Your ability to deeply listen to clients, perform excellent technical work, and write exemplary technical documents are what really set you apart.

You are comfortable working with incomplete information, enjoy a dynamic environment with changing client priorities, and shifting approaches as more information becomes available. Being motivated to do excellent work, your ability to contribute great ideas, eagerness to earn clients’ trust, and business sensibilities rounds out your personality.

Why Choose Azura

We do things differently than most consultants.

At Azura you’ll get an opportunity that you won’t find anywhere else. You’ll get to work on some of the most complex and challenging projects that most other consultants don’t get to see! Growing alongside the company, you will also have the chance to profit from your hard work by taking a leadership role in the company and reaping the rewards that come with that role.

One thing we can guarantee is that you won’t be bored while working at Azura! Each week brings new exciting and complex challenges, allowing you to learn faster and be stretched more. As a niche consulting practice, Azura will help to support and elevate your strengths and passions to find the role that best suits you.

Read on to learn more about the position and how we work.

Core Responsibilities

Technical Project Work (75%)

In the beginning, this position will primarily be client-facing technical work. You will be working on technical projects for existing clients and working with the team to develop new clients and new business opportunities.

The portion of our business that is project-based varies from month to month based on client needs.

Some weeks, like when we are providing critical litigation support, can be 150% technical work, yes, evenings, weekends, and holidays too. The technical work includes:

• Waste and wastewater characterization, bench and pilot-scale treatability evaluations, mass balance calculations and process design.
• Technical analysis and calculations for anaerobic digestion, aerobic treatment, and physio-chemical industrial wastewater treatment systems.
• Techno-economic evaluation of alternate treatment technologies.
• Technical writing and communication of our findings on technical topics, alternate solutions, and the implications of each related to the client’s business.
• Project management, sample collection, and oversight of lab testing and subcontractors.
• Coordination of team and contractor activities.

Other weeks, we may be focused on internal development projects, marketing, business development, and sales–only doing 10% client-facing technical work. We have found that this dynamic schedule fosters a more flexible and productive working environment, always directing our energy and efforts where they are best suited and most needed.

Research and Development (10%)

Azura participates in various research activities to discover and support innovative solutions to our clients’ challenges and further our own business objectives. Our proprietary approach to solving client issues is a competitive advantage at Azura.

We add to our competitiveness by creating knowledge, harvesting lessons learned in the field, and continuously improving how we deliver our services.

Moving beyond the standard billable-hours business model, at Azura we have the freedom to develop and innovate solutions that make good business sense for everyone involved. We have several proprietary business projects in development right now to solve our clients’ outstanding business problems.

Marketing, Business Development, and Sales (10%)

You will be coached as you learn the complete business sales cycle from marketing through business development, all the way to proposal writing and closing new client engagements. You will see it all–participate in customer discovery meetings and write client proposals. You will be expected to contribute to our business success by:

• Adding to Azura’s corporate profile through active participation in professional and technical associations and committees.
• Preparing and writing case studies, technical notes, and white-papers.
• Developing business relationships across a range of client sectors.
• Helping with everything from our social media channels all the way through to telephoning new prospects and booking site visits to meet new prospects in person.
• Maintain existing client relationships and develop new client relationships.
• Prepare logical and well thought-out strategies to resolve client issues, identify uncertainties and risk, and formulate plans to get the information needed to reduce those risks.
• Write proposals and engineering budgets for Azura’s client work.

Corporate Development (5%)

We’re small and lean—from HR to IT, IP protection, and how to work on legal matters, you’ll learn everything about running a niche consulting practice.

And yes, even some aspects usually hidden from staff—you will see project budgets, client invoices, and how the money comes in. You will see payroll and vendor invoices and where the money goes.

About You

Expectations

Joining an “established startup” means you will have the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects and have regular access to both coaches and outside mentors. Your growth potential is limitless. Being small means we all wear multiple hats, and we expect that you will bring the same “get-it-done” and “team first” mindset that has been critical to our cumulative success.

Attitudes to Succeed

• Initiative, innovativeness, inquisitiveness, and integrity.
• Customer oriented attitude and motivation with an engaging level of enthusiasm.
• High level of self-awareness and humility, with excitement to learn from new situations and challenges.
• Intellectual agility and superb analytical skills.
• Intrapreneurial spirit, flexibility, comfortable with risk, and the unknown.

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in related engineering field required (advanced degree preferred).
• Qualified for P.Eng. professional registration.
• Sound reasoning ability and good judgement.
• Strong desire to acquire new knowledge and skills.
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal, organizational and communication skills.
• Interest in sales principles, methods, practices, and techniques.
• Those candidates with an interest in obtaining an equity position within the corporation must clearly demonstrate a keen understanding and successful application of business development, management, and corporate ethics.

