Major Bridge Technical Director

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Major Bridge Technical Director to lead the technical direction of our major bridges program within the Bridges and Structures Business Class. The role requires deep structural expertise, strategic vision, and hands-on leadership across design, production, and delivery, with a focus on safety, quality, and innovation.

The successful candidate will mentor engineers, drive staffing and training initiatives, and collaborate with marketing and project teams to pursue and deliver

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years bridge design experience.
• Experience leading design teams for major bridges and complex projects.
• Strong technical leadership and mentoring for junior engineers.
• Ability to interact with multiple design teams and clients.

Responsibilities

• Champion leadership in planning, directing, and monitoring all aspects of large bridge projects.
• Provide proactive technical oversight and cross-team coordination.
• Deliver technical leadership for bridge design and production efforts.
• Oversee QA/QC procedures and reviews of bridge plans.
• Mentor and develop engineering staff.

Skills

Bridge design

Technical leadership

Team leadership

Communication

Mentoring

Business development

Strategic planning

Client relations

Project coordination

Education

BS/MS in Structural Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license or P.Eng

Tools

LEAP Bridge Enterprise

FB-MultiPier

LPile

AASHTOWare BrR

midas Civil

MDX

SAP2000

CSiBridge

RM Bridge

spColumn

Job description

Major Bridge Technical Director - ( 195722 )

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'
We believe transportation is more than movement, it’s the foundation of connected, thriving communities. As part of HDR’s Transportation Business Group, you’ll help shape the systems that move people and goods safely, efficiently, and sustainably. From designing resilient highways and iconic bridges to advancing transit, passenger and freight rail, aviation, federal transportation ports and marine infrastructure, your work will directly support economic vitality, public safety, sustainable and resilient communities and quality of life. We bring together planners, engineers, architects, construction management staff, environmental, strategic communications, economists, management consultants and specialists across disciplines to solve complex mobility challenges with innovation, technical excellence, and a deep understanding of community needs. Whether you're modernizing aging infrastructure or pioneering next‑generation transportation solutions, your contributions will help define the future of mobility. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead progress, drive meaningful impact, and leave a legacy of smarter, more connected transportation networks. We are all employee‑owners at HDR, which is the foundation of our collaborative culture that connects employees around the world.

HDR has a unique career opportunity for an experienced Professional to serve in a senior leadership position in the Bridges and Structures Business Class in HDR’s Transportation Business Group. The Major Bridge Technical Director opportunity is designed for a dynamic, forward‑thinking leader who pairs deep technical mastery with a passion for driving professional growth and building collaborative teams. The Major Bridge Technical Director will actively champion the technical leadership of our major bridges program, provide strategic guidance and hands‑on direction across all technical aspects of project development and delivery, lead project staffing and training initiatives, and ensure that HDR’s industry‑leading standards of practice are consistently and effectively applied across our major bridge portfolio.

The Major Bridge Technical Director will actively champion the technical leadership of our major bridges program, provide strategic guidance and hands‑on direction across all technical aspects of project development and delivery, lead project staffing and training initiatives, and ensure that HDR’s industry‑leading standards of practice are consistently and effectively applied across our major bridge portfolio.

Primary Responsibilities

• Champion leadership in planning, directing, and monitoring all aspects of large, complex, multi‑discipline bridge projects.
• Provide proactive technical oversight, cross‑team coordination, and collaborative problem‑solving.
• Deliver technical leadership for bridge design and production efforts, actively engaging with design teams.
• Perform complex structural planning, analysis and design for long‑span projects that may include suspension, cable stay, arch, segmental, extradosed, steel and prestressed concrete bridges.
• Cultivate client relationships and actively support marketing, design, and production initiatives.
• Facilitate interactive schematic, design development, and contract document work sessions at project sites alongside Project Managers, technical professionals, and other disciplines.
• Makes sures project deliverables and supporting documentation are complete, understandable, conform to applicable and industry standards relative to their intended purpose, including client and HDR requirements.
• Serve as an accessible, high‑level technical specialist while actively supervising and mentoring junior engineers.
• Assist in strategic marketing efforts, including proposal generation and building partnerships for major bridge pursuits.
• Oversee the implementation of QA/QC procedures and conduct comprehensive reviews of bridge plans for complex projects.
• Drive the execution of training programs for personnel, aligning with strategic plans and business class initiatives.
• Act as a mentor and supervisor to cultivate the next generation of engineering talent.
• Ensure emerging technologies are integrated into our workflows to continually advance HDR’s complex bridge design capabilities.
• Participate in selecting key staff nationally and globally, identifying strategic hires to fuel the growth of HDR’s Bridge program.
• Represent HDR through active industry participation in conferences, presentations and/or technical committees participation.
• Collaborate and coordinate with the Bridge and Structures Business Class Director and the other Bridge and Structures Business Class Program Leaders.
• Periodic travel throughout North America, Canada and Australia as needed to foster client relationships and provide targeted on‑site technical expertise during major project kickoffs or project milestones.

