Drinking Water Project Engineer

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. We believe water is more than a resource – it’s a shared responsibility. As part of our Water Business Group, you’ll help shape how communities manage water for generations to come, delivering safe drinking water, treating wastewater responsibly, developing sustainable water supplies, and protecting lives and property through flood control.

Your work will directly support public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience.

We bring together engineers, planners, scientists and communicators to solve complex challenges with technical excellence and practical thinking. Project Engineers at HDR contribute to complex, high‑profile water projects and work closely with project managers and technical leaders who are recognized experts in their fields. This is more than a production role; it’s an opportunity to grow into a trusted technical leader and future project manager.

• Perform engineering analyses, calculations, numerical simulations, and design for water infrastructure projects.
• Prepare and develop plans, specifications, technical reports, and design documentation.
• Apply sound engineering judgment in the evaluation, selection, and modification of standard engineering techniques and procedures.
• Support project teams with coordinating project tasks, schedules, and deliverables.
• Participate in field investigations, condition assessments, and construction support activities.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, environmental, and planning staff.
• Interface with clients, regulators, and stakeholders during meetings and work sessions.
• Supervise and mentor junior staff and technicians, as needed.
• Serve as a technical specialist or task lead, and potentially manage mid‑size projects as responsibilities expand.
• Apply digital and AI‑enabled tools to enhance project planning, coordination, and documentation.

The infrastructure you help design will deliver safe drinking water, improve treatment and water quality, reduce flood risk, support community growth, and protect environmental resources. Your engineering decisions will affect how communities function for decades.

• Experience performing technical studies, analyses, and/or preparing plans and specifications for water, wastewater, stormwater, or water resources projects.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem‑solving skills.
• Experience in advancing digital delivery and AI‑supported workflows in infrastructure projects.

• Engineers who are curious, collaborative, and motivated to grow. You enjoy solving real‑world problems and want to see your designs built and used.
• Successful candidates typically ask questions and seek to understand the full project context; take ownership of their work and follow through; communicate clearly with both technical and nontechnical audiences; and desire increasing responsibility and client interaction.

At HDR, you will gain exposure to the full project lifecycle and the decision‑making processes that shape each phase of a project. You will work directly with experienced project managers and technical leaders, develop task leadership and project management skills, gain client interaction and meeting experience, see projects through design and into construction, and grow within an employee‑owned company that values initiative and collaboration.

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Environmental or related engineering fields.
• A minimum of 3 years of experience executing technical studies, analyses, and/or designing and creating plans and specifications for water‑focused projects.
• Professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered (e.g., PE or P.Eng).
• Ability to make independent decisions and be accountable for the results.
• Self‑motivated, able to work independently and with a project team to completion of a task.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee‑owned culture is a must.