National Aviation Runway Design Lead

WSP; New York (NY); On-site; USD 181,000 - 310,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Disability and life insurance

Retirement savings

Paid time off

Job summary

WSP is seeking a National Runway Design Lead to drive technical leadership, project delivery, and business development across the aviation platform in the U.S. You will act as the technical authority, mentoring staff and shaping design strategy for nationwide projects.

Lead runway, taxiway, and airfield design efforts, ensuring delivery excellence while complying with FAA standards and client requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or related discipline.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license with multi-state registration preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in aviation and airfield design.
• Deep expertise in runway and taxiway design, pavement, grading, drainage, and geometry.
• Knowledge of FAA standards including AC 150/5300-series.
• Experience supporting pursuits, proposals, and client interviews.
• Strong ability to work across geographically distributed teams.

Responsibilities

• Serve as WSP’s national technical lead for runway and airfield pavement design.
• Lead planning, design, and delivery of runway, taxiway, apron, and airfield projects.
• Provide QA/QC oversight to project teams across regions.
• Act as a pursuit and proposal leader supporting client interviews.
• Collaborate with regional aviation leaders on business development and client relationships.
• Support Design-Build and Alternative Delivery, including risk mitigation.
• Mentor aviation staff nationwide.
• Ensure compliance with FAA advisories and industry standards.
• Represent WSP with airport sponsors, airlines, FAA stakeholders.

Skills

Runway and airfield design expertise

Project leadership

Business development

Client relationship management

Strong communication

FAA standards knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Job description

This Opportunity

At WSP, we are driven by inspiring future-ready solutions—and today’s aviation infrastructure plays a critical role in shaping how communities connect. Our Aviation team partners with airport owners and public agencies nationwide to deliver runway, taxiway, and airfield infrastructure projects that are safe, resilient, and sustainable.

We are seeking a National Runway Design Lead to provide technical leadership, project delivery oversight, and business development support across WSP’s aviation platform in the U.S.

This position may be based out of any mutually agreed upon WSP USA Office, with a preference to our Northeast Locations.

This is a senior technical and leadership role focused on leading, winning, and delivering runway and airfield design projects nationwide. You will serve as a trusted technical authority for clients and internal teams, supporting pursuits, shaping design strategy, mentoring staff, and ensuring consistent delivery excellence across our Aviation practice.

Your Impact

• Serving as WSP’s national technical lead for runway and airfield pavement design projects
• Leading and overseeing planning, design, and delivery of runway, taxiway, apron, and airfield infrastructure projects
• Providing technical leadership and QA/QC oversight to project teams across multiple regions
• Acting as a key pursuit and proposal leader, supporting competitive strategies, technical approaches, and client interviews
• Collaborating with regional aviation leaders on business development, capture planning, and client relationship management
• Supporting Design-Build and Alternative Delivery projects, including reviews, risk mitigation, and execution strategies
• Mentoring and developing aviation and airfield engineering staff nationally
• Ensuring compliance with FAA Advisory Circulars, industry standards, and client requirements
• Representing WSP with airport sponsors, airlines, FAA stakeholders, and industry organizations

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

You are a recognized airfield and runway design expert with strong client presence and experience delivering complex aviation programs. You bring a balance of hands-on technical depth, project leadership, and business development acumen.

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (or related discipline)
• Professional Engineer (PE) license (multi-state registration preferred)
• 15+ years of experience in aviation and airfield design
• Deep expertise in runway and taxiway design, pavement design, grading, drainage, and airfield geometry
• Thorough working knowledge of FAA standards, including AC 150/5300-series
• Proven experience supporting or leading pursuits, proposals, and client interviews
• Strong communication skills and ability to work across geographically distributed teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading national or multi-region aviation programs
• Design-Build or Progressive Design-Build experience
• Established relationships with airport owners and aviation stakeholders
• Experience mentoring and developing technical teams
• Active involvement in aviation or transportation industry organizations

WSP Benefits:

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation:
Expected Salary (all locations): $180,800 - $310,000

WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

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