West Tunnel Practice Lead

Central / West Tunnel Practice Lead – HDR

Central / West Tunnel Practice Lead – Join an employee‑owned firm that values authentic collaboration and inclusive culture. As part of the Water Business Group, you will lead transformational infrastructure projects across the Central and West Regions, focusing on hydraulic tunnel engineering and trenchless technology solutions.

HDR is a global engineering and design consultancy that serves communities worldwide. Our employee‑owned culture encourages every professional to bring authentic ideas and expertise to the table. In the Water Business Group, you will help shape how communities manage water for generations, delivering safe drinking water, treating wastewater responsibly, and protecting lives through flood control and sustainable supply solutions.

• Direct involvement and oversight on select projects to manage tunnel related services
• Advising on and review of alternatives analyses and feasibility studies related to tunnels
• Risk management and risk awareness of the WBG tunneling portfolio
• Subconsultant vetting and risk management, including required Quality Assurance activities and scope provisions
• Assessment and enhancement of HDR’s capabilities regarding tunnel construction and trenchless technologies (SEM, NATM, etc.)
• Collaboration with HDR’s WBG Tunnel Practice Lead and Geotechnical Cross‑Sector teams
• Verification of qualifications and training of field staff assigned to construction‑phase services

• Cost engineering support
• Skills and bench‑depth management for tunnel instrumentation and related consulting services
• Assessment of terrestrial and marine construction capabilities
• Numerical modeling to support tunnel projects, including ground/structure interaction and underpinning of buildings and utilities
• Technology coordination for design products and contract documents
• Site characterization and geotechnical evaluations
• Construction engineering support
• Inspections and condition assessments
• Resiliency, operations, and emergency response issues

• Master’s degree in engineering or related field
• Experience in U.S.–focused tunneling design and construction
• Leading design and construction of tunnels and underground facilities for major projects
• Rock mechanics, soil mechanics, and geotechnical engineering expertise across diverse ground conditions
• Proficiency with tunnel technologies such as SEM, NATM, SCL, EPBM, and cut‑and‑cover
• Industry‑facing publications, technical presentations, and active participation in professional organizations
• Ph.D. in engineering or related field (preferred)
• Experience managing staff, clients, contracts, and hiring within a consulting firm
• Strong marketing and business development skills with relevant contacts
• Experience with numerical analysis (FLAC, UDEC, PHASES2, PLAXIS, MIDAS, MODFLOW, etc.)
• Ground‑structure interaction modeling (FEM or similar)
• Large‑scale underground project experience (urban tunneling, rehabilitation)
• Construction or contractor experience
• Robust interpersonal skills and professional demeanor for client and stakeholder interaction

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering
• 10 years of related experience
• Minimum 5 years of project management experience
• Professional engineering license (PE or equivalent) recognized by the licensing board at the position location
• MS Office and MS Project experience (Access experience is a plus)
• Demonstrated leadership, business development, and strategic planning skills
• Commitment to participating as an active employee‑owner in HDR culture

Compensation range: $116,802 – $231,750, depending on skills, experience, education and location. Full‑time positions include comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, paid time off, parental leave, paid holidays, retirement savings plan with employer match, referral bonus, and tuition reimbursement.

Primary:
Madison, Wisconsin. Other locations include Oklahoma, Texas (Round Rock), South Dakota (Rapid City), Minnesota, Washington (Bellevue), Wyoming (Cheyenne), Missouri (Kansas City), South Dakota (Sioux Falls), Oregon, California (Long Beach), Minnesota (Saint Louis Park), Hawaii, Washington (Tacoma), Nevada, Colorado (Fort Collins), Iowa (Des Moines), Oregon (Portland), Michigan (Lansing), Washington (Spokane), California (Irvine), Missouri (Columbia), and many others across the United States.

• Schedule:
  
  Full‑time
• Employee Status:
  Regular
• Business Class:
  Pump Stations and Pipelines

At HDR, we are committed to employment equity and are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal history, arrest or conviction records.