Restoration Engineer - Whitefish, MT

SWCA Environmental Consultants; Whitefish (MT); On-site; USD 55,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

Total Rewards package

Forward‑thinking workplace flexibility

Award‑winning career development

Job summary

SWCA Environmental Consultants seeks a Project-Level Restoration Engineer in Whitefish, MT to advance ecological restoration and water resources projects across the U.S. The role emphasizes stream restoration, dam removal, and fish passage design with proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D and hydraulic modeling.

The position is in-office, hourly, with possible travel up to 10% for field work. The role offers a clear path at Assistant and Associate levels, with opportunity for growth and mentoring

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Civil, Environmental, or Ecological Engineering).
• EI certification (Engineering Intern).
• Three (3) years of ecosystem restoration design experience.
• Ability to travel on short‑time overnight efforts to collect field data and meet with clients, up to 10% of the time.
• Experience with HEC‑RAS and other hydraulic and hydrologic modelling and analysis software.
• Experience developing ecological restoration design construction plans in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Responsibilities

• Participate in the engineering design, reporting, and development of construction plans for restoration projects.
• Participate in field work to assess site conditions, conduct geomorphic assessments, and perform construction observation.
• Develop restoration construction plans within AutoCAD Civil 3D.
• Perform hydraulic, hydrologic, and water quality assessments, modeling, and analysis.
• Communicate with project managers to keep projects on schedule and on budget.
• Attend internal design training meetings for career growth.
• Work independently and multi-task in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines.
• Take responsibility for team safety and develop safety plans when applicable.

Skills

Stream restoration

Dam removal

Fish passage design

AutoCAD Civil 3D

Hydraulics

Hydrology

Geomorphology

Fieldwork

EI certification

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelors in Civil/Environmental/Ecological Engineering

Tools

HEC-RAS

Job description

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consulting is seeking a Project-Level Restoration Engineer with a passion for ecosystem restoration and water resource engineering. This role will focus on advancing our ecological restoration practice in Montana and potentially elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest, while also supporting projects across the U.S.

This position will be based in our Whitefish, MT office. The ideal candidate will have experience in stream restoration, dam removal and fish passage design, with strong skills in applied hydraulics, hydrology, and geomorphology, as well as proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D and hydrology/hydraulic modeling. Candidates with civil site experience looking to transition to restoration work as their primary focus are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities will include occasional travel to project sites for field assessments, data collection, and client meetings. This is a full-time, regular (with benefits), in-office, hourly position.

This position can be hired at the following levels:

• Assistant Project Restoration Engineer - Typically with at least 3 years of relevant experience and expertise
• Associate Project Restoration Engineer - Typically with at least 5 years of relevant experience and expertise

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.

What you will accomplish

Associate project restoration engineers will likely work on more complicated projects with longer time frames and great scopes of work. They may also lead engineering tasks and small projects. Core responsibilities for this role include:

• Participate in the engineering design, reporting, and development of construction plans for the above listed project types.
• Participate in field work to assess existing site conditions, assess reference reach sites, perform geomorphic assessments, and conduct construction observation.
• Develop restoration construction plans within AutoCAD Civil 3D.
• Perform hydraulic, hydrologic, and water quality assessments, modeling, and analysis in support of the above listed projects.
• Communicate and work with project managers to keep projects on schedule and on budget.
• Attend and participate in annual internal design training meetings to support personal-skills growth and career planning.
• Work independently and multi-task regularly in a fast-paced environment; work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Take responsibility for team safety, develop safety plans (when applicable), and anticipate potential safety hazards.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Civil, Environmental, or Ecological Engineering)
• EI certification (Engineering Intern)
• Three (3) years of ecosystem restoration design experience.
• Ability to travel on short‑time overnight efforts to collect field data and meet with clients, up to 10% of the time.
• Experience with HEC‑RAS and other hydraulic and hydrologic modelling and analysis software.
• Experience developing ecological restoration design construction plans in AutoCAD Civil 3D.

Preferred qualifications

• P.E. certification (Professional Engineer)
• At least five (5) years of professional experience in ecosystem design.
• Experience managing primary tasks and small to medium sized projects with limited oversight.
• Experience mentoring and successfully delegating tasks to junior team members.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee‑owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News‑Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this Whitefish, MT-based position can expect an hourly rate of $34.78‑$44.94 for the Assistant Project Engineer role; and an hourly rate of $39.59‑$50.83 for the Associate Project Engineer role. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular‑status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package (https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward‑thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award‑winning career development, and more.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success

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.