Senior Dam and Hydropower Practice Leader - West Central

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.; Dallas (TX); Hybrid; USD 147,000 - 266,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) plan

Stock purchase program

Unlimited PPTO

7 paid holidays

Caregiver leave

Job summary

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. seeks a Senior Dam and Hydropower Practice Leader to guide dam, hydropower, and water supply projects across the Western United States from the West Central region.

You will mentor engineers and managers while expanding client relationships and leading regulatory strategy. You will collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams and regional leadership to deliver complex water infrastructure programs for federal agencies, utilities, and other clients, leveraging Jacobs’

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of complex multidisciplinary dam/hydropower projects.
• Licensed Professional Engineer in Western states or ability to obtain within 6 months.
• Strong client relationships and regional partnerships.
• Experience with FERC licensing and regulatory processes.
• Stakeholder engagement and environmental considerations.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical work and design management for dam and hydropower projects.
• Mentor multidisciplinary teams and coordinate across disciplines.
• Drive business development and client engagement in the West Central region.
• Collaborate with Northwest and California leadership; align with global practices.
• Guide projects through regulatory and permitting challenges.

Skills

Leadership

Multidisciplinary teams

Dam & hydropower

Project management

Hydraulics design

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related discipline

Job description

Senior Dam and Hydropower Practice Leader - West Central

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

Jacobs is seeking a Senior Dam and Hydropower Practice Leader to join our dynamic team in West Central and take on a pivotal regional leadership role supporting the delivery of dams, hydropower, and water supply projects across the Western United States. Consistently ranked #1 by ENR in top water industry markets, Jacobs offers a full-service platform - from planning and design through construction - and you’ll be at the forefront of shaping major water infrastructure programs for federal government agencies, public utilities, irrigation districts, and other agencies throughout the region. Our team is currently delivering a diverse portfolio of hydropower, fish passage, off-channel storage, and reservoir design projects in the West Region, as well as supporting the largest water infrastructure programs in Texas and California.

In this role, you’ll collaborate with and lead experts in dams, diversion structures, intakes, fish screens, pipelines, canals, pump stations, reservoirs, and water storage and conveyance facilities. You’ll mentor multidisciplinary teams through complex, high visibility projects while strengthening and expanding relationships with key regional clients. You’ll also play a central role in stakeholder engagement - partnering with communities, regional water providers, resource agencies, tribal nations, and local organizations to ensure that project solutions balance technical excellence with environmental stewardship, community priorities, and long-term regional resilience. Your work will help shape the interface between the built and human environment, ensuring that infrastructure investments deliver meaningful benefits to the people and ecosystems they serve.

You’ll support business development efforts and may also serve as Project Manager, Design Manager, Client Sales Lead, or Subject Matter Expert across a variety of programs - positioning Jacobs for continued growth and long-term success. As a Senior Project Manager, you’ll guide teams of engineers, planners, and technical specialists through planning and design, while partnering closely with clients to develop innovative conveyance and reservoir storage solutions that reflect community needs and regional priorities. With your experience, you will help guide our clients through challenging regulatory and permitting requirements. Your leadership will be instrumental in mentoring staff, shaping project strategies, and driving technical excellence. You’ll work in concert with our Northwest and California leadership teams, as well as our Global Conveyance and Storage and Global Dam Communities of Practice, to pursue and deliver some of the most challenging and rewarding water projects in the U.S. and beyond.

Here’s what you’ll need

• Demonstrated track record leading technical work and/or design management for complex, multidisciplinary projects
• Proficient experience in dam, off-channel reservoir planning, hydropower, and fisheries related engineering as a project manager, discipline lead, or technical expert
• Proven ability to lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams
• Strong, well rounded technical design skills across contributing disciplines
• Recognized by clients as a trusted expert with strong working knowledge of hydraulics and reservoir facility design and planning
• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline

Ideally, You’ll Also Have:

• Strong technical and project background in large water impoundment and diversion design, monitoring, and rehabilitation
• Professional Engineering license in any of the Western States in US (for example, CO, TX, AZ) (or ability to obtain within 6 months)
• Established relationships with regional clients and consulting partners in the Northwest
• Familiarity with FERC licensing and other regulatory requirements
• Experience engaging stakeholders and navigating community, environmental, and regulatory considerations
• A passion for supporting market growth through client engagement and mentoring emerging talent

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. 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 $146,700.00 to $266,300.00. 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 09, 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.