Back to jobs

Senior Project Manager

Texas, US

About Adaptive Water

Adaptive Water is redefining how water-intensive facilities source, treat, use, and reuse water across Texas. We design, build, and operate facility-scale systems that harvest and reuse multiple alternative supplies—stormwater, wastewater, graywater, and brackish groundwater—eliminating dependence on potable water for applications that don't require it.

Texas' water crisis is urgent. The 2022 State Water Plan projected that by 2030, demand would exceed supply by approximately 20%—and that analysis predated the data center boom now accelerating water stress across the state. Conventional, once-through water systems are no longer viable in Texas' increasingly arid climate, forcing large industrial facilities, municipalities, agriculture, and ecosystems into direct competition for scarce resources. Texas needs more than incremental efficiency improvements to a fundamentally broken water supply model. Adaptive Water is building a new water supply paradigm to secure Texas' water future—join us.

About the Role

As Project Manager, your first project will be to lead end-to-end delivery of a complex, high-stakes water infrastructure project for a gigascale data center campus. That means you have an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate how Texas' rapidly expanding data center ecosystem can achieve water resilience, without dewatering or polluting communities or ecosystems.

You'll lead the planning, design, construction, and commissioning of a multi-source onsite water system engineered to support hyperscale computing infrastructure in one of Texas' most water-constrained regions. Success requires technical excellence, creative problem-solving, stakeholder coordination across public and private entities, and the ability to navigate complex regulatory environments.

Adaptive is an early-stage startup. In this role, you’ll establish the processes, standards, and team culture that will define how Adaptive's Project Management Office delivers projects as we grow. You will work directly with the CEO and founding leadership team alongside leading water engineers, policy experts, and conservation scientists across Texas.

What You'll Do

  • Direct all phases of project execution from scoping through commissioning for hyperscale data center water infrastructure supporting 5+ GW capacity
  • Develop and manage comprehensive project plans including schedules, budgets, resource allocation, risk registers, and performance metrics
  • Coordinate across engineering teams, specialized subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, regulatory agencies, and client stakeholders
  • Translate Adaptive's technical vision into executable project strategy with clear milestones and deliverables
  • Establish quality assurance protocols ensuring systems meet performance specifications and regulatory requirements
  • Navigate complex permitting processes across multiple jurisdictions and regulatory frameworks
  • Manage public-private partnership dynamics, including coordination with municipal utilities and local government entities
  • Build, motivate, and develop high-performing project teams capable of executing complex, multi-disciplinary water infrastructure projects in dynamic, fast-paced environments
  • Design and implement scalable project management frameworks, tools, and standards that will support Adaptive's growth

Who You Are

Adaptive Water is seeking a highly accomplished and results-oriented Project Manager to lead the delivery of complex design-build-operate (DBO) assignments. The ideal candidate will serve as a process owner from project conception through design, construction, and operational launch. The successful Project Manager will demonstrate a passion for operational excellence, adept risk management, and a commitment to long-term project success.

Minimum Requirements:

  • Professional project management certification (PMP, PMI-ACP, or equivalent strongly preferred)
  • 7+ years leading enterprise-scale infrastructure projects in mission-critical environments (data centers, advanced manufacturing, industrial facilities, utilities, or water/wastewater treatment)
  • Experience with water infrastructure projects including treatment systems, industrial process water, or onsite water reuse
  • Direct experience navigating permitting or compliance for regulated facilities, with understanding of environmental compliance and water quality regulations
  • Demonstrated success delivering complex projects involving multiple engineering disciplines, regulatory agencies, and stakeholder groups
  • Strong working knowledge of design and construction standards, regulatory requirements, project commissioning, and water infrastructure operations and maintenance
  • Proficiency with project management software, BIM tools, and relevant engineering applications
  • Exceptional organizational and communication skills, with ability to collaborate effectively across technical and non-technical audiences 
  • Advanced problem-solving skills with a pragmatic and adaptable approach to resolving project challenges
  • Strong sense of responsibility, accountability, and ethical conduct in all aspects of project delivery
  • Personal commitment to solving Texas' most pressing natural resource challenge

Preferred:

  • Professional engineering license or advanced degree in civil, environmental, chemical, or mechanical engineering, construction management, or a related technical field
  • Familiarity with data center operations, cooling systems, and critical infrastructure (experience in advanced manufacturing, power generation, or other high-reliability industrial environments translates well)
  • Familiarity with aquifer storage and recovery, managed aquifer recharge, or advanced water treatment technologies
  • Background in Texas water policy, groundwater districts, or municipal utility operations
  • Experience with projects involving complex contracting, such as public-private partnerships (P3), utility coordination, long-term facility management engagements, or operational handover
  • Experience in high-growth startup or scale-up environments where you've built operational capabilities from scratch

Why This Role Matters

Too often, water supply projects compete for limited resources and deprive neighboring communities and ecosystems of the water they need to thrive. Adaptive Water’s mission is to expand access to resilient, affordable onsite water solutions that reduce dependence on shared resources. Your work will establish proof points showing that the data center industry can support Texas' economic growth without depleting the water resources upon which communities and ecosystems depend.

What We Offer

The annual salary range for this role is $120,000 - $185,000. This range includes both performance-based incentives and the annual base salary. This salary range will be narrowed during the interview process based on a number of factors, including the candidate’s experience and qualifications. Additional benefits for this role may include: equity, 401(k) plan; medical, dental, and vision benefits; and wellness stipends.

Location & Travel

This role requires regular presence at the project site during active construction phases, with flexibility for remote work during planning and design stages. We're building a distributed team across Texas with strong preference for candidates based in Austin or willing to relocate to Central Texas. Relocation assistance is available for exceptional candidates.

We look forward to hearing from you

At Adaptive Water, we’re looking for people with passion, grit, and integrity. You're encouraged to apply even if your experience doesn't precisely match the job description. Your skills and passion will stand out—and set you apart—especially if your career has taken some extraordinary twists and turns. At Adaptive, we welcome diverse perspectives from people who think rigorously and aren't afraid to challenge assumptions. Join us in building a water secure future for Texas.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
How did you hear about Adaptive Water *

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Adaptive Water’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.