Research Translation Engineer - Water Desalination and Distribution

Position Summary

Major Responsibilities

• Lead and provide engineering support for desalination, water treatment, and water distribution research translation projects.
• Design, model, and optimize desalination systems including RO,MD, ED, and thermal processes.
• Work with the Research Translation team to prototype and fabricate desalination/hydraulics subsystems using KAUST workshops and external vendors.
• Evaluate performance of prototype systems and pilot units; identify improvement pathways and scaling potential.
• Develop and execute structured test plans for prototype and pilot systems, including KPI definition, data acquisition, and performance benchmarking against design targets
• Conduct design reviews ensuring alignment with engineering principles, safety standards, and project requirements.
• Create engineering documentation including system specifications, test plans, P&IDs, process flow diagrams (PFDs), and mechanical drawings.
• Engage in resource recovery research, supporting development of water reuse, nutrient recycling, and energy recovery technologies.
• Lead and assist in developing technology maturity roadmaps (TRL-based) and conduct gap analyses for desalination/distribution innovations.
• Support risk assessments, troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and performance diagnostics for deployed systems.
• Contribute to project planning, cost estimation, and technical feasibility studies; track engineering milestones and communicate progress to project leads and stakeholders.

Personal Requirements

• *Competencies*
• Experience with RO, thermal desalination (VC, MSF, MED), electrodialysis, and membrane distillation.
• Understanding membrane performance, fouling behavior, and energy-water optimization.
• Knowledge of high-pressure pumping systems and membrane process hydraulics.
• Familiarity with brine management, disposal strategies, and environmental compliance.
• Knowledge of water-network hydraulics, pipeline sizing, and pressure management.
• Experience using PIPENET or similar tools for hydraulic modeling.
• Familiarity with SCADA, Io sensors, and real-time monitoring for smart water networks.
• Knowledge of leak detection technologies and non-revenue water (NRW) reduction strategies.
• Understanding water reuse, nutrient recovery, and energy capture.
• Mechanical design of high-pressure pipelines, pump housings, and treatment-unit components.
• Ability to interpret drawings, P&IDs, and mechanical schematics.
• Experience with pilot-unit fabrication, commissioning, and troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with relevant standards and codes (e.g.,AWWA, ASME, ISO 24512) for water infrastructure design
• Understanding activated sludge, nutrient removal, and sludge processes.
• Experience with MBRs, membrane fouling, and cleaning strategies.
• Knowledge of adsorption, photocatalysis, and advanced oxidation processes.
• Familiarity with water-quality parameters and contaminant-removal mechanisms.
• Ability to translate research into engineered systems and prototypes.
• Strong analytical, communication, and documentation skills.
• Ability to work across multiple projects and interdisciplinary teams
• Experience preparing technical reports, reviewing grant proposals, or regulatory submissions

Qualifications

• Degree in Environmental, Chemical, Water Resources, or Mechanical Engineering with relevant industry experience

Experience

• 6 to 10 years of relevant research/engineering experience in an industry setting
• Demonstrated working knowledge in concept prototyping, skid mounted pilot plants and product development.
• Execute technology transfer projects, resolve processing issues, and conduct technical assessments on process/product impact due to changes in equipment, scale, and raw materials.
• Experience analyzing engineering diagrams, specifications, related data, and drawings to determine design factors such as scale, shape, and arrangement of unit operations.
• Experience with desalination process design, membrane technologies, or thermal systems.
• Experience in water distribution system engineering, hydraulics, or pipeline design.
• Demonstrated experience executing technology transfer or research translation projects, including resolving processing issues and assessing impact of changes in equipment, scale, or raw materials.
• Proven ability to interpret and produce engineering diagrams, mechanical layouts, and water-process unit operations.
• Industry experience ensuring systems are reliable, manufacturable, and cost-efficient.
• Knowledge of technology readiness levels, prototyping methodologies, and translational research pathways.