Civil Engineering Section Lead - Aviation

CHA Consulting, Inc.; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

CHA Consulting, Inc. in Knoxville, TN is seeking a Civil Engineering Section Lead - Aviation to guide the Aviation Team. You will lead and mentor engineers, oversee project delivery for airport infrastructure, and work closely with clients and regulators.

This leadership role emphasizes guiding teams while remaining engaged in technical delivery, with a PE license, 4+ years of civil engineering experience, and strong Civil 3D/AutoCAD skills. Aviation experience is preferred but not required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering required.
• Minimum of 4 years of progressive civil engineering experience in civil site design, land development, municipal infrastructure, transportation, aviation, or other horizontal infrastructure projects required
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required
• Demonstrated experience leading engineering projects, mentoring junior engineers, or coordinating technical teams and work assignments
• Experience managing project budgets, schedules, and client relationships
• Strong experience with Civil 3D, AutoCAD, or comparable civil engineering software
• Readiness to take on formal team leadership responsibilities while continuing to contribute technically
• Participation in professional engineering organizations is a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead civil engineering planning, design, and delivery for airport infrastructure projects, including airfields, terminal-area site improvements, roadways, parking facilities, and utilities
• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams, aligning technical work and project priorities to meet scope, schedule, and budget commitments
• Mentor and coach junior engineers, provide technical guidance, and support professional development within a collaborative team environment
• Coordinate work assignments, balance team workloads, and guide day-to-day execution in partnership with senior leadership
• Manage project scope, schedules, budgets, and technical quality, applying QA/QC processes throughout project delivery
• Build strong relationships with clients, contractors, regulatory agencies, and internal project teams
• Support business development by participating in proposals, client meetings, and project pursuits
• Perform periodic field observations during construction, participate in progress meetings, and support construction administration activities as needed

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Project management

Client relations

QA/QC

Civil 3D

AutoCAD

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

Civil 3D

AutoCAD

Job description

Join Us:

Lead a Civil Engineering Team. Shape Aviation Infrastructure.

Are you an experienced civil engineer looking to expand your impact through people leadership? Do you excel at building strong teams, developing technical talent, and leading complex infrastructure projects with confidence?

Ready to lead the next chapter of your engineering career? CHA Consulting, Inc. is seeking a Civil Engineering Section Lead - Aviation to join our Aviation Team in Knoxville, TN. In this role, you'll lead and mentor engineers, guide project delivery, and remain actively involved in solving complex civil infrastructure challenges.

Aviation experience is preferred but not required. We welcome civil engineers from site development, land development, transportation, municipal infrastructure, water resources, and related disciplines who are interested in applying their expertise to aviation projects.

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced engineer pursuing a first formal leadership role or an established leader seeking greater responsibility while staying engaged in technical project delivery.

What You'll Do:

• Lead civil engineering planning, design, and delivery for airport infrastructure projects, including airfields, terminal-area site improvements, roadways, parking facilities, and utilities


• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams, aligning technical work and project priorities to meet scope, schedule, and budget commitments


• Mentor and coach junior engineers, provide technical guidance, and support professional development within a collaborative team environment


• Coordinate work assignments, balance team workloads, and guide day-to-day execution in partnership with senior leadership


• Manage project scope, schedules, budgets, and technical quality, applying QA/QC processes throughout project delivery


• Build strong relationships with clients, contractors, regulatory agencies, and internal project teams


• Support business development by participating in proposals, client meetings, and project pursuits


• Perform periodic field observations during construction, participate in progress meetings, and support construction administration activities as needed

What You Bring:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering required


• Minimum of 4 years of progressive civil engineering experience in civil site design, land development, municipal infrastructure, transportation, aviation, or other horizontal infrastructure projects required


• Professional Engineer (PE) license required


• Demonstrated experience leading engineering projects, mentoring junior engineers, or coordinating technical teams and work assignments


• Previous formal people-management or section leadership experience is not required; candidates ready to step into their first formal team leadership role are encouraged to apply


• Experience managing project budgets, schedules, and client relationships


• Strong experience with Civil 3D, AutoCAD, or comparable civil engineering software


• Working knowledge of QA/QC processes, engineering standards, and project delivery


• Excellent communication, organizational, and relationship-building skills


• Readiness to take on formal team leadership responsibilities while continuing to contribute technically


• Participation in professional engineering organizations is a plus

Why You'll Love It Here:

• Lead challenging infrastructure projects that support airport safety, sustainability, and operational excellence


• Mentor and inspire junior engineers dedicated to delivering sustainable solutions


• Collaborate with talented professionals across disciplines in a flexible work environment

Curious about the impactful work our Aviation team is doing? Discover our specialized solutions for airside, landside, and facility-related airport infrastructure by visiting: CHA Aviation.

Salary Range:

$120,000 - $130,000

Salary is based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, training, and fair market evaluation based on industry standards.

Culture/EEO Statement:

At CHA, we work every day to create solutions, help people, and improve our world, committed to creating and fostering excellence in our diverse and highly talented teams. Our teams continually strive to find better ways – always searching, never settling – to achieve extraordinary results. Our values around hiring, training, and community engagement reflect a company culture that is inclusive and forward leaning, always pushing the limits of what is possible.

We as an organization celebrate the values of inclusion and equality, and advocate for the full participation of all people in an environment free of discrimination. To support these values, we invite all qualified applicants to be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

#LI-VF1