Structural Engineer - Waterfront - Marine

About the role

VHB is a 2026 U.S. Best Managed Company, recognized by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal for excellence in strategy, execution, corporate culture, and governance/financial performance. We are seeking Senior Level Waterfront Engineers to join our growing team, with flexibility on location within the VHB footprint. This role focuses on the planning, permitting, and design of waterfront and coastal infrastructure, including marinas, piers, bulkheads, seawalls, revetments, marine terminal structures, and living shoreline stabilization.

The ideal candidate will have technical experience in designing and permitting waterfront projects and will join a high-performing team delivering multidisciplinary engineering and science-based solutions for coastal management challenges, including coastal/waterfront engineering, flood risk, resiliency, adaptation design, and dredged material management.

Responsibilities

• Support ongoing Waterfront/Coastal practice projects and business development efforts.
• Assist in developing qualifications and proposals for waterfront infrastructure and coastal resilience-related RFPs.
• Perform and ultimately manage engineering analysis, preliminary, and detail design of waterfront/coastal structures.
• Manage projects (scope, budget, schedule) and collaborate with sub-consultants and team members to ensure quality control throughout project execution, including:
  • Design and permitting of waterfront developments such as piers, marinas, and boardwalks.
  • Analysis and design of structures for flood and erosion control, including seawalls, bulkheads, revetments, breakwaters, wave fences, and fendering.
  • Design of private and waterfront recreation structures, such as fishing piers, marina docking structures, and boat launch ramps.
  • Contribution to living shoreline erosion solutions.
  • Conducting and reviewing technical analyses and calculations.
  • Completing mooring and berthing analyses and design.
  • Dredging design and permitting.
  • Preparation of project specifications, bid and contract documents.
  • Construction contract administration, site inspections, and reports.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Civil, Structural, Waterfront, or Coastal Engineering; MS degree preferred.
• 8-11 years of experience in Waterfront Engineering, including geotechnical and structural analysis.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required, or ability to obtain within 6 months.
• Knowledge of regulatory processes in Rhode Island is preferred.
• Experience with project delivery for Federal, State, and local coastal agencies/clients; specific experience with USACE, FEMA, USGS, and NOAA is preferred.
• Knowledge of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program and experience implementing FEMA’s coastal flood hazard analysis and mapping methodologies.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated technical and analytical skills, including technical writing and presentation skills.

Pay

Salary ranges for this position are estimated as follows:

• Boston/Watertown, MA: $120,000–$150,000
• Portland, ME: $105,000–$130,000

Final compensation will be based on individual qualifications, education, and experience.

Benefits

• Meaningful work on complex projects with real community impact.
• A collaborative, inclusive culture valuing curiosity and shared success.
• Support for professional growth and leadership development.
• Learning and development opportunities supported by evolving tools and technologies, including AI.
• Best-in-class benefits and a flexible, hybrid work environment.