NW Hydropower Regulatory and Environmental Manager

HDR, Inc.; Bend (OR); On-site; USD 147,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Retirement plan with employer match

Paid time away

Parental leave

Paid holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Employee ownership culture

Job summary

HDR, Inc. is seeking a Northwest Hydropower Regulatory and Environmental Manager to lead HDR’s hydropower regulatory and relicensing efforts in the Northwest, aligning technical teams with client needs and regulatory requirements.

You will supervise staff, oversee project management for large environmental and regulatory projects, and serve as a senior QA/QC lead while coordinating with HDR’s national leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of experience in environmental permitting or project/program management.
• 3+ years of experience with FERC hydropower licensing.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership, guidance, and direction to team members.
• Supervise staff to ensure high-quality performance and adherence to standards.
• Plan and monitor workloads to achieve departmental goals.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, performance management, and development.
• Mentor staff to foster engagement and continuous learning.
• Lead regulatory and relicensing project delivery and QA/QC processes.
• Coordinate with regional leadership, marketing, and project management.
• Prepare for agency meetings, hearings, and client coordination.
• Travel as needed to support project assignments.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Regulatory knowledge

Strategic planning

Education

BA/BS degree in relevant field

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Professional registration/licensing may be required

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?

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.

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.

HDR currently has an opening for the Northwest Hydropower Regulatory and Environmental Manager. Do you want to work with and lead a collaborative, hard-working team dedicated to long-term clients and challenging projects? Come work with our experienced team of hydropower and environmental professionals to support clients in hydropower licensing. This position is a key part of delivering HDR's regulatory and FERC licensing services for hydropower projects regionally and nationally. The successful candidate shall be responsible for leading and supervising HDR’s northwest region hydropower environmental and regulatory group and act as the Hydropower Regulatory and Environmental Business Class Lead for the northwest region. The successful candidate shall also be able to provide project management of mid to large-size/complex environmental and regulatory projects. Our team members are strategic advisors and technical reviewers, coordinating all technical and regulatory components of the FERC licensing process for consistency with overall strategic direction and client needs. We are looking for a candidate that is a team-oriented leader, client focused, and flexible. A successful candidate will be comfortable participating in and supporting business development activities.

In the role of NW Hydropower Regulatory and Environmental Manager, we'll count on you to:

• Leadership and supervisory activities will include:
  • Provides day-to-day leadership, guidance, and direction to team members, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.
  • Supervises, coaches, and supports assigned staff to ensure high-quality performance and adherence to organizational standards.
  • Plans, assigns, and monitors employee workloads to ensure timely completion of departmental goals and objectives.
  • Carries full supervisory responsibility for assigned direct reports, including hiring, onboarding, performance management, employee development, and disciplinary actions as appropriate.
  • Provides leadership and mentorship to direct reports by fostering employee engagement, promoting collaboration, and encouraging continuous learning and development.
  • Performs other duties as needed
• Business Class Lead activities will include:
  • Take responsibility for the Northwest Region coordination, monitoring and improvement of technical competencies of relicensing business class staff and products to meet client needs and market drivers, all within direction and goals of business class plans.
  • Collaborate on business class efforts with Northwest Region Area operations, marketing and project management.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for the Northwest Region in partnership with HDR’s National Hydropower Practice leadership alongside other Regional Business Class Leaders for industry and regulatory updates, staff resource availability and needs, project execution, staff development, best practices, and Resources Business Group Professional Services initiatives and communications.
  • Develop and communicate best practices and promote training to elevate technical excellence within the Northwest Region.
  • Drive Northwest Region technical service development in support of HDR’s Hydropower Relicensing services. This includes robust project management planning and integration within project teams.
  • Serve in Senior QA/QC capacity for HDR’s Northwest Region and national Hydropower Relicensing services and Project Approach and Resource Reviews (PARR).
  • Participate in delivery of project services to exceed client expectations. This includes serving as the Project Manager on a large/complex relicensing project.
• Project management activities include preparation for, and participation in, regulatory agency and public meetings/hearings as required by the various permit/approval processes and client coordination, agency consultation, and follow-up.
• A candidate with demonstrated experience in a supervisory and mentoring role and enthusiasm to serve is preferred.
• Strong communication skills, superior technical writing, and ability to lead and work with team members in multiple office locations are necessary.
• An ideal candidate would have experience with federal, state and local permitting. Knowledge of FERC hydropower licensing or similar regulatory and consultation processes is required.
• May need to travel for specific project assignments. Amount of travel dependent upon office location.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• BA/BS degree in environmental science, planning, public policy, natural resource management, hydrology, engineering, wildlife ecology, or a related field strongly preferred.
• 5+ years demonstrated supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams and/or managing large, complex projects, with increasing levels of responsibility over time
• 8+ years of experience in environmental permitting, regulatory process management, and/or project or program management.
• At least 3 years of experience with FERC hydropower licensing, application of environmental and regulatory requirements and compliance
• Senior level experience managing FERC projects and leading project teams
• Familiarity with the hydropower industry and utility client relationships in the Pacific Northwest
• Actively engaged in professional or industry association to enhance HDR technical expertise and brand

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• A minimum of 10 years experience
• Professional registration, license or certification may be required based on role
• Strong communication and listening skills
• Ability to handle multiple assignments
• Good leadership and organizational skills
• 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, which includes 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 and 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.) Bellevue/Seattle, WA: $146,664 - $209,520; Gig Harbor, WA: $134,442 - $192,060; Olympia/Spokane, WA: $122,220 - $174,600; Montana: $116,109 - $174,600

Primary Location:United States-Washington-Seattle

Other Locations:United States-Idaho-Boise, United States-Idaho-Coeur d'Alene, United States-Washington-Bellevue, United States-Montana-Billings, United States-Oregon-Bend, United States-Washington-Spokane, United States-Montana-Kalispell, United States-Oregon-Portland, United States-Washington-Olympia, United States-Washington-Gig Harbor

Industry:Environment/Sciences

Schedule:Full-time

Employee Status:Regular

BusinessClass:Hydropower Relicensing

Job Posting:Oct 19, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer (https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.