinate outages, repairs, commissioning activities, and maintenance schedules to minimize operational impact. - Support 24/7 operational reliability and rapid response during facility incidents or system failures.
Project Management & Installation Support
- Manage water-system-related projects from conceptual design through installation and commissioning. - Coordinate with contractors, vendors, installation teams, and facilities personnel. - Develop project schedules, cost estimates, and technical scopes of work. - Review installation quality and ensure conformance with engineering specifications. - Support startup, testing, balancing, and commissioning activities.
Documentation & Configuration Control
- Maintain accurate engineering documentation including drawings, specifications, operating procedures, maintenance procedures, system inventories, and engineering calculations. - Support configuration management and change control processes. - Develop operational standards and best practices for facility water systems.
Safety & Compliance
- Ensure all activities are conducted in accordance with Integrated Safety Management (ISM), EH&S requirements, laboratory policies, and applicable regulatory standards. 
- Participate in hazard analyses, readiness reviews, and safety assessments. 
- Support lockout/tagout planning and operational safety procedures.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related discipline. 
- Minimum 8 years of relevant professional engineering experience, including substantial experience in the design, operation, and/or maintenance of industrial process or facility water systems; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Specific knowledge of the design, operation, and maintenance of the facility’s Low Conductivity Water (LCW) and deionized water systems.
- Ensure optimal water purity, prevent equipment corrosion, manage chemical treatments, and lead troubleshooting efforts to minimize system downtime. 
- Experience with closed-loop cooling water systems, process utilities, mechanical infrastructure, and industrial piping systems. 
- Knowledge of hydraulic and thermal system design principles. 
- Experience interpreting and producing engineering drawings and P&IDs. 
- Familiarity with pumps, heat exchangers, cooling towers, water treatment systems, instrumentation, and controls. 
- Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills. 
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a complex operational environment. 
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.