Principal Engineer - Land Development

Description

• Influence office-wide strategy and business growth
• Step in to support project teams as needed, including troubleshooting and client escalations
• Lead and mentor project managers, providing senior-level guidance across the civil group
• Restore the civil group to being one of the office’s largest and most influential practices
• Participate on the office leadership team, influencing cross-practice planning, hiring, and overall office strategy
• Hire, develop, and retain top talent to grow the team from its current size (~7) toward 10+ members
• Lead and shape the growth of a civil engineering practice
• Establish structure, expectations, and accountability within the group
• Develop and implement the civil practice’s strategic plan
• Lead civil practice business development efforts, expanding client relationships and book of work
• Identify target markets, including commercial, residential, and industrial/manufacturing sectors
• Play a visible role in mentoring and developing the next generation of civil engineers
• Provide high-level oversight rather than day-to-day project management
• Maintain technical credibility to support staff, but with less emphasis on daily design work
• Deepen existing client relationships and cultivate new programmatic clients

Requirements

We are seeking an experienced Principal-level Civil Engineer to co-lead and grow a civil engineering practice in Land Development and Civil Site Design. This is a senior leadership role, focused on managing the practice, guiding project managers, and shaping the group’s strategic direction, not primarily hands-on design. The successful candidate will have a strong influence on the operations, growth, and long-term strategy of the civil team and sit on the office leadership team to contribute to office-wide decisions.

• Proven experience managing project managers and leading teams
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE)
• Track record in business development and growing a book of work
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Strong mentoring, team-building, and change leadership capabilities
• Strategic thinker with the ability to implement practice-level initiatives
• 15–20+ years of civil engineering experience with leadership roles
• Industrial/manufacturing project experience highly desirable
• Experience with programmatic clients and strong client connections is a major plus

Benefits

Salary: Base salary starting between $150,000 to $190,000 (negotiable to be higher based on experience)

Employment Type: Permanent, Hybrid

• Opportunity to step away from hands-on technical work into strategic leadership
• Potential to bring work or team members with you (soft acquisition opportunities)
• Starting range: $150,000–$190,000, commensurate with experience and leadership capabilities

Training + Development

Interview process

Visa Sponsorship

Security clearance