Assistant Staff Water Resources Engineer
About The Position
SWCA Environmental Consulting & Engineering is seeking a recent or soon-to-be graduate interested in hydrology, hydraulics, flood modeling, and water resources engineering. The role supports ecological restoration and watershed planning projects throughout the United States. It is based in Raleigh, North Carolina, with hybrid work available to employees within driving distance of Raleigh, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, or Denver. Occasional travel to project sites for field assessments, data collection, and client meetings is required, approximately 5% of the time. This is a full-time, regular, hourly, non-exempt position with benefits. The Assistant Staff Water Resources Engineer supports water resources project design, engineering analysis, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, field investigations, technical reporting, permitting, construction oversight, and preparation of drawings and specifications. The role works with senior engineers and multidisciplinary teams, handling discrete tasks and limited technical decisions under defined procedures and supervision. Project areas may include floodplain permitting, watershed planning, stream and wetland restoration, coastal resiliency, land development, solar and transmission, and wildfire planning. The position is suited to someone with a strong technical foundation who is willing to learn, address technical challenges, and develop expertise in new tools and methods. The employee is expected to build project management skills, pursue professional development, represent SWCA at industry conferences, and work independently in a fast-paced environment while meeting detailed requirements and deadlines. SWCA is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm focused on science-based solutions, sustainability, collaboration, learning, and community engagement.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering; relevant fields include biological, civil, environmental, or coastal engineering.
- At least one year of relevant, progressively responsible experience, or an equivalent combination of experience, performance, training, and education.
- Knowledge normally obtained through a bachelor's degree.
- Valid driver's license and ability to meet SWCA's driver requirements.
- Ability to obtain and maintain valid travel documents and identification required for work-related travel.
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced and remote environment, work under pressure, maintain attention to detail, and meet tight deadlines.
- Willingness to learn and work through technical challenges.
- Ability to travel domestically as required, including by commercial airline.
Nice To Haves
- Engineer-in-Training (EIT) designation.
- Relevant coursework in hydrology and hydraulics.
- Experience with or willingness to learn HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, SWMM, ArcGIS, Python, and other hydrologic and hydraulic modeling tools.
- Relevant summer internship, co-op, or undergraduate research experience.
- Exposure to GIS, R, or Python.
Responsibilities
- Support development of engineering designs for assigned water resources projects and collaborate with senior engineers to refine concepts and assess feasibility.
- Complete discrete tasks or small components of restoration projects, making limited technical decisions within defined procedures.
- Conduct field investigations, collect data, and verify compliance with design plans and regulatory requirements.
- Help prepare technical reports documenting findings from inspections, analyses, and fieldwork.
- Assist with permitting and regulatory approvals by preparing documentation and ensuring plans comply with applicable regulations.
- Perform construction oversight to monitor contractor performance and adherence to project specifications; identify issues and recommend corrective actions under supervision.
- Help evaluate potential project sites and measures for technical and financial viability, and contribute input to plans and methods.
- Assist with preparation of construction drawings and specifications.
- Support modeling and calculations to inform designs and evaluate scenarios, using modeling software to optimize solutions and check accuracy.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate environmental science and engineering principles into project designs and support project planning.
- Develop project management skills and engage in professional development, staying informed about industry trends and relevant technologies.
- Represent SWCA and continue professional development at industry conferences.
- Follow applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
- Adhere to the safety program, look out for the safety of others, and promptly communicate and mitigate safety hazards.
- Perform related work as assigned.
Benefits
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan.
- 401(k) with profit sharing.
- Medical coverage.
- Dental coverage.
- Vision coverage.
- Paid time off.
- Wellness programs.
- Professional development opportunities.
- Eligible employees may receive performance-based bonuses.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
