Senior Engineering Hydrologist/Groundwater Modeler - Environmental Services (Kansas City)

As part of the Remediation Department within Burns & McDonnell's Environmental Services group, the Senior Engineering Hydrogeologist/Groundwater Modeler will support a wide variety of projects involving clean and contaminated groundwater on a nationwide and global basis.

About the role

The Senior Engineering Hydrogeologist/Groundwater Modeler will apply exemplary skills and knowledge of engineering hydrogeology, including extensive and practical expertise with the MODFLOW suite of software, to real-world projects involving groundwater flow, contaminant transport, and soil/groundwater contaminant remediation in diverse geologic settings. Technical knowledge, leadership, and communication skills are key aspects of this position. Individuals should be team-focused and well-connected in the water and environmental industry, with the ability to expand the client base.

Responsibilities

• Provide senior technical support for projects including groundwater flow in complex geologic settings, contaminant fate and transport modeling, geospatial data analysis and visualization, contaminant hydrogeology, groundwater remediation, hydrogeological assessments, groundwater sustainability, permitting, and environmental impact assessments.
• Develop, calibrate, and run both steady-state and transient groundwater flow models using MODFLOW versions (e.g., MODFLOW-2005, USG, MODFLOW 6), including particle tracking (MODPATH) and flow budget analysis (ZONEBUDGET).
• Perform model calibration and uncertainty analysis using software such as PEST.
• Characterize physical and hydraulic properties of the vadose zone and apply numerical models (e.g., HYDRUS or MODFLOW Unsaturated-Zone Flow (UZF) Package) to simulate water movement and contaminant transport.
• Utilize programming and scripting (preferably Python) for data analysis and model automation.
• Collaborate closely with geologists, engineers, project managers, and program managers.
• Manage, design, execute, and supervise groundwater data analysis and modeling scopes on multidisciplinary projects, including hydrogeologic investigations, feasibility studies, conceptual site models, regulatory compliance and permitting, and soil/groundwater contaminant remediation.
• Prepare and/or provide senior review of technical correspondence, project scope and cost proposals, technical reports, memorandums, work plans, and project specifications.
• Oversee project management and execution, including development and maintenance of project scopes, schedules, budgets, and team coordination.
• Communicate effectively with peers, clients, and regulators, demonstrating strong written, verbal, computer, and interpersonal skills.
• Support business development activities, including client interaction, customer relationship management, market identification, and proposal preparation (RFPs/RFQs).
• Train, mentor, and develop junior and intermediate staff.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with an emphasis on hydrogeology or a related field from an accredited curriculum. Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of related experience demonstrating proficiency in hydrogeological field investigations, aquifer analysis, and well design. Ten years of experience in hydrogeology and groundwater modeling projects preferred.
• Extensive experience building, calibrating, and optimizing numerical groundwater flow and contaminant transport models using commercial software (e.g., MODFLOW, MT3D, Groundwater Vistas).
• Outstanding understanding of hydrogeology and its applications.
• Ability to present complex technical information clearly, both verbally and in writing.
• Supervisory, project management, and client management experience.
• Aptitude, capability, and inclination to train, mentor, and develop junior and intermediate staff.
• Professional Engineer and/or Certified Hydrogeologist registration, or eligibility for registration, is desirable.

Schedule

Full-time

Travel

Yes, 10% of the time