Dams, Levees and Civil Works Construction Business Class Lead

About the Role

The DLCW Construction Business Class Lead provides technical and programmatic leadership for dam and levee projects, overseeing planning, design integration, and construction delivery, and acts as a liaison with third‑party construction managers when HDR is not the designer. The role drives strategic planning and risk management, ensures design intent is met during construction, reviews QC/QA data, supports claim avoidance or management, and may serve as lead engineer or project manager on design projects. The Lead aligns design decisions with construction realities—staging, access, materials, foundation treatment—and builds strong client relationships with owners, contractors, and oversight boards while mentoring junior engineers. Responsibilities include supporting HDR’s Matrix of Authority reviews, collaborating with DLCW, Hydropower, Field Services, and operations leaders on go/no‑go decisions, SOWs, contracts, and pricing, and coordinating with regional technical leads. • Lead strategic planning, risk management, and construction delivery for dam and levee projects. • Ensure design intent is met during construction and provide engineering support on site. • Review and evaluate QC/QA test data and manage or avoid construction claims. • Serve as lead engineer, technical lead, or project manager on DLCW design projects as needed. • Align design decisions with construction realities, including staging, access, material selection, and foundation treatment. • Build and maintain strong client relationships with owners, contractors, and oversight boards. • Mentor mid‑level and junior engineers on constructability and field engineering practices. • Conduct Matrix of Authority reviews, assess go/no‑go decisions, SOWs, contracts, and project pricing. • Coordinate with DLCW, Hydropower, Field Services, and regional technical leads to address construction risks early.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸strategic planning
• ▸risk management
• ▸construction delivery
• ▸qc review
• ▸design alignment
• ▸client relations

What You Bring

Preferred qualifications call for at least 15 years of dam‑related experience, leadership on flood‑control projects, expertise in multidisciplinary heavy‑civil design, cost estimating, various contract delivery methods, claim management, RCC and earthen dams, foundation treatment, and risk‑informed decision making; a master’s degree and CCM certification are desirable. Required qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related field, ten years of experience, professional registration, proven team leadership, collaborative mindset, and commitment to HDR’s values and employee‑owned culture. • Possess minimum 15 years of dam design, construction support, or inspection experience. • Demonstrated leadership on flood‑control projects integrating design and construction. • Expertise in multidisciplinary heavy‑civil design, cost estimating, and various contract delivery methods. • Experience with claim identification and resolution, RCC and earthen dam construction, and foundation treatment. • Familiarity with risk‑informed decision making, USACE risk tools, USBOR, and FERC regulations. • Hold a master’s degree in civil, mechanical, geotechnical, or structural engineering (preferred). • Certified Construction Manager (CCM) credential preferred. • Travel up to 50 % or more, with monthly variation between 0 % and 100 %. • Maintain professional engineering registration and strong technical writing and presentation skills.

Requirements

• ▸15 years
• ▸leadership
• ▸heavy‑civil
• ▸cost estimating
• ▸risk‑informed
• ▸ccm

Benefits

The position operates from any HDR location with significant presence, expects about 50 % travel (ranging from 0 % to 100 %), and offers the opportunity to influence high‑hazard dam projects worldwide.

Work Environment

Office Full-Time