Senior Water Resources Engineer

Onterris; Calgary; On-site; CAD 125,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Onterris in Calgary is seeking a Senior Engineer to lead major surface water and urban stormwater projects across Western Canada. You will drive design from concept to construction, coordinate multi-disciplinary teams, and manage client relationships, budgets, and schedules.

The ideal candidate brings 10+ years in water resources with strong modeling and design delivery experience, plus PE licensure or eligibility, and proficiency with PCSWMM, SWMM, and GIS tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil, Water Resources, or Environmental Engineering is required.
• P.Eng. or Professional Licensee with APEGA or eligible for transfer is required or highly preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive water resources and municipal engineering experience, with emphasis on urban stormwater modeling.
• Advanced experience with urban drainage tools: PCSWMM, EPA SWMM, MIKE+, InfoWorks ICM or GeoSTORM.
• Familiarity with additional hydrotechnical software (HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, SWAT, HSP-F, EFDC) is a plus.
• Experience with Civil3D, AutoCAD and GIS platforms (ArcGIS, QGIS, Global Mapper).
• Python, R or VBA for model automation and data processing is a strong asset.
• Proven ability to deliver detailed design packages, tender docs, and construction oversight.
• Strong communication skills for client interactions and multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead conceptual to detailed engineering design for major surface water, municipal stormwater, and flood mitigation projects across AB, BC, and SK.
• Oversee and prepare conceptual, preliminary, and detailed designs for stormwater networks, wetlands, and LID features.
• Conduct hydrologic/hydraulic modeling including MDPs and SMDPs; apply green infrastructure and climate-resilient design.
• Guide river engineering, water quality assessments, and balancing development with environmental protection.
• Manage multi-disciplinary scopes from concept to commissioning, including budgets and client relations.
• Prepare tender documents, technical specs, and provide construction oversight.
• Navigate regulatory approvals with municipal, provincial, and federal bodies.

Skills

Water resources engineering

Urban stormwater management

Hydraulic & hydrology modeling

Project execution

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil, Water Resources, or Environmental Engineering

Graduate degree (M.Sc. or Ph.D.) asset

Tools

PCSWMM

EPA SWMM

MIKE+

InfoWorks ICM

GeoSTORM

HEC-RAS

HEC-HMS

SWAT

HSP-F

EFDC

Civil3D

AutoCAD

ArcGIS

QGIS

Global Mapper

Python

R

Job description

About Us

At Onterris, we build careers grounded in purpose,responsibilityand real-world impact.

“For Planet and Progress” is our north star that guides everything we do. We believe environmental responsibility and human progress are interconnected,interwovenand international. Our scientists, engineers, field teams,consultantsand professionals collaborate across disciplines and geographies, guiding industries and governments, ensuring that communities and environments thrive.

When you join us,you’renot just forging acareer,you’rejoining a movement. A movement for better thinking, smartersolutionsand lasting impact.

Together, we will advance our way of life and protect the integrity of our environment every step of the way.

A Day in the Life

As an Senior Engineer in our Calgary office you’ll be responsible for assisting multiple projects where you will have increasing interaction with our multi-disciplinary staff, regulatory agencies and clients. You will be part of a strong team of committed professionals.

The compensation range for this role is $125,000 to $165,000, commensurate with experience, skills, and geographic location.

To thrive in this role, you’ll be comfortable taking ownership of the following responsibilities:

• Drive High-Impact Projects: Lead conceptual to detailed engineering design for major surface water, municipal stormwater, and flood mitigation projects across AB, BC, and SK.
• Detailed Infrastructure Engineering: Hands-on oversight and preparation of conceptual, preliminary, and detailed designs for:
  • Stormwater drainage networks & storage facilities.
  • Constructed wetlands & low-impact development (LID) features.
  • Overland drainage systems (culverts, ditches, and engineered channels).
  • Erosion and sediment control (ESC) measures.
• Advanced Urban Systems Engineering: Direct specialized hydrologic and hydraulic modeling initiatives including Master Drainage Plans (MDPs), Staged Master Drainage Plans (SMDPs), dual-drainage network evaluations using PCSWMM, dam breach inundation analyses, and detailed wetland water balance studies. Apply cutting-edge LID features, green infrastructure, and climate-resilient designs to complex urban and natural systems.
• River & Hydrotechnical Engineering: Guide hydrotechnical, river engineering, and water quality assessments, balancing development requirements with natural system protection.
• Full-Lifecycle Ownership: Lead multi-disciplinary scopes from concept to commissioning, managing schedules, budgets, scope changes, and financial performance while serving as the primary client contact.
• Construction Contract Administration: Lead the preparation of tender documents, technical specifications, and construction cost estimates. Provide senior oversight during resident engineering and contract administration phases.
• Regulatory Approvals: Build strong relationships with municipal, provincial, and federal regulatory bodies to navigate approval pathways efficiently.
• Multi-disciplinary Coordination: Work collaboratively across disciplines, integrating input from hydrogeology, geotechnical engineering, surveying, landscape architecture, transportation, and natural sciences.
• Grow the Practice: Partner with leadership on business development, proposal preparation, client engagement, and expanding our surface water practice footprint across Western Canada.
• Empower Others: Serve as a technical mentor for junior and intermediate engineering staff, guiding their development in complex modeling, detailed design, report writing, and personal growth.

Your Expertise and Skills

• Education:Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Water Resources, or Environmental Engineering. A graduate degree (M.Sc. or Ph.D.) is considered an asset.
• Professional Designation:Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) or Professional Licensee (P.L.Eng.) registration with APEGA, or eligibility for immediate transfer.
• Experience:10 or more years of progressive experience in water resources and municipal engineering, with a strong emphasis on urban stormwater management and surface water modeling.
• Advanced experience with urban drainage tools such as PCSWMM, EPA SWMM, MIKE+, InfoWorks ICM, or GeoSTORM.
• Familiarity with additional hydrotechnical software (HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, SWAT, HSP-F, or EFDC) is an asset.
• Experience with Civil3D, AutoCAD, and spatial analysis platforms (ArcGIS, QGIS, Global Mapper).
• Knowledge of scripting languages (Python, R, VBA) for model automation and data processing is a strong asset.
• Project Execution Skills:Proven track record of delivering detailed design packages, preparing tender documentation, and providing construction oversight.
• Communication:Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to present complex technical findings clearly to clients, multidisciplinary teams, and regulatory bodies.
• Travel and Licensing: Valid Class 5 driver’s licence with a clean record, and willingness to travel periodically within Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan for field visits and client meetings.

Onterris is a leading global environmental solutions company partnering with organizations to solve complex challenges where environmental pressures, regulatory expectations and operational risks intersect. Guided by our mission to advance the way of life without compromising the integrity of our environment, we believe environmental responsibility and human progress are fundamentally connected. Our scientists, engineers, field teams and consultants apply systems thinking that unites science, data and practical expertise to deliver solutions that strengthen our clients’ resilience, mitigate risk and protect the air, water and soil that sustain communities, while uncovering responsible paths forward for planet and progress. For more information, visit www.onterris.com.

We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We acknowledge that these experiences and perspectives help to enrich our teams and contribute to our ongoing success. We are committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in our employment for all applicants. For US residents, click here to learn more.