Principal Engineer for Airport Design

hdr; United States; On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Principal Engineer for Airport Design in the United States. You will lead engineering practice areas, serve as a senior technical advisor on complex airport design projects, and drive successful delivery with multi-disciplinary teams.

The role requires a PE license, a Bachelor's in Engineering, and at least 20 years of experience, with a preference for a Master's degree. You will mentor professionals, establish quality cultures, and help HDR win opportunities globally.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering required.
• Minimum of 20 years of experience.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• Extensive project execution experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and standard design software.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and set practice standards for the area of expertise.
• Serve as senior technical advisor on complex projects.
• Drive project delivery and team performance on multi-disciplinary projects.
• Establish a culture of quality and drive design/technical excellence.
• Mentor and develop professionals to elevate HDR's practice.
• Attract top candidates to grow the practice and HDR's capabilities.
• Build client relationships and identify opportunities to grow the practice.
• Act as a thought leader to elevate HDR's engineering capabilities.
• Represent HDR in professional communities to enhance reputation.

Skills

Leadership

Technical leadership

Project execution

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Master's degree in Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

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'

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

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree in Engineering
• Previous experience with an engineering consulting firm

LI-EH1

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.

Primary Location

United States-Pennsylvania-Philadelphia

Other Locations

United States-Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh

Industry

Aviation

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular
BusinessClass: Airfield Design

Job Posting

Oct 5, 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.