Area Structural Business Class Lead

HDR•Chicago, IL

12d

About The Position

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world? We believe building engineering is more than systems and structures, it’s about powering progress and enabling innovation. As part of HDR’s Building Engineering Services Group, you’ll help design the critical infrastructure that supports the digital age and shapes the spaces where people work, connect, and thrive. From high-performance data centers driving the future of AI to dynamic commercial environments, your work will directly support technological advancement, sustainability, and human experience. We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve complex design challenges with precision, creativity, and collaboration. Whether you're optimizing energy efficiency, integrating resilient systems, or engineering the backbone of next-generation facilities, your contributions will help define the future of the built environment. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead innovation, engineer impact, and build a legacy of excellence. Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story' Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world. Come join the fast-growing Building Engineering Services Group at HDR. The Building Engineering Services Group (BES) provides industry leading mechanical, electrical, plumbing, site civil, structural, and specialty design services for a wide variety of buildings that include public, municipal, private, and government project types. Projects are a balance of local as well as across the region and the globe. With a team of experienced staff in specific market areas such as Healthcare, Datacenters, Science and Technology, Commercial Real Estate, Finance, Hospitality, Industrial, Municipal, Manufacturing, Transportation, and Federal facilities; we provide engineering excellence for our clients. We are searching for the Area Structural Business Class Lead at our downtown Chicago office. In the role of Area Structural Business Class Lead, you'll have the opportunity to: Provide leadership for the Nebraska/Iowa Building Engineering Services structural engineering team with a focus on technical excellence, quality, recruiting, and staff development. Identify and collaborate with market sector leadership to ensure technical excellence in key markets including commercial, civic, industrial, federal, water, transportation, healthcare, education and laboratories, and mission critical facilities. Engage with clients and community stakeholders. Be involved in marketing, planning, proposals, and interviews in key markets. Promotion of HDR and our Structural Engineering practice within the engineering and architecture community including participation in conferences, educational institutions, and with clients. May function as design lead or engineering project manager for key projects. Build and maintain a leadership team for operations of the structural work group, including staff development, technical development and improvement, profitability, morale, and quality control. Assist in ensuring that all work is planned, organized, controlled, checked, and evaluated through proactive staff management. Implement, monitor, and support company policy. Works cooperatively with other business class directors, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts. Actively encourage and participate in work-sharing and structural practice development with a nation-wide network of HDR structural engineers.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a Professional, Architecture, Engineering or closely related field
10 years of experience
Committed to quality, improvement and HDR values
Maintains a professional or engineering registration and has related technical experience
Experienced in development and management of diverse teams
Works cooperatively with other area business class leaders, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts
An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

Nice To Haves

Actively engaged in professional or industry associations to enhance HDR technical expertise and brand
Preference given to local candidates.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership for the Nebraska/Iowa Building Engineering Services structural engineering team with a focus on technical excellence, quality, recruiting, and staff development.
Identify and collaborate with market sector leadership to ensure technical excellence in key markets including commercial, civic, industrial, federal, water, transportation, healthcare, education and laboratories, and mission critical facilities.
Engage with clients and community stakeholders.
Be involved in marketing, planning, proposals, and interviews in key markets.
Promotion of HDR and our Structural Engineering practice within the engineering and architecture community including participation in conferences, educational institutions, and with clients.
May function as design lead or engineering project manager for key projects.
Build and maintain a leadership team for operations of the structural work group, including staff development, technical development and improvement, profitability, morale, and quality control.
Assist in ensuring that all work is planned, organized, controlled, checked, and evaluated through proactive staff management.
Implement, monitor, and support company policy.
Works cooperatively with other business class directors, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts.
Actively encourage and participate in work-sharing and structural practice development with a nation-wide network of HDR structural engineers.