North Central Hydropower Practice Leader

HDR; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 176,099 - 251,570; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Employee assistance program

Paid time away

Parental leave

Paid holidays

Retirement plan with employer match

Employee referral bonus

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

HDR is seeking a North Central Regional Hydropower Practice Leader to drive growth and oversee execution across the North Central Region. You will lead hydropower projects, manage budgets, mentor staff, and develop client relationships in a matrix organization.

The role emphasizes a strong technical background in hydropower, pump storage, and regulatory knowledge, with travel across multiple states and leadership of cross-disciplinary teams to deliver innovative, reliable solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a Professional, Architecture, Engineering or closely related field.
• 10 years experience in related field.
• Maintains a professional or Engineering registration and has related technical experience.
• Experienced in development and management of diverse teams.
• Committed to quality, improvement and HDR values.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must.

Responsibilities

• Lead the hydropower section as project manager or discipline lead on key projects.
• Participate in major hydropower projects nationwide and coordinate with other locations.
• Prepare and review budgets for the hydropower section and track status.
• Schedule and coordinate work, establish priorities, and assign staff.
• Mentor new staff and conduct performance reviews, supporting career growth.
• Maintain client relations and engage in marketing and client development activities.

Skills

Hydropower design

Project leadership

Business development

Team leadership

Budget management

Client relationship

Regulatory knowledge

PE licensed

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil/Mechanical/Electrical Engg.

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.

We believe electricity powers modern life. As part of our Power sector, you'll help shape how electricity is generated, transmitted and delivered as global energy demands grow. From massive data centers to modernizing transmission systems, our industry-recognized engineers and scientists have been at the forefront of grid transformation for more than a century. You'll work side-by-side with these experts and contribute to reliable, resilient and sustainable power systems, helping communities thrive and industries expand. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to drive infrastructure forward, power innovation and leave your mark on our energy future.

Primary Responsibilities

HDR has an opening for a North Central Regional Hydropower Practice Leader to join our Hydropower Practice anticipated as being located within HDR's Minnesota/Wisconsin or Nebraska/Iowa Areas. Primary responsibilities for this position are to drive areas of growth and execute new work by leveraging your industry relationships and technical expertise in conjunction with HDR's business development and execution teams. This position includes a supervisory component and requires a combination of project execution, business development, and strategic planning duties with geographic focus throughout HDR's North Central Region, with significant involvement expected with national hydropower pursuits and projects including pumped storage hydropower.

Project execution duties include leading or partnering with HDR staff in the planning and execution of existing work or new work resulting from business development activities. Technical lines of service expected include all areas related to hydropower such as, but not limited to FERC regulatory, dam safety, civil, spillways, fish passage, hydraulics, H&H and other engineering disciplines (e.g. structural, mechanical, electrical), hydropower development studies and design, CFD modeling, hydro operations optimization and innovation, feasibility and conceptual design, economic studies and water/energy nexus planning.

• Manage the technical and operational activities of the North-Central hydropower section and serve as a project manager and/or task/discipline lead on key projects.
• Participate in key hydropower projects nationwide.
• Responsible for preparing/reviewing the project budgets for the hydropower section and tracking budget status.
• Schedule and coordinate work performed by and for the hydropower section.
• Establish work priorities and project assignments for hydropower staff.
• Monitor scope of work and scope changes.
• Facilitate and encourage coordination with other discipline groups.
• Conduct interviews in support of the hiring of new staff for the section and provide new employee mentoring.
• Establish employee goals and conduct employee performance reviews.
• Schedule and conduct hydropower section meetings to discuss productivity, workload and quality control issues.
• Advance the skill level of personnel through training, education, experience, etc.
• Coordinate with the hydropower section managers of other locations to review workload, project status, and staffing requirements.
• Prepare and/or review hydropower scopes of work and budgets/estimates for proposals.
• Monitor changes in codes, regulations and client standards.
• Perform or arrange for quality control reviews of hydropower deliverables.
• Maintain and establish client relations and be involved with marketing and client development activities.
• Maintain industry engagement and participation through industry events and conferences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with conventional and pumped storage hydropower and associated features and hydraulic structures.
• Ability to travel
• Ability to become licensed as a PE in other US states' jurisdictions, through the NCEES or similar.
• Recognized leader within and comprehensive understanding of the hydropower industry, including engineering and regulatory disciplines. Recognizes how hydropower integrates into the changing energy generation landscape.
• Holds established relationships with existing and potential North Central clients and other hydropower clients/owners nationally.
• Solid business development skills and demonstrated ability to relate well to internal and external clients.
• Demonstrated professional services operations experience, including team leadership and ability to sell programs and services.
• Strong understanding of the keys to successful project execution including quality management and client satisfaction.
• Business acumen skills and ability to collaborate internally and navigate within a matrix organization.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Bachelor of Science degree in Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering.
• Minimum 15 years hydropower, dam, hydraulic structures or related engineering experience.
• Drawings related to hydropower or similar projects.
• Strong communication, listening and mentoring skills.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments.
• Good leadership and organizational skills.
• Experience in design calculations, studies, specifications, and preparation of construction

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a Professional, Architecture, Engineering or closely related field
• 10 years experience in related field
• Maintains a professional or Engineering registration and has related technical experience
• Experienced in development and management of diverse teams
• Works cooperatively with other business class regional directors, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts
• Committed to quality, improvement and HDR values
• 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.

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success,

• medical
• dental
• vision
• short and long-term disability
• life insurance
• an employee assistance program
• paid time away
• parental leave
• paid holidays
• a retirement savings plan with employer match
• employee referral bonus
• tuition reimbursement

The expected compensation range for this position depends upon skills, experience, education and geographical location. (Stated benefits are for full-time regular positions. Temporary and part-time roles eligible for limited benefits.)

• Minnesota: $168,095 - $240,135
• Illinois: $176,099 - $251,570
• Colorado: $176,099 - $251,570

Primary Location: United States-Minnesota-Saint Louis Park

Other Locations: United States-Iowa-Des Moines, United States-Nebraska-Omaha, United States-Colorado-Denver, United States-Wisconsin-Madison, United States-Michigan-Ann Arbor, United States-Illinois-Chicago

Industry: Power

Schedule: Full-time

Employee Status: Regular

BusinessClass: Hydropower Engineering

Job Posting: Jul 24, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.