A long-standing Senior Project Manager vacancy in wastewater infrastructure was successfully filled after years of hiring challenges in a highly competitive U.S. civil engineering market.

At a glance

Lamp Rynearson is a U.S.-based civil engineering and consulting firm providing services in civil engineering, land surveying, landscape architecture, and infrastructure planning and design.

Their work spans complex civil infrastructure projects across the United States, including transportation systems, water and wastewater infrastructure, urban development, airports, and public facilities. They partner with government agencies, utilities, developers, and commercial clients nationwide.

The brief

Lamp Rynearson had been searching for a Senior Project Manager with wastewater expertise for their Kansas City office for several years without success.

After exhausting internal recruitment efforts, they partnered with our civil infrastructure recruitment specialists to deliver a targeted search strategy focused on securing high-level, hard-to-find engineering talent in the U.S.

The challenge

This was a highly specialized role requiring 10–15 years of wastewater engineering and project management experience – a niche skill set within an already limited talent pool.

Key challenges included:

• A shortage of senior civil infrastructure professionals in the local Kansas City market
• A requirement for three days per week in-office, limiting relocation and remote options
• A candidate-driven U.S. job market, where experienced engineers have multiple opportunities
• The need to clearly position the role to stand out among competing civil engineering jobs

It became clear that success would require more than sourcing candidates. The opportunity needed to be repositioned to align with what senior infrastructure professionals value – career growth, project impact, and long-term development.

Our approach

Led by Bailey, our specialist consultant in civil infrastructure recruitment, we delivered a strategic, insight-driven solution:

Reframing the opportunity

• Refined the job description to separate must-have requirements from flexible criteria
• Positioned the role around career progression, leadership impact, and project scope
• Aligned messaging with what senior civil engineers and project managers prioritize

Targeted headhunting strategy

• Leveraged our network across the U.S. wastewater and civil engineering sector
• Conducted personalized outreach to engage passive candidates
• Clearly communicated the value of the opportunity within the competitive infrastructure job market

Quality over quantity

• Presented a highly curated shortlist of candidates
• Assessed each individual for technical expertise, cultural fit, and long-term motivation

End-to-end process management

• Partnered closely with Lamp Rynearson’s HR team to streamline interviews and communication
• Managed scheduling, feedback, and candidate engagement throughout the process
• Maintained strong momentum during the holiday period—critical for senior-level hiring

Market advisory

• Provided insights on salary benchmarking and offer strategy within the U.S. civil infrastructure sector
• Ensured the offer was competitive and aligned with market expectations.

The outcome

Following the initial briefing in December 2025, we identified and engaged a standout candidate within weeks.

• First interview secured by mid-December
• Final interviews completed in early January
• Offer accepted shortly after

Despite the challenges of the holiday season, consistent engagement ensured no loss of momentum.

The successful candidate joined Lamp Rynearson in February, bringing an end to a long-standing vacancy and strengthening their leadership team with a high-impact hire.

“My company recently worked with Bailey to place a hard to fill role that had been open for years. We would highly recommend him based on our recent experience partnering with him. He was truly exceptional to work with from start to finish. Throughout the entire process, he was incredibly responsive, kind, and always open to conversation whenever we needed support or clarity.

One of the qualities that stood out most was his proactive communication. I never had to reach out to ask for updates or information—he consistently stayed ahead of every detail and ensured I had everything I needed. His follow-up was reliable, timely, and thoughtful, making the recruitment process smooth and stress-free.

Even after our immediate work together wrapped up, he maintained a positive professional relationship, which speaks volumes about his character and commitment.” – HR Coordinator, Lamp Rynearson

“Bailey was great to work with, highly recommended! This is my first time working with a recruiter, but after this experience I wonder why I even tried to go it alone in the past. Bailey had excellent proactive communication (despite a time difference), was open to other options I was looking into besides the initially targeted employer (who I ended up signing on with), and coordinated well with the rest of his team throughout the hiring process.” – Senior Project Manager, Lamp Rynearson

Looking to hire civil infrastructure talent in the U.S.?

If you’re hiring or exploring your next water/wastewater role in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest or Texas civil markets submit your resume here to get in touch with Alexander Associates.