Counsel – Human Resources

HDR; Omaha (NE); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR seeks a collaborative employment attorney to provide high-quality, risk-informed legal support for a global, employee-owned architecture and engineering company. The role requires partnering with the Chief Counsel Human Resources and business teams to prevent risk, navigate complex regulations, and advise on personnel matters across the enterprise.

The ideal candidate has a JD from an ABA-accredited school, 8+ years of progressive employment-law experience, and an active license to practice.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law.
• 8+ years progressive experience practicing employment law.
• Experience advising multi-jurisdictional organizations preferred.
• Strong analytical, oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage risk and advise on business-oriented solutions.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support for employment issues across a global, employee-owned architecture and engineering company.
• Collaborate with Chief Counsel Human Resources to deliver preventative, proactive legal advice on hiring, performance, discipline, terminations, investigations, leaves, wage and hour compliance, and immigration.
• Regularly engage with HDR’s HR and business professionals worldwide to monitor legal developments and update policies.

Skills

Legal analysis

Oral & written communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic risk management

Education

Juris Doctorate from ABA-accredited law school

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.

HDR seeks a collaborative, experienced employment attorney to provide high-quality, risk-informed, and practical legal support to help the enterprise ensure compliance with relevant laws and policies. The successful candidate will have excellent oral and written communication skills, advanced interpersonal and influencing skills, an ability to anticipate and deliver legal support to satisfy the needs of a dynamic, diverse, and global business team, and the flexibility to manage an evolving variety of assignments.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support for all types of employment issues relevant to a global, employee-owned architecture and engineering company.
• In collaboration with the Chief Counsel Human Resources, provide pragmatic, solution-oriented, preventative, and proactive legal advice involving a wide range of employment law issues, which may include but will not be limited to, hiring, performance management, discipline, terminations,
• internal investigations, reasonable accommodations, leaves of absence, wage and hour compliance, employee mobility, and immigration.
• Regularly engage with HDR’s human resources and business professionals on a global scale.
• Proactively monitor and understand global employment law changes and trends.
• Review and support the development, implementation and updating of HDR policies and processes to mitigate risk and ensure legal compliance.
• Serve as a key contact to facilitate legal guidance on compliance with all laws and internal policies related to the employee-employer relationship.
• Assist the Chief Counsel Human Resources in the coordination and oversight of outside counsel as directed by the General Counsel.
• Develop proactive protocols to identify and manage employment-law risks and advise company management of the same.
• Develop and implement legal training programs as necessary.
• Handle sensitive information and maintain a high level of confidentiality while displaying professionalism and tact with all levels of the organization.
• Engage with and represent the HDR Legal Department in a professional and constructive, supportive manner in all communications and interactions.
• Perform other duties as assigned across all HDR companies.
• This position is located in Omaha, Nebraska. Due to our collaborative team environment, we expect candidates to work in the office 5 days / week. Occasional flexibility for work from home is permitted with advanced supervisor approval.

Preferred Qualifications

• 8 years of experience practicing employment law at a private firm highly preferred.
• Experience advising multi-jurisdictional organizations highly preferred.
• Progressive leadership and client or business management experience highly preferred.
• Working understanding of immigration regulations preferred.
• Member in good standing of a state bar, Nebraska preferred.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school
• A minimum of 8 years progressive experience practicing law
• Active license to practice law
• Law firm experience relevant to job description (e.g., transactional, litigation, etc.)
• Proficient analytical and oral and written communication skills
• Business acumen, with the ability to think strategically and advise on creative business-oriented solutions to legal issues, balancing legal risks against business interests in complex and ambiguous situations
• Strong results orientation with a dedicated client focus and ability to establish a trusted advisor relationship with business clients
• Experience with complex agreements (e.g., drafting, negotiating, and interpreting, dispute resolving, litigating)
• Ability to work efficiently and meet demanding deadlines in a fast-paced environment, prioritize workflow, and adjust to frequent workload fluctuations
• Ability to work independently while also being a strong collaborator
• Ability to identify and manage risk inherent to projects in the engineering/architecture consulting industry
• Supervisory or mentoring experience
• Willingness to travel 25% of the time

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-Nebraska-Omaha Industry: Legal Schedule: Full-time Employee Status: Regular BusinessClass: Marketing and Admin Job Posting: Sep 17, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer (https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.