Project Director, Tunnels & Underground Infrastructure, for COWI in North America

COWI; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 240,000 - 277,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Job summary

COWI in California seeks a Project Director, Infrastructure (West) to lead complex transportation projects across Long Beach and Oakland. This role oversees design, delivery, and multi‑discipline teams, ensuring budget, schedule, and quality targets are met on programs exceeding $100M.

You will mentor junior staff, collaborate with public agencies, and drive delivery excellence while navigating alternate delivery methods and client engagement across North America.

Qualifications

• Minimum 20+ years of experience in transportation infrastructure.
• At least 10 years in senior project management roles.
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in civil engineering.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) for California.
• Experience with alternate delivery methods (design‑build, CMGC, etc).
• Strong written and oral communication, leadership and stakeholder engagement.
• Willing to travel predominantly within North America.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex multi‑discipline infrastructure projects (Calif., incl. heavy civil, highways, bridges, tunnels, transit).
• Oversee all phases from concept to construction support, including alignments, structures, utilities, and drainage.
• Build and sustain relationships with public agencies, contractors, and stakeholders.
• Support business development with market directors through strategy, proposals, and client engagements.
• Provide leadership to teams of 5–25+ staff and subcontractors within $100M+ programs.
• Manage contracts, fees, schedules, risks, and quality across projects.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Stakeholder management

Team management

Remote collaboration

Travel North America

Education

Bachelors/Master in Civil Engineering

Job description

Project Director, Infrastructure (West)

Long Beach, Oakland

Regular, Full-Time

Hybrid

Do you want the opportunity to co-create with our experts on some of the most prestigious infrastructure programs in North America? Can you navigate the dynamic landscape of the market by adapting strategies swiftly, capitalizing on emerging opportunities, and mitigating risks? And are you committed to accelerating growth and promoting innovation? Then, this is the place to create the solutions the world needs today to enable a better tomorrow.

Lead with a team of experienced leaders

We are seeking a highly motivated Project Director, Infrastructure (West) to join our growing North American team in California. In this leadership role, you will manage the design and delivery of complex infrastructure projects across California, including projects within heavy civil, highways, bridges, tunnels, transit and associated civil structures. Our projects are delivered through a mix of traditional and alternative project delivery methods. You will be responsible for assisting with management of multidisciplinary teams as well as managing the delivery of your own tasks in terms of budget, quality, and timelines. Extensive project management and technical skills required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex multi-disciplinary projects for public and private clients, including alternative delivery methods, design‑bid‑build, design & build, P3, and similar delivery models.
• Oversee all phases of technical project delivery—from conceptual design and preliminary engineering through final design and construction support—including civil and structural infrastructure elements such as alignment studies, structural configurations, utility relocations, grading, and drainage.
• Build and sustain positive relationships with public agency clients and key stakeholders, including design & build contractors, third‑party utility agencies, and community groups.
• Support business development initiatives with market directors by contributing to strategy, positioning, proposal development, interviews, and client engagement for major programs across California.
• Provide leadership to multidisciplinary teams spanning civil, structural, geotechnical, and architectural disciplines, managing teams of 5‑25+ staff and subcontractors to ensure adherence to scope, schedule, budget, and quality standards on infrastructure programs exceeding $100M in construction value.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for client project managers, responsible for contract management, fee negotiations, schedule adherence, and risk mitigation.
• Collaborate with internal global centers of excellence to leverage specialized expertise and ensure high‑quality project delivery while managing local compliance, permitting requirements, and quality management systems.
• Mentor and guide junior project managers and technical staff to encourage professional growth and promote a culture of delivery excellence.

Your skills. Our team. Together we design the future.

On top of that, you will have:

• A minimum of 20+ years of experience in transportation infrastructure, including at least 10 years in senior project management roles.
• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in civil engineering.
• A licensed professional engineer (PE) for California.
• Demonstrated ability to work with design & build contractors, public clients, and agencies in California, and to manage multidisciplinary design teams.
• Experience delivering projects through alternate project delivery methods such as design‑build, progressive design‑build, or CMGC.
• Proficient written and oral communication skills with the ability to engage multiple stakeholders effectively.
• Self‑motivation, willingness to adjust, and the capacity to manage multiple tasks in environments with shifting priorities.
• Great organizational, time‑management, and team‑building skills, with demonstrated leadership ability.
• Ability to work effectively with remote teams and willingness to travel predominantly within North America.

What we also offer

Being part of the COWI community offers more than just a competitive salary. We take care of our people both professionally and personally.

Some of our benefits include:

Flexible working arrangement | Top‑up parental and childbirth recovery leave | Fantastic close‑knit team with a wealth of knowledge to share | Full‑time hires get minimum 5 weeks vacation to start | Floating holiday to celebrate employee diversity | Paid sick leave | Annual fitness subsidy—yes, you can use this for a ski pass, yoga, or gym membership | 401(k) contribution matching with generous company match | Personal and professional development fund | Parking or public transit allowance | Medical, dental, and vision insurance 80% employer‑paid premiums | Employee Assistance Program (EAP) | STD, LTD, AD&D, and life insurance | Referral incentive program | Frequent social events

Base compensation: $240,000 to $277,000 for Long Beach and Oakland locations only. Actual compensation is subject to variations due to education, experience, skill set, and location.

Equal opportunity employer

COWI provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, COWI complies with applicable state and local laws governing non‑discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.