Water Resources Principal Economist

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. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves:
What is our impact on the world?

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Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

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. From delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater responsibly to 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 experts across disciplines to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence. Whether you're modernizing aging systems or pioneering innovative approaches, your contributions will make a meaningful difference in people's lives. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to lead change, drive progress, and leave a lasting legacy.

As part of HDR's Minnesota and Wisconsin Water Business Group, our Water Resources Management team is recognized throughout the region in the planning, design, and delivery of complex water infrastructure projects, including developing funding strategies for these critical projects. As a Principal Economist you will work with Water Business Group leadership to lead, shape, and grow HDR's involvement in identifying funding opportunities for water resources projects across the United States.

Our employee-owned culture creates a workplace atmosphere of collaboration, learning, enrichment, and inclusion. Collaboration is a cornerstone of our design delivery approach. In this role, you will play an integral technical role on multidisciplinary teams to deliver highly visible, impactful public infrastructure projects across the state, region, and country. You will have the opportunity to manage staff, deliver projects, and pursue opportunities with new and existing clients.

Providing leadership through mentoring, directing, and delegating staff is a key component of the role as is maintaining focus on the execution of HDR's growth strategy. You will interface with regional and national technical leaders to advance local capabilities and may support national pursuits and project delivery efforts related to your expertise. A candidate who engages in industry groups and has a leadership role in such organizations, including committee participation and regular submission of conference abstracts/presentations, will excel in this role.

We are committed to promoting employees' physical and mental wellness and well-being and delivering meaningful employee experiences. Whether you are interested in advancing your technical skillset, business development, or project management, we provide endless growth and training opportunities that match your skillset and interest.

Primary Responsibilities:

In the role of Principal Economist, we'll count on you to:

* Develop and manage new work opportunities on related to economics, econometrics, performance-based planning, and decision support

* Work with a larger practice to coordinate work assignments and expand the economic-related services

* Market economics consulting services by leveraging existing client relationships and building new ones

* Develop and maintain relationships with strategically important clients and potential clients

* Identify cross-sector opportunities across business groups

* Develop proposals and plan approaches to requested work

* Direct, plan, and design research to aid in the interpretation and solution of complex problems with economic relationships

* Conduct research, analyses and devise methods and procedures for collecting and processing data, utilizing knowledge of available sources of data and various economic techniques

* Develop consulting teams to meet client needs

* Manage project teams to deliver client assignments

* Plan, organize, and supervise work of professional staff and provide staff support

* Contribute to the strategic operational and marketing plans of the organization

Preferred Qualifications

* A minimum of 15 years of professional experience including staff management and development, client development, proposal writing and project management

* PhD in Economics or related field

* Masters Degree in Economics

* Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in one or multiple areas including:
Economic analysis (benefit-cost analysis and return on investment), Econometrics or statistics, Economic impact analysis,…