Dredging Engineer

RINA; Fort Lauderdale (FL); On-site; USD 115,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K plan with company match

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Nursery grant

Job summary

RINA is seeking a Dredging Engineer for its Environmental and Engineering Geoscience Division in Houston, TX, Fort Lauderdale, FL or Chicago/Lisle. You will own dredging design, sediment characterization, and placement solutions for complex projects, coordinating with USACE, EPA, and navigational authorities.

The role requires 10+ years in dredging design and related activities, with travel up to 25% and a Texas PE license preferred.

Qualifications

• Experience in navigation and berth dredging design with construction phase involvement.
• Sediment testing per USACE and EPA protocols; dredged material placement design.
• Cost and production estimating for dredging works and contract administration.
• WEDA participation and Gulf Coast project exposure preferred.

Responsibilities

• Dredge design: geometry, tolerance, and interface with the channel.
• Sediment characterization: sampling plan and laboratory oversight.
• Dredged material placement: options, capacity, and water quality controls.
• Permitting support: 408, 10/404, and turbidity measures.
• Procurement & contract: method selection, bid evaluation, and payment rules.
• Construction supervision: surveys, production monitoring, and verification.
• Close-out: final surveys and handover of records.

Skills

Dredging design

USACE sediment testing

Cost & production estimating

Dredging contract administration

Travel up to 25%

Education

Bachelors in environmental or civil engineering

Master's in coastal engineering (preferred)

Texas PE license (preferred)

Job description

RINA is a global knowledge company where expertise travels across borders, disciplines, and industries. Every day, we collaborate on solving complex challenges that no single field could tackle alone. With a presence in more than 70 countries and 160 years of heritage, we turn individual know-how into collective progress.

We are currently recruiting for a Dredging Engineer to join our office in Houston, TX, Fort Lauderdale, FL or Chicago/Lisle within the Environmental and Engineering Geoscience Division.

Compensation Data

$115,000 - $160,000 commensurate with education and experience

Mission

The Dredging Engineer owns the dredging and dredged material management for a whole project(s): design of the dredge template, sediment characterization, placement solution, the dredging contract package, and supervision and measurement of the dredging works.

Key Accountabilities

Dredge Design

• Berth pocket and access dredging geometry: depth from underkeel clearance criteria, side slopes, transitions to the federal channel
• Over-dredge allowance, advance maintenance and tolerance definition
• Volume computation from bathymetric surfaces, with quantity breakdown by material type and elevation
• Siltation and shoaling rate estimates, and their consequence for maintenance frequency
• Interface with bank protection, scour protection and the stability of the federal channel side slopes

Sediment characterization

• Sampling and analysis plan agreed with USACE and EPA, following the Inland Testing Manual
• Supervision of sediment coring and laboratory testing programme
• Material classification, dredgeability, and expected production rates by equipment type
• Handling requirements for any contaminated material, and consequences for placement and cost

Dredged material placement

• Placement options: on-site confined placement, beneficial use, or an existing USACE placement area subject to agreement
• Sizing of placement areas: capacity, dike design, settlement and consolidation, weirs and return water
• Return water quality and monitoring, with the Section 401 certification requirements
• Long-term placement capacity for maintenance dredging over the terminal life

Permitting support

• Dredging and placement content of the Section 408 request and the Section 10 / 404 application
• Turbidity control measures, environmental windows and species restrictions
• Coordination with the navigation district and the Coast Guard on works in the navigable channel

Procurement

• Selection and comparison of dredging methods: cutter suction, mechanical or clamshell, and the associated plant and pipeline requirements
• Production and cost estimating, including mobilization, downtime and disposal costs
• Dredging specification and contract package, with clear measurement and payment rules (in-situ volume versus other bases) and tolerance and over-dredge payment limits
• Risk allocation for ground conditions and differing site conditions, based on the geotechnical and sediment data provided
• Contractor prequalification, technical bid evaluation, clarification and award support

Construction supervision

• Pre-dredge, progress and post-dredge survey scope, verification and acceptance
• Daily production monitoring, dredge logs, plant performance and programme forecasting
• Quantity measurement and certification for payment, including over-dredge treatment
• Turbidity and environmental monitoring compliance, and placement area operation and inspection
• Coordination of dredging plant and pipelines with barge traffic on the canal

Close-out and operation

• Final acceptance survey against the design template, and as-built records
• Maintenance dredging plan: frequency, volumes, budget and permit renewal cycle
• Handover of placement area records and remaining capacity to the operator

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental or civil engineering. Master’s degree in coastal engineering preferred.
• 10+ years in navigation and berth dredging design, with construction phase involvement
• Sediment testing to USACE and EPA protocols, and dredged material placement design
• Cost and production estimating for dredging works, and dredging contract administration
• Ability to travel up to 25% (i.e. job sites) based upon business need. Available for site presence during the dredging campaign
• Texas PE license strongly preferred for sealing dredging design documents
• Preferred: Gulf Coast projects and active participation in a dredging association such as WEDA

Additional Qualifications

• Ability to travel up to 25% (i.e. job sites) based upon business need
• Valid driver’s license

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the work being performed. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

Competencies

• WORKPLACE DYNAMICS - Resourcefulness in shaping progress and working efficiently.
• FORESIGHT & INSIGHT - Context awareness adopting a systemic perspective and informed decision making.
• PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT - Ownership for life, work and results, striving to grow professionally and personally.
• INTERPERSONAL INFLUENCE - Skills and strategies we use to interact effectively with others.
• DOMAIN & BUSINESS ACUMEN - Applying a scientific approach and critical thinking in operations and solution development within area of expertise.

At RINA, your growth drives our innovation. We bring together engineers, inspectors, digital minds and specialists from more than 100 nationalities, creating an environment where diverse perspectives sharpen how we think, collaborate and deliver.

RINA North America provides a comprehensive benefits package, including the following insurance options: Medical, Dental, Vision, Medical Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Spending Account, Health Savings Account, Transit, Parking, Basic Life, Basic AD&D, Voluntary Life, Voluntary AD&D, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Voluntary Accident, Voluntary Critical Illness, Identity Theft Protection, Pet Insurance, and Employee Assistance Program. Additional benefits provided include paid time off, company holidays, tuition reimbursement, nursery grant, travel resource services, and 401K plan with company discretionary match.

Flexibility and respect drive how we work. We are committed to building a workplace where every person feels valued, empowered to develop their potential, and safe from discrimination or harassment of any kind. It is the policy of RINA to provide equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disabilities, marital status, sexual orientation, genetics, military status, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans (veterans who served during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a badge has been authorized), and Armed Forces service medal veteran, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. We are strongly committed to this policy and believe in the concept and spirit of the law.