West Tunnel Practice Lead

Overview

Be among the first 25 applicants. HDR is employee-owned and values inclusion, authentic contributions, and a culture of collaboration. HDR’s Water Business Group focuses on delivering safe drinking water, treating wastewater, developing sustainable water supplies, and protecting lives and property through flood control. The HDR team solves complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence, modernizing aging systems and pioneering innovative approaches.

This role is a key leadership position in the Central/West Tunnel Practice, focusing on hydraulic tunnel engineering and leading large infrastructure projects in the Central and West Regions.

The Central/West Tunnel Practice Lead is a professional well-versed in trenchless project services. HDR has a strong backlog of conveyance work and opportunities for continued growth. The duties include supporting design teams, overseeing trenchless discipline and multi‑benefit projects, maintaining client relations, and participating in project development and contract document preparation. The role supports staff across disciplines and works on planning, design, inspection, and construction management of tunnels and related water, wastewater, stormwater, and reclaimed water infrastructure.

Coordination occurs with HDR’s national Business Class Director, Tunnel Practice Lead, technical leads, and advisors. Regular travel can be expected to support project execution, business development, and stakeholder engagement.

• Primary Responsibilities
  • Direct involvement and oversight on select projects to manage tunnel related services
  • Advise on and review alternatives analyses and feasibility studies related to tunnels
  • Risk management and risk awareness of the WBG tunneling portfolio
  • Subconsultant vetting and collaboration for subconsultant risk management including QA activities and scope provisions
  • Enhance HDR’s capabilities regarding tunnel construction and trenchless technologies, including SEM and NATM
  • Collaborate with HDR’s WBG Tunnel Practice Lead and Geotechnical Cross Sector
  • Verify qualifications and training of field staff assigned to construction phase services related to tunnels
• Secondary Responsibilities
  • Cost engineering support
  • Skills and bench-depth management for tunnel instrumentation, civil and mechanical design support
  • Assess terrestrial and marine construction capabilities
  • Numerical modeling to support tunnel projects (ground/structure interaction, underpinning)
  • Coordination/production of design calculations, products, and contract documents
  • Site characterization and geotechnical evaluations
  • Construction engineering support
  • Inspections and condition assessments
  • Resiliency, operations, and emergency response issues

This is an exciting opportunity to join the team as a strategic and technical expert. The person will support the tunnel practice with execution, supervision, and planning of tunneling projects and will assist teams in managing client relationships. Regular travel is expected to support project execution, ongoing business development efforts, and stakeholder engagement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree
• Ability to communicate and coordinate work within an integrated multidisciplinary team
• Representative experience in U.S. tunneling design and construction
• Experience leading the design and construction of tunnels and underground facilities for major projects
• Knowledge of rock mechanics, soil mechanics, and geotechnical engineering
• Experience with SEM, NATM, SCL, EPBM, and cut-and-cover techniques
• Industry publications and active professional involvement
• Ph.D. in engineering or related field
• Experience managing staff, clients, and contracts in an engineering consulting firm
• Excellent marketing and business development skills and industry contacts
• Experience with numerical analysis tools (e.g., FLAC, UDEC, PHASES2, PLAXIS, MIDAS, MODFLOW) is a plus
• Ground-structure interaction modeling (FEM or similar)
• Experience on large-scale underground projects, urban tunneling, or tunnel rehabilitation
• Prior experience in construction or contracting
• Strong interpersonal skills and professional demeanor for client interaction

Req…