West Tunnel Practice Lead

Central / West Tunnel Practice Lead – HDR

HDR seeks an experienced engineering leader to drive and grow our central water tunnel program. The role focuses on hydraulic tunnel engineering, trenchless technologies, project delivery oversight, risk management, and business development in the Central and West Regions.

• Direct involvement and oversight on select tunnel projects to manage tunnel related services.
• Advising on and reviewing alternatives analyses and feasibility studies related to tunnels.
• Risk management and risk awareness of the WBG tunneling portfolio.
• Subconsultant vetting and working with teams for subconsultant risk management including required Quality Assurance activities and scope provisions.
• Assessment and enhancement of HDR’s capabilities regarding tunnel construction and trenchless technologies including expertise with Sequential Excavation Method (SEM) and the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM).
• Collaboration 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.

• Cost Engineering support.
• Skills and bench-depth management for tunnel instrumentation, mechanical, civil, and mechanical consulting and design support for projects.
• Assessing terrestrial and marine construction capabilities.
• Numerical modeling to support tunnel projects including modeling of ground/structure interaction and underpinning of buildings and utilities.
• Technologies for coordination/production of design (calculations), 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.
• Ability to communicate and coordinate work within an integrated multidisciplinary team.
• Applicable experience in U.S. focused tunneling design and construction, leading the design and construction of tunnels and underground facilities for major projects, rock mechanics, soil mechanics, and geotechnical engineering, wide varieties of ground conditions, and application of various approaches and technologies such as SEM, NATM, SCL, EPBM, and cut‑and‑cover techniques.
• Track record of industry facing publication and presentation of technical papers and active participation in professional organizations.
• Ph.D. in engineering or related field.
• Previous experience managing staff, clients and contracts, and hiring staff for an engineering consulting firm, is desired.
• Excellent marketing and business development skills in addition to contacts/relationships in respective business class discipline.
• Experience in numerical analysis such as FLAC, UDEC, PHASES2, PLAXIS 2D & 3D, MIDAS GTS, MODFLOW, etc. is a plus.
• Ground‑structure interaction modelling (FEM or similar).
• Experience in large scale underground projects, urban tunneling, tunnel rehabilitation.
• Prior working experience in construction or working for a contractor.
• Robust interpersonal skills and professional demeanor appropriate for interacting with clients, other design professionals and colleagues.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering.
• 10 years related experience.
• A minimum 5 years project management experience.
• Professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered (PE or P.Eng).
• MS Office and MS Project experience (Access experience would be plus).
• Demonstrated leadership, business development and strategic planning skills.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee‑owned culture is a must.

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other’s life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day. Our eight Employee Network Groups and comprehensive benefits package promote employee health, performance and success. The expected compensation range for this position is $116,802 – $231,750 depending on skills, experience, education and geographical location.

United States-Wisconsin-Madison

Water

Full‑time

Regular

Pump Stations and Pipelines

Oct 13, 2025

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.