Mid-Level Coastal / Water Resources Engineer
About The Position
Straughan is seeking a highly motivated and versatile Mid-Level Coastal / Water Resources Engineer with experience in nature-based solutions (NbS) and resilience design to join our Engineering department. This individual will support the planning, design, and implementation of sustainable and resilient projects that integrate ecological processes into engineering solutions. These will include planning and design of various projects including coastal wetland restoration, living shorelines, built and natural infrastructure resilience, coastal and compound flooding solutions. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of coastal and watershed systems, climate resilience challenges (e.g., flooding, sea-level rise), and a passion for delivering innovative, sustainable solutions. This role includes collaboration with multidisciplinary teams to perform field assessments, modeling, design, and permitting for a variety of projects. The understanding of grant-based projects and how to pursue grants is a plus. Straughan operates under a flexible, hybrid workplace strategy. Employees work primarily from home with schedules approved by their supervisor. While all candidates will be considered, we have a strong preference for candidates residing in one of the following areas: Coastal Delaware, Coastal Maryland, Northen Virginia (NOVA), or Coastal Virginia. Office reporting locations are our Headquarters (Maryland) and/or the Newark, DE office. Occasional travel for field work and client meetings is expected.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Environmental, Coastal, or Water Resources Engineering (or related field)
- Minimum 5+ years of relevant experience in water resources, coastal engineering, or resilience planning
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Experience with engineering design software (AutoCAD, MicroStation)
- Proficiency with H&H and/or coastal modeling tools (HEC-RAS, SWMM, ADCIRC, Delft3D, or similar)
- Experience conducting field work and site evaluations
- Familiarity with nature-based solutions, green infrastructure, or ecosystem-based design approaches
- Environmental permitting experience
- Professional Engineer (PE) required or ability to obtain within 1 year
Nice To Haves
- Experience with coastal processes, shoreline stabilization, or sediment transport
- Design experience with: Living shorelines or oyster reefs, Floodplain reconnection or wetland restoration, Low impact development (LID) and environmental site design (ESD)
- Familiarity with climate adaptation and resilience planning
- Experience with federal or resilience-focused programs (e.g., FEMA, USACE, NOAA)
- Hydrodynamic and coastal modeling experience (ADCIRC, Delft3D, HEC-RAS 2D)
- GIS experience (ArcIS Pro)
- Experience with blue-green infrastructure and nature-based performance evaluation
- Grant-funded project experience or resilience planning studies
- Public outreach or stakeholder engagement experience
- Familiarity with Mid-Atlantic region regulations and projects
- Familiarity with Drainage, Stormwater Management, and Sediment Control Design
Responsibilities
- Lead tasks or components of projects focused on nature-based and hybrid infrastructure solutions
- Support project managers with planning, budgeting, and execution of coastal and water resources projects
- Perform hydrologic and hydraulic modeling (e.g., HEC-RAS, SWMM, coastal/storm surge models)
- Design and support development of: Living shorelines, Coastal and upland wetland and floodplain restoration projects, Green stormwater infrastructure (bioswales, buffers, BMPs)
- Conduct alternatives analyses comparing gray and nature-based solutions
- Integrate climate resilience considerations (sea level rise, extreme precipitation, flood risk)
- Perform field assessments, site investigations, and data collection
- Prepare engineering plans, specifications, reports, and visualizations
- Coordinate with ecologists, planners, GIS specialists, and stakeholders
- Support environmental permitting at local, state, and federal levels
- Participate in stakeholder and client meetings, presenting technical findings
- Mentor junior engineers and support staff development
- Support proposal development, cost estimating, and business development efforts
- Assist with construction phase services, including submittal review and site visits
- Being able to communicate effectively with team
Benefits
- Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
- 401k Retirement plan with an employer match
- Tuition assistance
- PTO
- 8 holidays
- Parental leave
- HSA
- FSA
- Flexible work schedule
- Employer paid short and Longterm disability
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
