Water Treatment Engineer

ABOUT xAI

xAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All employees are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

We are seeking an exceptional Water Treatment Engineer to design, implement, and optimize water treatment systems for xAI’s high-density AI supercomputing facilities. This role focuses on treatment programs for cooling tower water, chilled water loops, closed-loop systems, and process water used in liquid cooling infrastructure to ensure maximum reliability, efficiency, and minimal water usage (WUE) while preventing corrosion, scaling, and biological fouling.

You will play a critical role in maintaining uptime for our superclusters by delivering high-performance water chemistry and treatment solutions at massive scale. This is a full-time, onsite role based in the Memphis region, working closely with thermal, mechanical, facilities, and operations teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Design and optimize industrial water treatment programs for open and closed cooling systems, including chemical treatment, filtration, softening, reverse osmosis, and side-stream treatment.

• Develop and maintain water quality specifications, monitoring protocols, and automated control systems to protect cooling equipment and maximize system efficiency.

• Perform water chemistry analysis, corrosion monitoring, scaling tendency modeling, and biological control to prevent downtime and extend equipment life.

• Collaborate with thermal and mechanical teams to integrate water treatment with liquid cooling, heat exchangers, and cooling towers supporting extreme power densities.

• Manage vendor relationships for chemical supply, equipment, and on-site service; oversee bulk chemical storage and dosing systems.

• Ensure compliance with environmental regulations, discharge permits, and sustainability goals related to water usage and wastewater.

• Conduct root cause investigations for water-related issues, perform system audits, and drive continuous improvement in water treatment strategies.

• Support commissioning of new facilities, expansion projects, and ongoing operations while contributing to water conservation initiatives.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

• 1+ years experience in industrial water treatment, preferably for data centers, power plants, or large-scale cooling systems.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Direct experience supporting hyperscale data center cooling systems or power generation facilities.

• Familiarity with liquid cooling loops, high-cycle cooling towers, and hybrid cooling architectures.

• Knowledge of relevant standards and regulations (ASHRAE, EPA, local discharge permits) and water sustainability metrics (WUE).

• Experience with automated water treatment controls, SCADA integration, and real-time monitoring.

• Background in Memphis/Tennessee or Texas water regulations and river-sourced makeup water treatment.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Willingness to work extended hours and be fully onsite as needed during critical project phases and system upsets.

• Ability to work in industrial/data center environments, including occasional lifting and exposure to varying conditions.

• Strong communication skills for collaborating with internal teams, vendors, and regulatory agencies.

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