Hydraulics Engineer

Responsibilities

• Perform Hydrology & Hydraulics Design: Complete hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and design transportation drainage systems, including storm sewer systems, culverts, channels and ditches, water quality BMPs, pipe hydraulics, bridge hydraulics and scour support, and floodplain evaluations.
• Develop Drainage Plans & Details: Prepare drainage exhibits, quantities, design details, and plan deliverables that integrate with roadway geometry, structural elements, environmental constraints, constructability considerations, and overall project requirements.
• Prepare Technical Documentation: Develop calculations, drainage reports, hydraulic memoranda, technical reports, permitting documentation, and calculation packages to support design decisions, reviews, approvals, and regulatory coordination.
• Apply Design Criteria & Support Quality Reviews: Apply federal, state, and local design criteria; participate in internal QA/QC reviews; address review comments; and help ensure deliverables are accurate, consistent, and defensible.
• Collaborate with project managers, roadway designers, structural engineers, environmental staff, surveyors, clients, and regulatory agencies to resolve drainage issues and support project delivery.
• Conduct Field & Site Reviews: Participate in site reviews and field investigations to validate assumptions, evaluate existing conditions, and ensure designs align with real-world constraints and applicable specifications.
• Provide Technical Leadership: For senior-level candidates, serve as the hydrology and hydraulics lead or primary point of contact on select projects, providing technical direction, coordinating drainage design development, and supporting client and agency interactions.
• Mentor & Support Staff: For senior-level candidates, provide technical guidance and mentorship to EITs and junior engineers through task leadership, design review, collaboration, and knowledge sharing.

Requirements

• Education & Licensure: Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or a related field, with a Professional Engineer license in Montana or the ability to obtain Montana licensure within six months of hire.
• Relevant Experience: Four or more years of progressive hydrology and hydraulics experience, with transportation or roadway drainage experience preferred. Senior-level candidates should typically have eight or more years of relevant experience and the ability to independently lead complex drainage tasks.
• Transportation Drainage Experience: Experience supporting or delivering roadway, highway, urban street, interchange, culvert, storm sewer, bridge hydraulics, scour, floodplain, or related transportation drainage projects.
• Technical Proficiency: Experience with hydrologic and hydraulic analysis tools such as HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, HY-8, SSA, and/or comparable software. Familiarity with Civil 3D, MicroStation/OpenRoads, and ArcGIS is preferred.
• Documentation & Design Skills: Ability to prepare calculations, drainage reports, technical memoranda, permitting documentation, and plan deliverables with strong attention to detail and clear technical communication.
• Project Coordination: Ability to work effectively with project managers, multidisciplinary teams, clients, agencies, and stakeholders to support project delivery and resolve drainage-related design issues.
• Leadership & Mentorship: For senior-level candidates, demonstrated ability to provide technical direction, review complex calculations and reports, mentor junior staff, and exercise independent engineering judgment.