Project Restoration Engineer

Sowela; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 86,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee stock ownership

Medical/dental/vision coverage

Paid time off

Professional development

Job summary

SWCA Environmental Consultants in Chicago, IL is seeking a Project Restoration Engineer to advance stream, wetland, and living shoreline restoration projects across the Great Lakes and the U.S. This full-time, benefits-eligible role offers hybrid or distributed work options and requires PE licensure and a background in hydraulics, hydrology, and geomorphology.

You will lead design efforts, prepare reports, develop construction drawings in AutoCAD Civil 3D, and collaborate with agencies to ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Agricultural, Biological, Civil, Environmental, or Coastal) and PE licensure.
• 4+ years of ecosystem restoration design experience; seven years preferred.
• Willingness to travel up to 20% of the time and experience with hydraulic/hydrologic modeling.

Responsibilities

• Lead management of technical tasks, schedules, budgets, and deliverables for restoration projects.
• Prepare design reports, plans, and construction documents for stream/wetland restoration.
• Develop restoration designs including living shorelines and nature-based infrastructure.
• Apply modeling tools to optimize designs and assess environmental impacts.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams and agencies to ensure regulatory compliance.
• Provide construction-phase services and on-site problem solving.

Skills

Hydraulics

Hydrology

Geomorphology

AutoCAD Civil 3D

HEC-RAS

Project management

Field data collection

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

AutoCAD Civil 3D

HEC-RAS

Job description

About the opportunitySWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Project Restoration Engineer with a passion for ecosystem restoration and water resource engineering We are looking for an Engineer who can contribute to the growth of our ecological restoration practices throughout the Great Lakes as well as support SWCA's ecological restoration projects throughout the entire U.S. The ideal candidate will have experience/background in stream, wetland, and coastal/living shoreline design projects, and should have strong experience in applied hydraulics, hydrology, and geomorphology and as well as a working knowledge AutoCAD Civil 3D and hydrology/hydraulic modeling. Responsibilities will include occasional travel to project sites for field assessments, data collection, and client meetings.

This is a full-time, regular (benefits-eligible), salaried/exempt position reporting to our Lombard, Illinois office. This role is eligible for either a hybrid or distributed (=remote) work arrangement. While candidates located near our Chicago or Michigan offices are preferred, highly qualified applicants from other locations will also be considered.

This position can be hired at the following levels:

Associate Project Restoration Engineer - Four (4) years of relevant experience and expertise; Six (6) years preferredProject Restoration Engineer - Five (5) years of relevant experience and expertise; seven (7) years preferred

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

About SWCASWCA Environmental Consultants is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm providing full spectrum environmental services across the United States. Our North Star is to be the best place to work and a leader in sustainability, delivering sound science and creative solutions to complex environmental challenges.

We are guided by our core values every day. We collaborate as #OneSWCA, we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack to our communities. With offices nationwide, SWCA offers a collaborative, team focused environment where employees can build meaningful and long-term careers.

What you will accomplish

Leads management activities by overseeing technical tasks, schedules, budgets, and deliverables to ensure successful completion of assigned projects. Manages various aspects of project execution, including client communication, team coordination, and quality assurance. Responsible for preparation of design reports and plans that make up elements of design deliverable packages. Develops engineering designs for assigned projects, including stream and wetland restoration, living shorelines, and nature-based infrastructure. Applies advanced technical expertise to refine designs and ensure compliance with regulatory standards. Conducts field investigations and detailed analyses for assigned restoration projects, ensuring designs minimize environmental impacts while meeting project requirements. Provides technical guidance to optimize solutions. Prepares comprehensive construction drawings, specifications, and contract documents to guide project implementation. Ensures all documentation adheres to industry and regulatory standards. Supports quality assurance reviews for analyses and deliverables. Oversees permitting processes by preparing regulatory documentation for reviews and approvals. Collaborates with agencies to address compliance requirements. Performs modeling and calculations to support design optimization and assess environmental impacts. Uses modeling tools to simulate project conditions and optimize solutions. Coordinates with multidisciplinary teams to integrate environmental science and engineering principles into project designs. Facilitates collaboration among scientists, planners, and engineers to achieve project objectives. Provides construction-phase services by monitoring progress, ensuring adherence to specifications, and addressing on-site challenges. Communicates with contractors to resolve issues and maintain project quality. Engages with clients and stakeholders to communicate project goals, progress, and outcomes. Builds and maintains relationships to support business development and client satisfaction. Mentors junior staff by providing technical guidance, training, reviewing work products, and fostering professional growth. Encourages knowledge sharing and collaboration within the team. Follows applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications. Performs related work as assigned. Additional Job-Specific Responsibilities

Minimum Qualifications

Four (4) years of relevant, progressively responsible experience. Seven years (7) of related experience is preferred; or any equivalent combination of experience, performance, training, and/or education. Knowledge normally obtained through a bachelor's degree and active Professional Engineer (PE) license required.

Experience and qualifications for success

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Agricultural, Biological, Civil, Environmental, or Coastal Engineering) Four (4) years of ecosystem restoration design experience. P.E. certification (Professional Engineer) Ability to travel on short-term overnight efforts to collect field data and meet with clients, up to 20% of the time. Experience with HEC-RAS and other hydraulic and hydrologic modeling and analysis software. Experience developing ecological restoration design construction plans in AutoCAD Civil 3D. Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Seven (7) years of professional experience in ecosystem restoration design. Experience managing primary tasks and small to medium sized projects with limited oversight. Experience mentoring and successfully delegating tasks to junior team members. Other Job Conditions This position may require domestic travel, including travel by commercial airline. Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain all valid travel documents and identification required for work-related travel throughout the duration of employment.

Pay Range

SWCA is committed to salary equity and transparency. The expected pay range for this Chicago, IL-based position is: Associate Project Restoration Engineer - $86,464.56 to $111,011.80 per year Project Restoration Engineer - $98,148.96 to $126,191.52 per year Actual pay may vary based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law. Eligible employees may also receive performance-based bonuses.

As a 100% employee-owned company, we invest in your future. Our Total Rewards package includes an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, 401(k) with profit sharing, medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, wellness programs, and professional development opportunities.

Closing

If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact [e-mail] or call 1 480 581 5378. If you require assistance with the application process, please contact [e-mail].

Use of Technology in Hiring

SWCA may use approved technology, including AI-assisted tools, to support parts of the application and recruiting process. All selection and hiring decisions are made by SWCA employees, and candidates are not selected or rejected by automated systems. We are committed to a fair, transparent, and human-centered hiring experience.

Candidate Use of AI

Candidates may use AI tools to help prepare application materials and interviews. However, all application materials, assessments, and interview responses must accurately reflect their own experience, skills, and qualifications. AI must not be used to fabricate experience, complete assessments on their behalf, or otherwise misrepresent their background or abilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

SWCA Environmental Consultants is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.