Senior Airfield Civil Engineer & Design Manager

Jacobs; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 111,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company stock purchase

Unlimited PPTO for salaried employees

7 paid holidays

Caregiver leave

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking a Sr. Airfield Civil Engineer & Design Manager to lead aviation design efforts from concept through construction documents across large-scale airfield projects such as taxiways, runways, and aprons.

You will mentor junior engineers and coordinate with stakeholders to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery. Responsibilities include leading multiple projects, reviewing submittals for regulatory conformance, and presenting design elements to clients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or related field and 8–12 years of relevant experience.
• P.E. license in Texas or eligible via reciprocity within 3 months of hire.
• Demonstrated experience leading aviation design and construction projects and engineering design teams.
• Knowledge of FAA regulations and standards.
• Experience with AutoCAD and Civil 3D.
• Strong written and oral communication and leadership abilities.
• Willingness to travel among Houston, Austin and San Antonio as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead design efforts across all project stages from concept to construction documents.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to align designs with objectives and expectations.
• Prepare design submittals that are complete and compliant.
• Present design elements to clients and stakeholders with the design team support.
• Provide peer review of design submittals and feedback on codes and standards.
• Guide design teams through competing interests to achieve best outcomes in quality, cost, schedule, and sustainability.
• Occasionally conduct on-site inspections to verify construction conformance.
• Independently lead designs on multiple concurrent projects.

Skills

P.E. license (TX)

Aviation design leadership

Team leadership

Communication skills

Independent work

Travel readiness

FAA regulations knowledge

Education

Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

Civil 3D

Job description

At Jacobs, we’re challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world’s most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

As a vital member of our Aviation team, you’ll have the chance to work on challenging projects where we’ll depend on your expertise and knowledge of aviation design. You’ll grow professionally with us as we rise together on impactful airfield projects with a high degree of technical complexity from the concept stage through detailed design and construction services. As a Sr. Airfield Civil Engineer & Design Manager, you’ll leverage your design skills to help lead team members to work as part of a project team to plan, design, and review drawings and specifications for exciting and engaging large-scale Aviation projects (Taxiways, Runaways, Airfield, Aprons, etc.). You’ll work with the best Engineers and Project Managers in the business and will be empowered to deliver the boldest solutions for everyday living.

We'll Ask You To

• Provide and manage design efforts throughout all stages of a project (Project Definition, Concept Design, Schematic Design, Design Development, Construction Documents, Construction Administration) to ensure that projects remain on schedule and on budget. On occasion this may include managing and mentoring a team of junior engineers working on the project.
• Coordinate with internal & external stakeholders to align the project design documents with the project objectives and stakeholder expectations.
• Prepare design submittals that are complete, accurate, and in conformance with the applicable project requirements.
• Lead or play a key role in presentation of design elements from projects to clients and stakeholders. This may include preparing presentations with the support of the design team and Project Manager.
• On occasion provide peer review of design submittals and provide critical & constructive feedback to the design team. This may include reviewing & commenting on conformance to applicable codes & regulations, industry standards, and unique owner performance requirements.
• Solicit feedback from internal and external project stakeholders, and guide design teams through competing interests and projects constraints to ensure the best possible design‑outcomes with respect to quality, cost, schedule, sustainability, resiliency, innovation, use‑experience, constructability, operational flexibility, maintainability, etc.
• On occasion, conduct on-site inspections of on‑going construction projects to verify compliance with the design.
• Independently lead designs on multiple concurrent projects, without direct daily oversight and task assignment.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or other related field AND at least 8-12 years of relevant experience
• Professional Engineer License (P.E.) in Texas or the ability to obtain through reciprocity within 3 months of hire
• Demonstrated experience leading aviation design and construction projects and the engineering design teams
• Knowledge of current aviation industry regulations and standards, including codes & publications from FAA.
• Knowledge of airside and landside design
• Experience with AutoCAD and Civil 3D
• Effective, team‑oriented communication and leadership style
• Self‑motivated, proactive and the ability to work well both independently and as part of a team
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including ability to communicate complex issues to a non‑technical audience
• Be located in Houston, San Antonio or Austin and be able travel between these three cities as needed

Benefits

• Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount
• Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan
• Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full‑time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave
• And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock

The base salary range for this position is $110,600.00 to $200,000.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Job posted on September 23, 2026. This position will be open for at least 3 days.

We value collaboration and believe that in‑person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.