Scour Engineer (BE5) In-Training

Washington State Department of Transportation; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 93,000 - 139,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible/Hybrid work

Paid holidays

Vacation days

Job summary

Washington State Department of Transportation seeks a Bridge Engineer 5 to support the Bridge Preservation Office and the statewide Bridge Scour Program. You will conduct scour inspections, develop action plans, review repairs, and coordinate with hydraulic consultants to ensure safety of bridges on the state highway system.

Requires Civil Engineering degree and WA PE license (or ability to obtain within 6 months), plus experience with scour coding and NBIS.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from an accredited program.
• Current registration as a Professional Engineer in Washington State, or ability to obtain via comity within 6 months.
• Familiarity with NBIS scour-related coding and scour action plans.
• Ability to lead inspections and communicate effectively with teams.
• Willingness for frequent overnight travel and multi-discipline collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead Bridge Scour Program activities including assessments and action plans.
• Review underwater inspections and fathometric reports for scour susceptibility.
• Design and review scour repairs and prepare detailed drawings.
• Manage scour databases and generate status reports as needed.
• Provide scour-related training to local agencies and staff.

Skills

Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer (WA)

Scour Program Knowledge

Scour Assessment

Effective Communication

Growth Mindset

Service-Oriented

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Tools

UBIT operations

Job description

Salary : $93,288.00 - $138,552.00 Annually

Location : Thurston County - Tumwater, WA

Job Type: Full Time - Permanent

Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number: 26DOT-HQ-00519

Department: Dept. of Transportation

Division: Headquarters

Opening Date: 09/08/2026

Closing Date: 9/30/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Description

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is a multimodal agency with a global reputation for excellence. Our dedicated workforce plans, designs, builds, and operates an integrated transportation system that safely and efficiently moves people and goods throughout the state. In addition to maintaining over 20,000 lane miles of state highway and 4,100 bridges, WSDOT leads an award-winning Active Transportation Plan, manages the world's longest floating bridge, and operates the largest ferry system in the nation!

The Opportunity

WSDOT is currently seeking a Bridge Engineer 5 to join the Bridge Preservation Office and support the statewide Bridge Scour Program. In this role, you will serve as a registered professional engineer responsible for conducting federally mandated scour inspections, developing and maintaining action plans to protect scour-critical bridges. You will support WSDOT's mission of providing safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation by ensuring the safety and reliability of bridges on the state highway system. This work includes investigating scour mitigation measures, designing and reviewing scour repairs, conducting scour assessments, supporting bridge inspections, and working with WSDOT staff and hydraulic consultants on statewide scour projects.

What To Expect

• Manage the Bridge Scour Program by performing scour assessments and developing, maintaining, and updating Scour Plans of Action.
• Develop lists of bridges requiring scour inspections, repairs, fathometric surveys, and underwater inspections.
• Review underwater inspection and fathometric reports to evaluate bridges for scour susceptibility.
• Work with HQ Hydraulics to design scour repairs and prepare detailed drawings.
• Manage and update scour databases and spreadsheets and generate status reports as needed.
• Ensure bridge files contain the information necessary to meet National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS) requirements and current Bridge Preservation Office protocols.
• Review recommended scour-related repairs and provide feedback.
• Direct the compilation of scour-related information for HQ Hydraulics, engineering and environmental staff, and consultants.
• Work with HQ Hydraulics and hydraulic consultants to complete statewide scour projects.
• Participate as a member of an instructional team providing scour-related training to local agencies, WSDOT employees, and other agencies.
• Serve as a Lead Inspector on bridge inspection teams using routine and nondestructive inspection methods, including operating an Under Bridge Inspection Truck (UBIT) from below bridge decks.
• Prepare bridge inspection reports and recommended repairs.

Qualifications

This is a Bridge Engineer 5 position. However, the hiring manager reserves the right to fill the position at a lower level in the based on candidate qualifications, providing an opportunity for an individual to gain the required experience on the job as part of a formal "in-training" plan.

At Minimum, The Following Competencies Are Required

• Civil Engineering: Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from an accredited program.
• Professional Engineering: Current registration as a Professional Engineer in Washington State, or the ability to obtain Washington registration through comity within 6 months.
• Scour Program Knowledge: Working knowledge of SNBI scour-related coding, including scour vulnerability, scour condition, and channel protection condition.
• Scour Assessment: Familiarity with scour assessments and Scour Plans of Action.
• Effective Communication: Communicates effectively, both verbally and in writing, with team members.
• Growth Mindset: Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.
• Service-Oriented: Takes action to meet the needs of others.
• Respectful Workplace: Actively contributes to a work environment that fosters respect, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all.

In addition to the competencies above, candidates at the Bridge Engineer 5 level must also demonstrate:

• Bridge Inspection Leadership: Certification as a Team Leader for bridge and tunnel inspection in accordance with NBIS and NTIS.
• Advanced Scour Program Knowledge: Specialized knowledge of SNBI scour-related coding, including scour vulnerability, scour condition, channel protection condition.
• Scour Engineering: Ability to develop scour assessments and Scour Plans of Action and make scour repair recommendations.
• Technical Collaboration: Effectively communicates and collaborates with Hydraulic Engineers.
• Technical Training: Provides technical support and training related to scour, scour countermeasures, and channel condition coding.

The Following Qualifications Are Also Required

• A valid, unrestricted Washington State driver's license.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) at the time of hire.

It Is Preferred That Qualified Candidates Also Demonstrate

• Hydraulics: Advanced knowledge of hydraulics, typically gained through a master's degree in Civil Engineering with an emphasis in hydraulics or experience performing hydraulic analysis and design.

Important Notes

• This recruitment may also be used to fill additional positions per business needs.
• This position offers flexible/hybrid remote work options.
• This position requires frequent overnight travel.
• This position requires a Professional Engineers License issued by the State of Washington. License holders from other states will be expected to obtain a WA State PE license within six (6) months of appointment.
• This is a Bridge Engineer 5 position. However, the hiring manager reserves the right to fill the position at a lower level in the based on candidate qualifications, providing an opportunity for an individual to gain the required experience on the job as part of a formal "in-training" plan. The base salaries for each level are:
• Bridge Engineer 5: $102,996 - $138,552 Annually
• Bridge Engineer 4: $93,288 - $125,544 Annually
• In addition to base salary, employees may be entitled to other forms of compensation depending on the type, duties, or location of the position. For union-represented positions, more information on other forms of compensation can be found in the applicable Information on other compensation types for non-represented positions can be found in of the Washington Administrative Code.
• WSDOT does not use the E-Verify system, therefore we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit

Why WSDOT

• Work-Life Balance - We offer flexible work schedules that allow you time for your life outside of this excellent opportunity.
• Paid Leave - In addition to 12 paid holidays, full-time employees may earn up to 25 paid vacation days per year!
• Tuition Assistance - Permanent employees have several options for assistance with education expenses, including tuition reimbursement programs, government discounts at participating colleges throughout the state,