Geotechnical Engineer - Hydropower
About the role
HDR is growing our Hydropower team across the Southeast and we're looking for engineers at all experience levels who want to make a lasting impact. Whether you're an experienced hydropower professional or an engineer looking to apply your skills in a new industry, you'll have the opportunity to work alongside HDR's nationally recognized Hydropower Practice, ranked #2 in Hydro Plants by Engineering News-Record in 2026. Across the U.S., hydropower facilities that have powered communities for generations are becoming increasingly critical to grid reliability and the region's energy future. Join an employee-owned firm where you'll help modernize and sustain this vital infrastructure, develop leadership skills, accelerate your career growth, and contribute to meaningful projects that keep the lights on and strengthen communities.
Responsibilities
- Drive project workflows and planning
- Conduct geotechnical field investigations and laboratory testing programs
- Prepare geotechnical analysis, design calculations and reports
- Review and evaluate dam safety instrumentation data
- Perform finite element modeling of dams
- Prepare design drawings and construction specifications
- Participate in dam safety inspections
- Support marketing efforts for internal and external clients
- Serve as Project Manager for mid-size initiatives
- Perform other tasks as required to support project goals and other HDR business activities
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Geotechnical or Geological Engineering (M.S. preferred)
- Professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered (PE or P.Eng license)
- 5 years of related experience in geotechnical engineering
- Experience using AutoCAD, MicroStation or GIS applications
- Experience using other industry standard geotechnical and geological engineering software
- Experience with GeoStudio/Ensoft slope stability, settlement, seepage and deep foundation response software
- Experience with Bentley suite of geotechnical data management and visualization software (gINT/OpenGround/LeapFrog)
- Experience planning, performing, and documenting subsurface explorations
- Experience reviewing and interpreting field and laboratory testing results
- Experience reading, reviewing, and interpreting geotechnical instrumentation
- Experience with dam safety inspections and dam engineering
- Ability to work independently on smaller projects and on larger projects as part of a multi-discipline team
- Ability to handle multiple simultaneous tasks effectively
- Receptive to technical mentoring and passionate about meeting new, complex challenges
- Good problem solving and reasoning skills
- Strong technical writing and verbal communication skills
- Ability to perform field work and overnight travel (local candidates preferred)
- Attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture
Location
Primary location: Charlotte, North Carolina. Other locations include: Atlanta, Georgia; Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky; Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama; Greenville, Charleston, Columbia, and Fort Mill, South Carolina; Memphis, Nashville, Brentwood, and Chattanooga, Tennessee; Raleigh, Asheville, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia.