Civil Engineer - Principal

Civil Engineer – Principal

As a Civil Engineering Principal for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) in our Knoxville, Tennessee office, you will partner with senior leadership to grow the Civil/Site Practice, strengthen client relationships, and guide stakeholders through the regulatory environment while ensuring technical excellence. You will lead and mentor a team of engineers and project managers, oversee proposals, budgets, and quality control, and support recruiting and staff development.

Your career path will be shaped through targeted professional development, mentoring, and active involvement in office and corporate initiatives.

At CEC, every team member is personally invested in serving our clients with integrity, delivering results that matter, and building meaningful careers. As employee‑owners, we hold ourselves accountable not just for our work, but for creating an environment that supports and challenges one another.

• Apply advanced engineering principles and practices to manage complex projects.
• Develop, lead, and mentor teams of engineers and project managers to achieve technical and professional excellence.
• Grow and develop established and new clients in the Real Estate, Oil & Gas, Renewables, and Manufacturing sectors.
• Participate in and lead internal and external client‑ and professional‑development initiatives.
• Lead financial management of projects (AR/WIP), including resolving complex accounting or legal issues.
• Develop scopes of service and project budgets (proposals) and direct projects profitably.
• Hire, recruit, mentor, and develop staff members to support career growth and office capabilities.
• Communicate effectively with staff, clients, contractors, and regulatory officials, both verbally and in writing.
• Present at public meetings and hearings with qualifications sufficient to provide expert testimony.
• Demonstrate leadership and commitment to mentoring junior staff while fostering a collaborative team culture.

Our Knoxville office, located in the heart of East Tennessee, is home to a dynamic and collaborative team. Nestled near the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Knoxville offers a unique blend of natural beauty, vibrant culture, and a strong sense of community. It is a great place to live, work, and grow.

• 15+ years of civil engineering experience or a relevant combination of experience and education.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Civil Engineering or a related field; MBA preferred.
• Professional Engineer (P.E.) licensure, with Tennessee registration or ability to obtain.
• Additional professional certifications such as CPESC, CFM, or PMP are a plus.

• Demonstrated leadership in managing large, complex civil engineering projects.
• Experience mentoring and developing engineering staff.
• Proven track record in business development and client relationship management.
• Experience integrating multidisciplinary teams and coordinating across projects.

We have experts! CEC is consistently ranked as a Top 500 Design Firm and Top 200 Environmental Firm by Engineering News‑Record. We seek people who enjoy applying their education and experience to solve difficult technical problems while working on interesting projects with a motivated team.

We have support! We offer a variety of Employee Resource Groups—including CEC Community, CEC Ignite, CEC iDEA, and CEC Women—to provide opportunities for learning, growth, and networking.

We care about our people! People and Culture are two of the five elements of our strategic plan. Apart from a small‑firm work environment, CEC offers you the opportunity to become an owner and share in the firm’s success.

• Matching 401(k) and profit sharing
• Performance bonus and company stock
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Short‑ and long‑term disability
• Tuition assistance and professional development
• Work‑life balance policies

CEC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or promotion based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis or characteristic prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Unless CEC has expressly requested recruiting services or entered into a formal agreement, any resumes or candidate profiles sent to CEC shall be considered unsolicited. Consequently, such submissions are considered the property of CEC and no associated fees will be payable to any recruiting firm.