Coastal Engineer-NOLA

This Opportunity

Provides high‑level technical assistance and guidance on multi‑site and multi‑phase coastal engineering projects, with a primary focus on coastal protection, coastal restoration, and coastal/estuarine ecosystem restoration along the Louisiana and northern Gulf Coast. Tasks may include the design and analysis of coastal restoration and protection features such as Revetments/shoreline armoring systems, living shorelines, marsh creation projects, oyster reef restoration projects, breakwaters/wave attenuation structures, shoreline stabilization measures, flood risk reduction structures, sediment management strategies, and other nature‑based or hybrid coastal systems.

Work may involve application of coastal hydrodynamics, wave mechanics, sediment transport, coastal morphology, and estuarine processes, including the use and interpretation of numerical and analytical coastal models (e.g., wave, circulation, and sediment transport models) to inform engineering design and performance evaluation. Responsibilities include substantiating technical reports, engineering calculations, modeling results, and design documentation to support permitting, construction, and adaptive management of coastal projects.

Supports planning, analysis, design, and implementation of coastal and nature‑based infrastructure intended to reduce coastal flood risk, mitigate wave energy, restore coastal systems, and enhance long‑term coastal resilience. Assists project leadership with the development of engineering designs, evaluation of site conditions, coordination with regulatory agencies, and integration of numerical modeling, field data, and engineering judgment to support resilient coastal outcomes.

Ensures that responsibilities are delivered and adhered to with a level of quality that meets or exceeds acceptable industry standards and WSP’s QA/QC requirements.

• Lead and perform coastal engineering design for restoration and protection projects, including living shorelines, marsh and oyster reef restoration, breakwaters, shoreline stabilization features, and other nature‑based or hybrid coastal systems.
• Apply engineering principles related to coastal hydrodynamics, wave mechanics, sediment transport, coastal morphology, and estuarine processes to develop practical, constructible design solutions.
• Provide technical oversight and engineering judgment in support of numerical and analytical modeling efforts (e.g., Delft3D, SWAN, HEC‑RAS, ADCIRC, FUNWAVE, XBeach, CMS‑Wave, or similar), including interpretation of results for design.
• Prepare and review engineering calculations, plans, specifications, design reports, and technical memoranda suitable for permitting, bidding, and construction.
• Serve as a technical lead on projects, coordinating design tasks across internal disciplines and external subconsultants.
• Serve as Engineer of Record on smaller projects as appropriate and desired, with senior oversight and support. On larger or more complex projects, Engineer of Record responsibilities will be provided by senior leadership, with the expectation that the successful candidate will grow into expanded Engineer of Record responsibilities over time.
• Evaluate and integrate field data, site conditions, and constructability considerations to inform coastal design development and adaptive design approaches, including defining technical requirements for subconsultants (e.g., geotechnical investigations and topographic/bathymetric surveys) and overseeing their work to ensure data quality, relevance, and usability for engineering design.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior engineers and designers, with a strong emphasis on QA/QC and professional development.
• Support agency coordination and permitting efforts by clearly communicating technical design intent and responding to regulatory comments related to coastal engineering elements.
• Contribute to proposal development and SOQs through technical approaches, project descriptions, and resume coordination, as needed.
• Coordinate, review and approve infrastructure design plans, ensuring data integrity and work is compliant with all applicable codes, ordinances, and…