Preferred Qualifications:

• BS/MS in Structural Engineering.
• P.E. or P.Eng (and SE highly preferred) license with the ability to quickly obtain reciprocity in other jurisdictions via NCEES.
• 20+ years of bridge project and client management experience, with a proven track record in significant long‑span project delivery.
• Must have successfully served as either the EOR or the lead of a design team responsible for delivering the final design of at least one cable‑stayed bridge with a main span of approximately 900 feet or greater, where such bridge is either under construction, or has completed construction within the last 10 years.
• Must thrive when viewed as an accessible technical expert, showing a strong background of collaborative technical leadership on major bridge projects.
• Dynamic, people‑focused leader with experience building a cohesive team culture and managing team members in various locations.
• Demonstrated business development and strategic planning skills.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and mentoring skills.
• Proven ability to interact with various design teams, have excellent organizational, project management and communication both written and verbal skills.
• Familiarity with or ability to guide teams utilizing industry‑standard bridge software platforms (such as Larsa, LUSAS, SAP 2000, or Midas Civil).
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee‑owned culture is a must.
• Demonstrated experience in the design of complex long‑span light rail or heavy rail structures.
• Demonstrated experience in the design of complex long‑span structures in regions of high seismicity.
• Constructability & Erection Methods: Deep familiarity with balanced cantilever construction, heavy lifting operations, geometry control systems, and cable stressing procedures.
• On‑Site Construction Support: A proven track record of serving as a field engineer or providing direct on‑site design support during the foundation, pylon erection, or deck segment lifting phases.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 10 years bridge design experience

Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.

• Proven hands‑on experience in all aspects of bridge design projects
• Familiarity withBluebeam Revuand engineering software packages such as: LEAP Bridge Enterprise, FB-MultiPier, LPile, AASHTOWare BrR, midas Civil, MDX, SAP2000, CSiBridge, RM Bridge, spColumn, STLBridgeLRFD, or STLBridge.
• Knowledge of ADINA, LUSAS, Bentley OpenBridge Designer and OpenBridge Modeler and/or Autodesk Infraworks and Civil3d.
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite, MicroStation, AutoCAD, MathCAD, LARSA, Prestress Concrete Design
• Demonstrated leadership skills, communication skills and ability to work with various teams
• Strong communication skills and willing to work in a team environment
• Must be comfortable being viewed as a technical expert in engineering analysis and design and have proven background of technical leadership on these types of projects
• 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-Washington-Olympia

Other Locations

United States-Ohio-Cincinnati, United States-Texas-Round Rock, United States-North Carolina-Charlotte, United States-Florida-Doral, United States-Washington-Bellevue, United States-Missouri-Kansas City, United States-California-Long Beach, United States-Minnesota-Saint Louis Park, United States-Florida-Fort Lauderdale, United States-Tennessee-Nashville, United States-New Jersey-Newark, United States-Oregon-Salem, United States-Texas-Fort Worth, United States-District of Columbia-Washington DC, United States-New York-White Plains, United States-Texas-Houston, United States-California-Irvine, United States-Florida-Tallahassee, United States-South Carolina-Charleston, United States-Virginia-Vienna, United States-California-Folsom, United States-Oregon-Portland, United States-Florida-Orlando, United States-Minnesota-Minneapolis, United States-Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh, United States-Nevada-Las Vegas, United States-Texas-Dallas, United States-Pennsylvania-Philadelphia, United States-Texas-Austin, United States-Virginia-Virginia Beach, United States-Florida-Miami, United States-Massachusetts-Boston, United States-Nebraska-Omaha, United States-Colorado-Denver, United States-Missouri-St Louis, United States-New York-New York, United States-Michigan-Ann Arbor, United States-Utah-Salt Lake City, United States-Michigan-Detroit, United States-Arizona-Phoenix, United States-Georgia-Atlanta, United States-Illinois-Rosemont, United States-California-Walnut Creek, United States-Florida-Jacksonville, United States-Illinois-Chicago, United States-California-Los Angeles, United States-Idaho-Boise, United States-North Carolina-Raleigh, United States-Tennessee-Brentwood, United States-Ohio-Cleveland, United States-South Carolina-Fort Mill, United States-Florida-Tampa, United States-Texas-San Antonio, United States-Ohio-Columbus

Industry

Bridges

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

BusinessClass : Bridges and Structures

Job Posting

Sep 15, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity.

We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity Employe r.
We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.