Drainage Group Leader

Gannett Fleming; Orlando (FL); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Wellness program

Parental leave

Pet insurance

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

401(k)

PTO

Tuition reimbursement

Professional development

Incentive pay

Job summary

GFT is seeking a Chief Engineer/Group Leader to lead the Florida drainage and stormwater practice, combining technical excellence with team leadership, client engagement, and business development. The role serves as the firm’s senior drainage authority and will mentor staff while expanding FDOT and municipal markets.

Responsibilities include overseeing complex drainage designs, providing QA/QC, coordinating with roadway, structures, and environmental teams, and driving innovation and standards

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering required; Master's preferred.
• PE license in Florida or ability to obtain within 6 months.
• 15+ years drainage/stormwater design experience, with Florida projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead drainage and stormwater design for roadway and infrastructure projects.
• Provide technical oversight and QA/QC for complex drainage designs and reports.
• Build and grow the Florida drainage practice, including staffing and training.
• Mentor and develop drainage engineers and designers.
• Coordinate with FDOT, counties, municipalities, and regulatory agencies.

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Drainage design

FDOT knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license in Florida

Job description

What You Will Do:

GFT Inc. is looking to fill a Chief Engineer/Group Leader position for our Drainage team in any of our Florida offices. This role follows a hybrid work model, requiring regular attendance at one of our Florida office. This is a full-time position.

The Drainage Practice Lead will be responsible for establishing, growing, and leading the firm's drainage and stormwater engineering practice in Florida. This role combines technical excellence, team leadership, client engagement, and business development. The Practice Lead will serve as the firm's senior drainage authority, overseeing technical standards, mentoring staff, and expanding FDOT and municipal market presence.

What you will be challenged to do:

• Provide leadership in advancing the practice through the implementation of innovative engineering practices, standardized processes, emerging technologies, and strategic technical initiatives that enhance project delivery, operational efficiency, and technical excellence.
• Build and grow the Florida drainage practice, including staffing, training, and technology investments.
• Support FDOT prequalification, resumes, and technical marketing materials for proposals.
• Identify emerging opportunities in resiliency, flooding, sea-level rise, and stormwater infrastructure.

In this capacity, the successful candidate will be responsible for the following:

• Serve as the lead for drainage and stormwater engineering in Florida.
• Provide technical oversight and QA/QC for complex drainage designs and reports.
• Lead drainage and stormwater design for roadway and infrastructure projects
• Perform hydrologic/hydraulic modeling and prepare drainage reports and plans
• Apply FDOT Drainage Manual and Florida water management district criteria
• Coordinate with roadway, structures, environmental teams, and agencies
• Mentor and junior engineers
• Act as Drainage Discipline Lead on major FDOT, municipal, and design-build projects.
• Coordinate with roadway, structures, geotechnical, environmental, and permitting teams.
• Interface with FDOT, counties, municipalities, and Florida water management districts (SWFWMD, SFWMD, SJRWMD, NWFWMD).
• Participate in key client meetings, scope development, and fee negotiations.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop drainage engineers and designers.
• Provide technical training and career development for staff.
• Foster a culture of quality, innovation, and collaboration.

struction observation support during the construction phase of various projects as required.

Education | Experience:

What you will bring to our firm:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering (Master's preferred).
• Professional Engineer (PE) license in Florida (or ability to obtain within 6 months).
• 15+ years of drainage and stormwater design experience, with significant Florida project experience.
• Demonstrated leadership of drainage teams and major infrastructure projects.
• Deep knowledge of FDOT Drainage Manual, Florida Administrative Code, and water management district permitting.

Compensation:

The salary range for this role is $130,000 - $205,000. Salary is dependent upon experience and geographic location.

Featured Benefits:

• * Hybrid (in-person and remote) work environment.
• * Comprehensive benefits package including wellness programs, parental leave, and pet insurance, in addition to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• * Tax-deferred 401(k) savings plan.
• * Competitive paid-time-off (PTO) accrual.
• * Tuition reimbursement for continued education.
• * Commitment to professional development, access to internal and external training programs, and support of active participation in professional organizations
• * Incentive compensation for eligible positions.

Company Overview:

At GFT, a privately held AEC firm, we innovate where transportation, water, power, and buildings converge. We call this the Infrastructure of Life. We measure our success by the strength of our relationships - that's why we're the employer of choice for 5,000+ of the industry's brightest engineers, planners, architects, inspectors, designers, and more.

GFT: Ingenuity That Shapes Lives

is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veterans' status or other characteristics protected by law.

Unsolicited resumes from third party agencies will be considered the property GFT.

GFT does require the successful completion of a criminal background check for all advertised positions.

Location:

• Core Business Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
• Employment Status: Full-Time

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Applicants in the County of Los Angeles-

Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Applicants in the City of San Francisco-

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Applicants in the State of California

-Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.