Civil Engineering Section Lead - Aviation

Join Us:

Lead a Civil Engineering Team. Shape Aviation Infrastructure.

Are you an experienced civil engineer looking to expand your impact through people leadership? Do you excel at building strong teams, developing technical talent, and leading complex infrastructure projects with confidence?

Ready to lead the next chapter of your engineering career? CHA Consulting, Inc. is seeking a Civil Engineering Section Lead - Aviation to join our Aviation Team in Knoxville, TN. In this role, you'll lead and mentor engineers, guide project delivery, and remain actively involved in solving complex civil infrastructure challenges.

Aviation experience is preferred but not required. We welcome civil engineers from site development, land development, transportation, municipal infrastructure, water resources, and related disciplines who are interested in applying their expertise to aviation projects.

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced engineer pursuing a first formal leadership role or an established leader seeking greater responsibility while staying engaged in technical project delivery.

What You'll Do:

Lead civil engineering planning, design, and delivery for airport infrastructure projects, including airfields, terminal-area site improvements, roadways, parking facilities, and utilities

Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams, aligning technical work and project priorities to meet scope, schedule, and budget commitments

Mentor and coach junior engineers, provide technical guidance, and support professional development within a collaborative team environment

Coordinate work assignments, balance team workloads, and guide day-to-day execution in partnership with senior leadership

Manage project scope, schedules, budgets, and technical quality, applying QA/QC processes throughout project delivery

Build strong relationships with clients, contractors, regulatory agencies, and internal project teams

Support business development by participating in proposals, client meetings, and project pursuits

Perform periodic field observations during construction, participate in progress meetings, and support construction administration activities as needed

What You Bring:

Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering required

Minimum of 4 years of progressive civil engineering experience in civil site design, land development, municipal infrastructure, transportation, aviation, or other horizontal infrastructure projects required

Professional Engineer (PE) license required

Demonstrated experience leading engineering projects, mentoring junior engineers, or coordinating technical teams and work assignments

Previous formal people-management or section leadership experience is not required; candidates ready to step into their first formal team leadership role are encouraged to apply

Experience managing project budgets, schedules, and client relationships

Strong experience with Civil 3D, AutoCAD, or comparable civil engineering software

Working knowledge of QA/QC processes, engineering standards, and project delivery

Excellent communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills

Readiness to take on formal team leadership responsibilities while continuing to contribute technically

Participation in professional engineering organizations is a plus

Why You'll Love It Here:

Lead challenging infrastructure projects that support airport safety, sustainability, and operational excellence

Mentor and inspire junior engineers dedicated to delivering sustainable solutions

Collaborate with talented professionals across disciplines in a flexible work environment

Curious about the impactful work our Aviation team is doing? Discover our specialized solutions for airside, landside, and facility-related airport infrastructure by visiting:…