Jobs › Conagra Brands

Senior Environmental Specialist Wastewater

Conagra Brands · Darien, WI · $82,000–$120,000 a year · Full time

Posted Oct 1, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you trained wastewater operators. What worked?

What they are checking: Whether they can build operator skill so improvements last after they leave the site.

How do you work with engineering and maintenance to evaluate system upgrades?

What they are checking: Whether they can collaborate across functions and judge proposals on technical merit and cost.

This role involves travel to multiple sites. How do you manage progress at plants you're not at every day?

What they are checking: Whether they can drive results remotely through relationships, follow-up and clear expectations.

What would you do

A plant manager wants to delay a wastewater upgrade to save money. How do you make your case?

What they are checking: Whether they can explain compliance and operational risk in terms plant leaders will act on.

A site has a permit exceedance. Walk me through your response.

What they are checking: Whether they know reporting duties, root cause work and corrective action under environmental regulations.

About the work

Walk me through how a dissolved air flotation system works and the common problems you've seen.

What they are checking: Whether they have real process depth in DAF operation and troubleshooting, not just general environmental knowledge.

How do you troubleshoot a lagoon treatment system that is falling out of compliance?

What they are checking: Whether they can diagnose biological treatment problems using sampling data and process knowledge.

What data do you trend to judge whether biological and chemical treatment is performing well?

What they are checking: Whether they use data trends to spot problems early instead of waiting for a permit violation.

How would you build an operational playbook that works across many plants with different systems?

What they are checking: Whether they can standardize practices while allowing for real differences between sites.

How do neutralization and equalization fit into the treatment train, and what goes wrong when they're not managed?

What they are checking: Whether they understand how upstream steps protect the biological system and downstream compliance.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Conagra Brands from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Conagra Brands.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Environmental, you will serve as the Sr. Environmental Specialist responsible for optimizing the daily performance of wastewater treatment systems across Conagra's manufacturing network. You will lead initiatives to improve reliability and efficiency of lagoon treatment, dissolved air flotation, neutralization, and equalization systems while ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. You will provide technical guidance, analyze system data, and support operator training to maintain best-in-class wastewater operations. This position can be based in: Fayetteville AR, Russellville AR, Fort Madison IA Imlay City, MI, Archbold OH, Council Bluffs IA, Marshall MO, Troy OH or Darien WI A Taste of Your Responsibilities • Serve as the subject matter expert on wastewater treatment process design, control, and troubleshooting. • Collaborate with engineering, maintenance, and environmental health and safety teams to evaluate system modifications and upgrades. • Lead process monitoring and optimization of lagoon treatment, dissolved air flotation, equalization, and neutralization systems. • Evaluate biological and chemical treatment performance through sampling, laboratory analysis, and data trending. • Develop operational playbooks and standardized procedures across the manufacturing network. • Travel to multiple sites to identify and implement process improvements that optimize treatment efficiency, energy use, and chemical consumption. • Support daily operation of pumps, aerators, clarifiers, and other treatment infrastructure. • Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local wastewater discharge permits and environmental regulations. • Establish standards for operational logs, sampling records, and performance reporting. • Support preparation of permit applications, renewals, and regulatory inspections. • Develop and deliver training for operators and plant personnel on treatment system operation, safety, and best practices. Ingredients Required for Your Success • Bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, chemical engineering, civil engineering, environmental science, or related field. • 5+ years of experience in operation and optimization of industrial or municipal wastewater treatment systems. • Experience with lagoon treatment systems, dissolved air flotation units, neutralization, and equalization processes. • Experience interpreting operational data, identifying trends, and implementing corrective actions. • Experience with supervisory control and data acquisition systems, laboratory testing, and process control strategies. • Strong communication skills to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences. • Experience with wastewater solids management and agricultural land application preferred. • Wastewater operator certification or Engineer in Training or Professional Engineer designation preferred. • Willing to travel 50% Physical Requirements More information about essential tasks and the facility will be shared during the hiring process. This role may require you to be in our manufacturing facilities. When visiting these sites, the physical requirements below may apply: You may be required to walk around the facility, climb stairs/ladders, kneel, or perform repetitive tasks that require hand-eye coordination. You may be required to lift or carry materials that can vary in weight and size. This is a manufacturing environment with large, moving equipment. Noise levels can be high, and temperatures may vary. #LI-Onsite #LI-PM2 #LI-MSL Compensation Pay Range:$82,000-$120,000 The annual salary listed above is the expected offering for this position. An employee’s actual annual salary will be based on but not limited to: location, relevant experience/level and skillset, while balancing internal Conagra employees’ equity. Conagra Brands will comply with applicable law regarding minimum salaries for exempt employees. Our Benefits We care about your total well-being and will support you with the following, subject to your location and role: • Health: Comprehensive healthcare plans, wellness incentive program, mental wellbeing support and fitness reimbursement • Wealth: Great pay, bonus incentive opportunity, matching 401(k) and stock purchase plan • Growth: Career development opportunities, employee resource groups, on-demand learning and tuition reimbursement • Balance: Paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work-schedules (subject to your location and role) and volunteer opportunities Our Company At Conagra Brands, we have a rich heritage of making great food. We aspire to have the most impactful, energized and inclusive culture in food. As a member of our 18,000+ person team across 40+ locations, you are empowered to reach your potential, make an impact and own your career. We're in the business of building champions – within our people and our iconic brands like Birds Eye®, Slim Jim® and Reddi-Wip®. Our focus on innovation extends beyond making great food, it also reflects our commitment to embracing new solutions that positively impact our team, the communities we serve and the health of our planet. Foodies Welcome. Conagra Brands is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state or local law. Reasonable accommodation may be made upon request.

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