Principal Engineer for Airport Design

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Principal Engineer for Airport Design in Philadelphia to lead and advance our practice. You will guide multi-disciplinary teams, provide senior technical direction, and own complex design challenges.

The role requires a PE license and 20+ years of experience, with a focus on delivering high-quality airport projects. HDR values inclusion and employee ownership, offering a collaborative, world-class environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering; PE license required.
• Minimum 20 years of engineering experience with project leadership.
• Extensive experience in project execution and design leadership.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and standard design software.
• Active participation in professional engineering communities is expected.

Responsibilities

• Lead and set practice standards for airport design and HDR’s area of expertise.
• Serve as a senior technical advisor on complex multi-disciplinary projects.
• Drive project delivery and elevate team performance across HDR.
• Establish a quality culture and promote innovative design solutions.
• Mentor professionals to strengthen HDR’s practice and recruit top talent.
• Foster client relationships and identify opportunities to grow HDR’s presence.
• Act as a thought leader to advance HDR’s capabilities and industry reputation.

Skills

Leadership

Technical leadership

Project delivery

Mentoring

Stakeholder communication

Thought leadership

Client relationships

Team building

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

Engineering design software

Job description

Principal Engineer for Airport Design - ( 196488 )

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.

In the role of Principal Engineer for Airport Design, we'll count on you to:

• Demonstrate exceptional leadership and set the standard of practice for a particular area of expertise within HDR
• Serve as a senior technical advisor to multiple projects involving complex technical challenges
• Drive outstanding project delivery and support successful team performance, particularly for projects involving complex multi-disciplinary teams
• Work to establish a quality culture and support innovative solutions to drive design and technical excellence across the organization
• Mentor and develop other professionals within area of expertise to elevate an area of practice across HDR
• Attract highly qualified candidates to join HDR to grow and strengthen the practice.
• Establish client relationships and work with teams to identify and win opportunities to grow the practice across HDR
• Serve as a thought leader for area of expertise to elevate the capabilities of HDR and its professionals
• Represent HDR through participation in professional community to build HDR's reputation as a world-class provider of professional services

#LI-EH1

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience with an engineering consulting firm

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering
• A minimum of 20 years of 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.

• Extensive experience in project execution
• Proficient computer skills in Microsoft Office as well as standard design software.
• 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

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.

BusinessClass : Airfield Design

Primary Location

United States-Pennsylvania-Philadelphia

Industry

Aviation

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

Job Posting

Oct 5, 2026

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

We are an Affi

We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.