Critical infrastructure starts here: where the systems that feed, hydrate, and sustain human life meet engineering, policy, and technology.
Clean water is not a given. The systems that deliver it — treatment plants, distribution networks, aquifer management programs, watershed protection infrastructure — are aging faster than they are being replaced, while simultaneously facing new threats from contaminants, climate variability, and cyber vulnerabilities.
Water Systems is a DHS Critical Infrastructure sector (Sector 12) and one of the most underfunded in terms of technical talent. Civil engineers, environmental chemists, process engineers, and cybersecurity specialists who understand SCADA systems and Safe Drinking Water Act compliance are needed urgently across municipal utilities, federal agencies, and private operators.
EPA, DHS/CISA, USACE, rural water utilities, large metropolitan water authorities, private water operators, and international development programs (World Bank, USAID, UNICEF).
Advanced oxidation process for PFAS removal from municipal water supply. EPA MCL compliance required.
IoT sensor network for real-time leak detection across aging municipal distribution infrastructure.
AWIA-compliant cybersecurity assessment and remediation for water utility SCADA/ICS systems.
Whether you’re a professional seeking your next mission, an organization building a team, or a research institution connecting expertise to real-world programs — this sector has a place for you here.