Principal Drainage Project Engineer

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Principal Drainage Project Engineer based in United States.

This is a senior technical leadership opportunity focused on drainage, hydraulic engineering, and hydrologic analysis for major transportation infrastructure projects.
The role will lead drainage design activities supporting state transportation agencies and regional infrastructure clients.
You will combine advanced engineering expertise with project delivery, quality oversight, and client engagement.
A key part of the position is helping establish and grow a dedicated drainage practice in Tennessee and the broader East Central region.
You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams spanning roadway, structures, environmental, geotechnical, utilities, and construction disciplines.
The position also offers opportunities to contribute to digital engineering workflows, drainage tools, technical standards, and continuous improvement initiatives.
As the practice develops, you will mentor technical staff, support business development, and help shape the foundation of a growing regional engineering capability.

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Accountabilities

• Lead drainage design and serve as a technical subject matter expert for roadway, highway, interchange, and transportation infrastructure projects.

• Develop and oversee primary drainage systems, including culverts, stormwater conveyance systems, channels, ditches, detention and retention facilities, outfalls, and related hydraulic structures.

• Perform and review hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, including watershed delineation, runoff calculations, culvert analysis, open-channel flow, storm sewer design, floodplain analysis, and drainage system evaluations.

• Lead the preparation and technical review of drainage plans, hydraulic reports, calculations, erosion and sedimentation control plans, specifications, technical memoranda, and supporting documentation.

• Establish technical approaches, design standards, quality procedures, workflows, scopes, schedules, budgets, and resource requirements for drainage projects.

• Coordinate drainage activities with roadway, traffic, structures, environmental, geotechnical, utilities, survey, and construction teams.

• Review engineering analyses, calculations, plans, specifications, and construction details for accuracy, constructability, quality, and compliance with applicable requirements.

• Serve as a key technical interface with clients, project managers, designers, construction teams, and other stakeholders.

• Support business development through client relationship building, opportunity identification, proposal preparation, scope development, fee estimates, interviews, and presentations.

• Help establish and expand the regional drainage practice by developing service offerings, technical standards, delivery processes, and operational capabilities.

• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineers, designers, CAD professionals, and other technical staff.

• Participate in quality, design, constructability, value engineering, and risk assessment reviews.

• Contribute to engineering innovation through development of drainage tools, digital workflows, technical resources, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.

• Travel within Tennessee and, when necessary, to other project and client locations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or a related engineering discipline.

• Professional Engineer (PE) registration is required.

• 15+ years of progressive experience in roadway and highway drainage design, hydraulic engineering, and hydrologic analysis.

• Demonstrated experience leading drainage design for roadway, highway, interchange, or other transportation infrastructure projects.

• Experience working on state Department of Transportation projects; experience with TDOT and familiarity with its design standards, drainage manuals, permitting requirements, and applicable regulations are strongly preferred.

• Proven ability to operate as a technical lead, discipline lead, or subject matter expert on complex engineering projects.

• Experience developing scopes of work, budgets, schedules, technical approaches, and quality-control procedures.

• Experience supporting business development, proposal development, client relationship management, and project pursuits.

• Experience mentoring engineers and technical professionals and contributing to the development of a growing technical practice.

• Strong understanding of drainage design, hydraulic modeling, hydrology, stormwater management, erosion and sedimentation control, and transportation infrastructure.

• Proficiency with CAD and engineering design software, with experience in several relevant hydraulic, hydrologic, drainage, and GIS applications such as HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, HY-8, Bentley OpenRoads Designer, StormCAD, FlowMaster, EPA SWMM, ArcGIS, and related tools.

• High-level proficiency with combinations of Bentley OpenRoads Designer, Power InRoads SS4, and StormCAD is desirable.

• Strong communication, coordination, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work effectively across technical disciplines and with clients.

• Ability to travel within Tennessee and to other project or client locations as required.

Benefits

• Competitive annual salary range of $125,100–$225,200, with actual compensation based on relevant qualifications, experience, location, and other job-related factors.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Paid time off and holidays.

• 401(k) retirement plan.

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).

• Life insurance.

• Flexible work schedules.

• Opportunities for professional development and career growth.

• Remote work structure with Tennessee-based office availability as needed.

• Opportunity to help develop a regional drainage engineering practice and contribute to major transportation infrastructure projects.

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How Jobgether works:

We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team.

We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!

 Why Apply Through Jobgether? 

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