Civil Engineer - Principal

Civil and Environmental Consultants; Johnson City (TN); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Profit sharing

Performance bonus

Company stock

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Tuition assistance

Professional development

Work‑life balance

Job summary

Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) seeks a Civil Engineer - Principal in Johnson City, TN to partner with senior leadership and grow the Civil/Site Practice. You will guide regulatory processes, mentor engineers and PMs, oversee proposals, budgets, and quality control, and support staff development.

Ownership opportunities are part of career growth. You will benefit from a culture focused on integrity, client service, and meaningful careers, with employee-ownership and competitive

Qualifications

• 15+ years of civil engineering experience or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Bachelors or Masters in Civil Engineering or a related field; MBA preferred.

Responsibilities

• Apply advanced engineering principles and practices to manage complex projects.
• Develop, lead, and mentor teams of engineers and project managers to achieve technical and professional excellence.
• Grow and develop established and new clients in Real Estate, Oil & Gas, Renewables, and Manufacturing sectors.
• Participate in and lead internal and external client- and professional-development initiatives.
• Lead financial management of projects (AR/WIP), including resolving complex accounting or legal issues.
• Develop scopes of service and project budgets (proposals) and direct projects profitably.
• Hire, recruit, mentor, and develop staff members to support career growth and office capabilities.
• Communicate effectively with staff, clients, contractors, and regulatory officials, both verbally and in writing.
• Present at public meetings and hearings with qualifications sufficient to provide expert testimony.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Business development

Client relations

Multidisciplinary coordination

Public speaking

Communication

Education

Bachelors in Civil Engineering

Masters in Civil Engineering

MBA preferred

Job description

Civil Engineer - Principal

Job Locations

US-TN-Johnson City

Category: Civil | Type: Full-Time

Overview

As a Civil Engineering Principal for Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc. (CEC) in our Johnson City, TN office, you'll partner with senior leadership to grow the Civil/Site Practice, strengthen client relationships, and guide stakeholders through the regulatory environment while ensuring technical excellence. You'll lead and mentor a team of engineers and project managers, oversee proposals, budgets, and quality control, and support recruiting and staff development. At the same time, senior leadership will work with you to shape your own career path through targeted professional development, mentoring, and involvement in office and corporate initiatives.

At CEC, every team member is personally invested in serving our clients with integrity, delivering results that matter, and growing meaningful careers. As employee-owners, we're accountable not just for our work, but for creating an environment that supports and challenges one another. Our people are our priority - and that's what drives us to dig deeper, collaborate smarter, and build lasting relationships inside and outside of our company.

Key Responsibilities

• Apply advanced engineering principles and practices to manage complex projects.
• Develop, lead, and mentor teams of engineers and project managers to achieve technical and professional excellence.
• Grow and develop established and new clients in the Real Estate, Oil & Gas, Renewables, and Manufacturing sectors.
• Participate in and lead internal and external client- and professional-development initiatives.
• Lead financial management of projects (AR/WIP), including resolving complex accounting or legal issues.
• Develop scopes of service and project budgets (proposals) and direct projects profitably.
• Hire, recruit, mentor, and develop staff members to support career growth and office capabilities.
• Communicate effectively with staff, clients, contractors, and regulatory officials, both verbally and in writing.
• Present at public meetings and hearings with qualifications sufficient to provide expert testimony.
• Demonstrate leadership and commitment to mentoring junior staff while fostering a collaborative team culture.

Our Johnson City office sits in the heart of Northeast Tennessee, surrounded by the natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. With easy access to hiking, lakes, and scenic drives, plus a growing downtown and vibrant community culture, Johnson City offers a high quality of life and a welcoming environment for professionals looking to live and grow in a small‑city setting.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of civil engineering experience or a relevant combination of experience and education
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Civil Engineering or a related field; MBA preferred
• Professional Engineer (P.E.) licensure, with Tennessee registration or ability to obtain
• Additional professional certifications such as CPESC, CFM, or PMP are a plus

Preferred Capabilities

• Demonstrated leadership in managing large, complex civil engineering projects
• Experience mentoring and developing engineering staff
• Proven track record in business development and client relationship management
• Experience integrating multidisciplinary teams and coordinating across projects

About Us

We have experts! CEC is consistently ranked as a Top 500 Design Firm and Top 200 Environmental Firm by Engineering News-Record. We are looking for people who enjoy using their education and experience to solve difficult technical problems and work on interesting projects.

We have support! We have a variety of Employee Resource Groups, including CEC Community - focused on giving back to the communities in which we work; CEC Ignite - focused on helping professionals early in their careers to develop their pathway; CEC iDEA - focused on inclusion, diversity, equality, and acceptance; and CEC Women - focused on creating internal and external opportunities for women to network and leverage professional experience!

We care about our people! People and Culture are two of the five elements of our strategic plan. When you care about your people, they will want to grow a career with you - that is our goal. CEC offers you a small‑firm work environment with large‑firm opportunities. Not only will we help you develop professionally, but we will also provide an opportunity to become an owner of the firm and share in its success.

CEC offers a matching 401(k); profit sharing; a performance bonus; company stock; medical, dental, and vision insurance; short and long‑term disability; tuition assistance; professional development; and work‑life balance.

CEC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or promotion based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, transgender status), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other basis or characteristic prohibited by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Third Party Recruiters

If CEC has not expressly requested recruiting services or contractually engaged with you for recruiting services on a specific position, any resumes or candidate profiles sent to CEC shall be considered unsolicited. Therefore, any such submissions will be considered property of CEC, with no associated fees due to your firm.