Sr. Hydraulic Engineer

Larson Design Group•Raleigh, NC

About The Position

The Senior Hydraulic Engineer serves as a technical leader within the Transportation group and must hold a Professional Engineer (PE) license with extensive experience in NCDOT hydraulic design standards, processes, and project delivery. This role leads hydraulic engineering efforts, coordinates design activities, oversees project schedules and deliverables, and performs advanced QA/QC to ensure compliance with NCDOT and other applicable standards. The Senior Hydraulic Engineer is also responsible for managing budgets, mentoring staff, and ensuring high‑quality, technically sound project outcomes.

Requirements

Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering or related field from an ABET‑accredited program.
Minimum of ten (10) years of hydraulic engineering experience, with significant experience on NCDOT projects required.

Nice To Haves

Strong desire to expand technical knowledge and take on increasing leadership responsibilities.
Proficiency with NCDOT hydraulic tools and software, such as HEC‑RAS, HEC‑HMS, HY‑8, StormCAD, FlowMaster, PondPack, and other hydrologic/hydraulic modeling programs.
Experience with MicroStation, OpenRoads Designer, and/or other transportation design platforms.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook).
Excellent organizational and time‑management skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to work independently and collaboratively.
Proven ability to lead and influence multidisciplinary teams and deliver innovative, client‑focused hydraulic solutions.
Demonstrates strong critical thinking, problem‑solving abilities, and a commitment to technical excellence.

Responsibilities

Leads hydraulic design efforts for transportation projects, including drainage design, stormwater management, culvert and bridge hydraulics, scour analysis, and erosion control plans
Performs independent planning, design, and technical review of hydraulic components for roadway and bridge projects.
Demonstrates deep experience delivering technically complex NCDOT projects, including familiarity with NCDOT processes, manuals, and coordination requirements.
Maintains strong, collaborative working relationships with cross‑functional project teams, including roadway, structures, environmental, and construction staff.
Applies expert knowledge of NCDOT Hydraulics Unit standards, FHWA guidelines, and other applicable codes and regulations.
Conducts final QA/QC reviews of hydraulic reports, plans, calculations, and supporting documentation.
Develops project schedules, technical scopes, and labor hour estimates for hydraulic design tasks.
Works closely with project managers and discipline leads to clearly define and deliver hydraulic design scope.
Promotes and supports quality assurance and quality control processes to reduce design errors and ensure consistent, high‑quality deliverables.
Performs and checks complex hydraulic calculations, technical specifications, and cost estimates.
Develops and manages design budgets for hydraulic scopes of work.
Mentors, trains, and supports junior engineers and interns, helping them build technical proficiency, design intuition, and professional growth in hydraulic engineering.