Civil Engineer - Waste

HDR, Inc.; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR, Inc. in Ann Arbor, MI is seeking a Civil Engineer with 6+ years of site/civil design experience to lead projects across waste, industrial and power sectors. This role thrives in our employee-owned, collaborative culture and requires strong communication and leadership.

You will act as Engineer of Record when needed, coordinate with multidisciplinary teams, prepare drawings and specs, and mentor junior staff from planning through construction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering required.
• PE license or ability to obtain licensure required.
• 6+ years of professional experience in civil/site design.
• Strong leadership and communication skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Lead site civil engineering design for buildings, facilities and infrastructure across market sectors.
• Serve as Civil Engineer of Record when required.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary design teams through all project phases.
• Prepare detailed drawings, specifications, calculations, and reports.
• Manage permitting with federal, state, and local agencies.
• Mentor junior staff and review designs.

Skills

Civil/site design leadership

Communication

Leadership

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer license (PE)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story: ' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe waste is more than management, it's also an opportunity to innovate. As part of our Waste sector, you'll help shape solid waste infrastructure and environmental stewardship. With a top-tier industry ranking, our team delivers comprehensive solutions that span waste planning, remediation, engineering and implementation. You'll collaborate closely with clients and communities to design sustainable, cost-effective systems that contribute to cleaner environments and healthier communities. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to drive meaningful changes in the waste industry and build a legacy of sustainability.

We believe electricity powers modern life. As part of our Power sector, you'll help shape how electricity is generated, transmitted and delivered as global energy demands grow. From massive data centers to modernizing transmission systems, our industry-recognized engineers and scientists have been at the forefront of grid transformation for more than a century. You'll work side-by-side with these experts and contribute to reliable, resilient and sustainable power systems, helping communities thrive and industries expand. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to drive infrastructure forward, power innovation and leave your mark on our energy future.

We believe industry drives progress. As part of our Industrial sector, you'll help shape efficient, advanced infrastructure and environmental stewardship. We partner with clients across industries to responsibly optimize processes, modernize facilities and solve complex challenges. Our work spans the full project life cycle, from up-front evaluation and planning studies through design and into construction monitoring and operations. You can help clients push boundaries and meet evolving industrial demands while supporting resilient infrastructure and responsible growth. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to engineer smarter solutions, drive industrial innovation and make a lasting impact.

The Civil Engineer will be responsible for civil engineering design and plan production on a wide variety of projects, including site design and development for waste, industrial, and power projects. They will perform complex assignments exercising judgment in evaluation, selection, and modification of standard engineering techniques and procedures. The successful candidate will have significant expertise in site development including site planning and layout, utility coordination and design, grading and drainage design, non-environmental permitting, specifications, and construction administration of site infrastructure components. The engineer may also supervise and mentor a small staff of civil-focused professionals and technicians and perform other duties as needed.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead site civil engineering design efforts for site civil engineering related to buildings, facilities, and infrastructure projects across diverse market sectors, including:
  • Commercial and industrial developments
  • Waste facilities
  • Municipal and federal projects
  • Power and data center facilities
• Serve as the Civil Engineer of Record when required.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary design teams throughout all project phases-from initial planning through construction documentation and administration.
• Prepare detailed construction drawings, technical specifications, engineering calculations and reports.
• Manage permitting processes with federal, state, and local agencies.

Other responsibilities include

• Performing site planning and layout activities.
• Developing Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plans.
• Evaluating hydrology and hydraulics for site drainage improvements.
• Performing site grading and earthwork analysis.
• Coordinating with clients, project managers, and other project disciplines including architecture, structural, mechanical, and electrical.
• Performing routine engineering assignments requiring application of standard techniques and procedures.
• Developing drawings and specification packages for civil projects.
• Review shop drawings and provide support during the construction phase.
• May act as Project Manager or Task Manager on select projects.
• Reviews draft design and reports for compliance with federal, state, and local regulations and signs off on completed designs.
• Assists in developing proposals and cost estimates for project pursuits.
• Expected to mentor and assist junior staff from a technical standpoint.

The successful Civil Engineer will have strong communication skills and be able to coordinate with others and multi-task by supporting multiple concurrent projects. As this is an entrepreneurial environment, all team members are involved in client development, staying current with industry trends relevant to their technical expertise, and encouraged to shape their work roles to their strengths and interests.

Preferred Qualifications

• 6+ years of professional experience designing various civil/site design projects.
• Prior experience of local and state permitting related to infrastructure projects.
• Experience in multiple project types such as waste, oil and gas, water, and power.
• 4+ years of experience in site civil/land development design for buildings or infrastructure, including:
  • Demolition
  • Erosion control
  • Site layout
  • Stormwater management
  • Grading and drainage
  • Utility design

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Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Previous experience in general civil engineering
• Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
• Demonstrated leadership and communication skills
• Proficient with Microsoft Office
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location: United States-Michigan-Ann Arbor

Industry: Waste

Schedule: Full-time

Employee Status: Regular

BusinessClass: Waste Services

Job Posting: Oct 12, 2026