West Tunnel Practice Lead

Central / West Tunnel Practice Lead

Join HDR, where employee‑owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment that values authenticity and innovation. Our culture of inclusion and community impact drives us to ask:
What is our impact on the world?

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As part of the Water Business Group, you will shape how communities manage water for generations to come by delivering safe drinking water, treating wastewater responsibly, developing sustainable water supplies, and protecting lives and property through flood control. You will work with a multidisciplinary team of experts to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence.

This key leadership role focuses on hydraulic tunnel engineering, leading some of the largest and most significant infrastructure projects in the Central and West Regions. The position involves supporting design teams, overseeing trenchless discipline and multi‑benefit projects, maintaining client relations, and participating in project development and contract preparation.

You will also advance HDR’s tunnel/trenchless program, manage risk across the WBG tunneling portfolio, influence the firm’s geotechnical and tunneling practice, and support overall quality control and project delivery risk management.

• Direct involvement and oversight on select tunnel projects
• Advising on and reviewing alternatives analyses and feasibility studies related to tunnels
• Managing risk awareness of the WBG tunneling portfolio
• Subconsultant vetting, risk management and required QA activities
• Enhancing HDR’s capabilities in tunnel construction and trenchless technologies (SEM, NATM)
• Collaborating with HDR’s WBG Tunnel Practice Lead and Geotechnical Cross‑Sector teams
• Verifying qualifications and training of field staff in construction‑phase tunnel services

• Cost engineering support
• Skill and bench‑depth management for tunnel instrumentation, mechanical, civil, and consulting design
• Assessment of terrestrial and marine construction capabilities
• Numerical modelling to support tunnel projects (ground/structure interaction, underpinning)
• Design coordination, production of 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
• Strong communication and coordination skills within an integrated multidisciplinary team
• Experience in U.S. focused tunneling design and construction
• Leadership in design and construction of underground facilities for major projects
• Ro c mechanics, soil mechanics, and geotechnical engineering experience across a wide variety of ground conditions
• Knowledge of SEM, NATM, SCL, EPBM, and cut‑and‑cover techniques
• Track record of industry‑facing publications and professional organization participation
• Ph.D. in engineering or related field (preferred)
• Experience managing staff, clients, and contracts in an engineering consulting firm (desired)
• Marketing and business development skills with industry contacts
• Experience in numerical analysis tools such as FLAC, UDEC, PHASES2, PLAXIS, MIDAS GTS, MODFLOW
• Ground‑structure interaction modelling (FEM or similar)
• Experience in large scale underground projects, urban tunneling, tunnel rehabilitation
• Prior experience in construction or with a contractor
• Robust interpersonal skills and professional demeanor with clients and colleagues

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering
• 10 years related experience
• Minimum 5 years project management experience
• Professional engineering license recognized by the local licensing board (PE or P.Eng)
• MS Office and MS Project experience (Access experience is a plus)
• Demonstrated leadership, business development, and strategic planning skills
• Commitment to participating actively in HDR’s employee‑owned culture

HDR provides a comprehensive benefits package that promotes ownership, health, performance, and success. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, short and long‑term disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, paid time…