Technical Skills

• Technical skills in anaerobic digestion and industrial wastewater process design, analysis, and optimization to support our technical project work.
• Understanding of environmental, regulatory, and business drivers for our clients and their projects.
• Ability to utilize your current areas of expertise and ability to research and learn about other related topics to provide technical support for unique wastewater related projects.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office platforms, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience with water and wastewater modelling software, Biowin or GPS-X, an asset.

Writing and Communication Skills

• Outstanding interpersonal skills, including listening, empathy, and intuition.
• Polished communication and presentation skills to engage a wide range of audiences.
• The ability to articulate ideas and concepts both visually and contextually are required.
• Exemplary technical writing skills with experience writing technical reports for diverse audiences.
• Meticulous nature, strong attention to detail, and pristine written work.

Organizational Skills and Work Ethic

• Ability to succeed in a consulting environment, handling multiple project assignments, meeting strict deadlines, and traveling to client facilities as needed.
• Strong organizational skills in both information management and time management.
• Work well both within a team environment and independently.
• Strong work ethic and a desire to excel.
• Be self-motivated and proactive.

Here Are Some Other Things You Should Know

Compensation and Benefits

We’re not like most engineering consultants. We do not track weekly utilization rates or use accounting slight-of-hand to mislead staff. We keep our clients happy and run a profitable business–it really is that simple.

Our compensation strategy is based on a low base salary and aggressive profit sharing. Because you can see client cheques coming in and vendor invoices getting paid, you will quickly know how well the company is doing.

We don’t provide medical, dental, vision, or gym benefits—we prefer to pay out in profit sharing. You choose what services you want and the best way to pay for them.

Paid time off is accrued starting at 10 statutory holidays and 10 vacation days a year for junior staff and ramping up for senior staff. We also offer 6 paid sick days per year.

Flexible Work Hours and Remote Working Options

Azura is a mostly in-person work environment. This approach was chosen to help maximize learning and mentoring opportunities for our junior staff.

We offer a variety of flexible work options to help balance the demands of work and personal life.

Must Have Details

Applicants must be permanently eligible to work in Canada. Proof of eligibility may come in the form of a certified copy of a birth certificate, citizenship certificate, or certificate of permanent residence.

This position requires the ability to work evening and weekends when needed to meet client deadlines. None of us love working late nights, but it is occasionally needed for some client engagements.

To be considered for this position, you must be legally and cheerfully able to visit locations across North America without special visa requirements. Overnight travel may be up to 10% of the time depending on the location of client sites. Overnight travel usually occurs for trips lasting 2-days to a week in duration. Some months there is almost no travel, other months may be closer to 25%.

Candidates must possess a valid drivers license, have access to a reliable vehicle, be comfortable driving a company pickup truck, and have a satisfactory driving record for business travel.

Project work often takes us to industrial client sites with the potential for exposure to inclement weather, and industrial noise, food allergens, chemical, and biological agents. Industrial environments also include the potential for exposure to extreme heat, cold, moisture, or dryness.

The job can be physically demanding at times requiring lifting equipment or materials of more than 20 kg, the ability to climb stairs and ladders, sitting or standing for extended periods of time, and use of all required personal protective equipment.

Some client engagements require staff to pass a drug test.

Diversity

Diversity is good business. We just want the very best team members.

Azura supports a culture of diversity and accessibility, regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, religion, gender identity, gender expression, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability.

We aim to make the application and interview process accommodating for all qualified applicants. If any accommodations would enable or enhance your consideration, please contact Lila White at HRLW2023@azuraassociates.com.

What is the Azura Employment Process?

• Research Azura the way we research prospective clients. Be curious. Start with Azura on LinkedIn and https://AzuraAssociates.com/. Check the position Details on our Careers page to get more of the fine points.
• If you can see yourself thriving with us, please email your resume and cover letter (in pdf format only) about the key points in the Azura website you found interesting and your top three questions that would help you know if this position is a great fit for you. Please email to: careers23@azuraassociates.com.
• Selected candidates will begin with a short telephone interview; these will start almost immediately.
• The top 10 candidates will be asked to take our “Profiles International” assessment; we pay the testing fee. Because teamwork, great communication, and a fun, “can do” work environment are important to us, we’re investing to make sure you will love working with us too. Please note we pay all the fees and will share this link with you.
• If you end up as one of the top five candidates, you will have an in-depth video interview with Dave Ellis, have an opportunity to get answers to your questions, and afterwards you will be given a short assignment to showcase what you can do.
• Lastly, the top candidates will be paid an honorarium to come to an in-person interview with the Azura team. At this interview you’ll get a chance to show what you can do, give a short presentation, and see if this is right for you. The top candidate will be presented with an offer of employment.

We embrace a human-centred workplace, we appreciate the time and effort candidates put into preparing a cover letter and resume for us. We respect all candidates and will do our best to contact those people who are not selected for interviews as those decisions are made.

As a small firm, focused on meeting our client needs, we do not have the capacity to respond to phone calls inquiring about employment. Please do not telephone. Thank you.

Notice to Third Party Agencies

Azura does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement and approved engagement request, Azura reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency.