Lead Water Resources Engineer
WSPThis Opportunity
WSP is seeking a Lead Water Resources Engineer for our Philadelphia, Exton, or Bristol, PA offices to support a growing portfolio of dam safety, levee, and hydraulic structure projects within our Earth & Environment Team.
This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who wants to remain technically hands‑on while also leading projects and teams. The position combines deep technical responsibility in dam safety and water resources engineering with project management, coordination of multidisciplinary teams, and mentorship of junior staff.
The successful candidate will play a key role in:
- Delivering technically complex dam safety and hydraulic structure projects
- Serving as a Project Manager or Task Leader on select assignments
- Coordinating engineers, field staff, and specialists across disciplines
- Supporting client relationships and proposal efforts
- Contributing to the long‑term growth of WSP’s dam safety and water resources practice
This is an excellent opportunity for an engineer who is ready to step into or further expand a formal leadership role while staying closely connected to technical work and regulatory-driven projects.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Responsibilities
- Perform dam and levee engineering analyses, including dam safety inspections, hydraulic structure evaluations, and regulated impoundment compliance assessments in accordance with state and federal dam safety regulations.
- Conduct hydrologic and hydraulic modeling for dam safety, including incremental and full dam breach analyses, spillway capacity evaluations, and downstream consequence assessments using HEC‑HMS and HEC‑RAS (1D/2D).
- Support dam rehabilitation and modification projects in collaboration with geotechnical and structural teams, including spillway improvements, embankment stability, seepage mitigation, outlet works, and auxiliary structures.
- Prepare and support Emergency Action Plans (EAPs), inundation mapping, and coordination with owners and emergency management agencies.
- Perform instrumentation evaluation, monitoring data review, and dam surveillance planning to support risk‑informed decision-making.
- Perform stormwater and watershed analyses supporting dam, levee, and flood‑risk management projects.
- Prepare technical reports and presentations that clearly communicate findings and recommendations.
- Prepare and implement site Health and Safety Plans (HASPs).
- Interact with regulatory agencies, subcontractors, and clients confidently and professionally.
Project Management & Team Leadership Responsibilities
- Serve as Project Manager or Task Leader for dam safety, water resources, and hydraulic structure projects
- Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary project teams, including engineers, field staff, and technical specialists
- Assist with project scoping, budgeting, scheduling, and execution to ensure timely and successful delivery
- Review and oversee work products prepared by junior and mid-level staff, ensuring quality and regulatory compliance
- Mentor and provide technical guidance to entry-level engineers, supporting professional development and growth
- Support proposal development, marketing efforts, and client-facing activities
- Build strong working relationships with clients and contribute to long-term account management
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in civil or environmental engineering or closely related discipline.
- 7-10 years of relevant experience.
- Relevant post-education experience in water resources.
- Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) with ability to obtain additional state licensure as needed.
- Well‑developed knowledge of dam safety and hydraulic structure engineering, including flood hydrology, spillway hydraulics, dam breach analysis, floodplain delineation, risk analysis, and watershed‑scale hydrologic modeling.
- Working knowledge of stormwater management, drainage, erosion and sediment control, and watershed studies.
Experience supporting dam safety, levee, and hydraulic structure projects (inspections, evaluations, rehabilitation design, and regulatory compliance)
Experience preparing or supporting dam safety inspections, engineering assessments, designs, construction, or risk-informed evaluations
Ability to perform and review technical calculations, modeling, and reports prepared by junior staff
Proficiency with hydrologic and hydraulic modeling tools such as HEC‑HMS, HEC‑RAS, TR‑55, HydroCAD, PCSWMM, GIS, and CAD
Strong technical writing, communication, and coordination skills
Willingness to travel occasionally based on project needs
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s degree in engineering with a focus in Water Resources or closely related discipline
Specialized expertise in dam safety engineering, including inspections, breach analysis, spillway design, embankment dams, levees, risk analysis and related hydraulic structures
Familiarity with 3D analysis such as CFD or Flow3D for dam analyses
- Experience with State or Federal (FERC/USACE/NRCS) dam safety inspection programs, including periodic inspections and owner dam safety program support
- Experience supporting dam rehabilitation, modification, or removal projects, including preparation of engineering reports and design documentation
- Familiarity with risk‑informed dam safety concepts, consequence classification, and surveillance/monitoring programs
- Familiarity with semi-quantitative and quantitative risk analyses
Regulatory knowledge with USACE, FEMA, FERC, USBR, and other local, state, and federal agencies and regulators
- Project management experience
- Ability to develop strong client relationships and participate in professional organizations
- Known and recognized locally or regionally in water resources industry
- Basic First Aid and Adult CPR training desired
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