Senior Geomorphologist

Title:

Senior Geomorphologist

Location:

Tacoma, WA

Job Type: Regular Full-time

Anchor QEA is seeking a full-time senior-level geomorphologist and project manager in our Bellingham, Seattle, or Tacoma WA offices. Anchor QEA delivers innovative projects across the Pacific Northwest and nationwide, including marsh and estuary restoration, riverine and stream restoration, compensatory mitigation, fish passage, living shorelines, and engineering with nature and nature-based solutions. The successful candidate will have 8 or more years of experience providing restoration-related field assessments, data collection and analysis, fluvial or coastal geomorphology, hydraulic and hydrologic modeling, and restoration design and construction.

We are committed to investing in the right person and to providing support to foster your professional success and long‑term impact.

• Leading geomorphic analyses including sediment transport modeling, channel evolution assessment, and process‑based river restoration design.
• Designing riverine, estuarine, coastal, and floodplain restoration projects from concept through construction, including engineered log jams, channel realignments, side‑channel reconnections, and fish passage solutions.
• Contribute to the development of detailed design plans, specifications, cost estimates, and construction documents.
• Managing project teams, budgets, scopes, and schedules for complex, multi‑stakeholder projects.
• Assisting with the development of competitive proposals.
• Collaborating with hydrologists, ecologists, engineers, and landscape architects to deliver integrated, nature‑based solutions.
• Mentoring junior staff by providing technical guidance, quality assurance, and career development support.
• Engaging directly with tribes, state and federal agencies, conservation districts, and non‑profits to deliver high‑impact restoration outcomes.

We're seeking a collaborative, solutions‑oriented geomorphologist who is ready to step into a leadership role. The ideal candidate will have:

• B.S. or M.S. degree in fluvial or coastal geomorphology.
• Licensed Geologist (LG) in Washington or ability to obtain licensure within one year of hire.
• 8 or more years of experience in fluvial geomorphology, river restoration, or related fields with a minimum of 3 years of project management experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in desktop and field based geomorphic assessment, channel evolution analysis, and process‑based restoration design.
• Proven ability to lead projects, including client engagement, scope and task management, budget oversight, and schedule coordination.
• Proficiency in hydraulic and hydrologic modeling (e.g., HEC‑RAS 1D/2D, SRH‑2D) and sediment transport or coastal drift modeling.
• Proficiency in ArcGIS Pro and related coding and geospatial analysis tools.
• Experience with construction observation and field data collection.
• Willingness to travel seasonally for field work and construction projects for up to 2 weeks at a time.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work across disciplines and with diverse stakeholders.

• Expertise in large wood design, floodplain reconnection, and process‑based restoration approaches.
• Experience processing and coding large landcover and LiDAR data sets for reach and watershed scale geomorphic assessments.
• Experience with drone‑based data collection and processing methods such as ortho photogrammetry.
• Familiarity with Pacific Northwest geomorphic systems, fisheries ecology, and regulatory processes.
• Experience supporting proposal development and business growth initiatives.

A collaborative work environment where we encourage everyone to bring their authentic self. We offer competitive compensation and benefits. Benefits detailed below.

Anchor QEA provides environmental planning, science, and engineering consulting services with the mission of transforming our environment and communities with integrity and vibe. With more than 500 people in offices across the United States, our collective vision is to be an inclusive, sustainable, and growing environmental…