Senior Dam Safety Engineer

Tetra Tech; Nashville (TN); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Multi-disciplinary environment

Comprehensive and market-competitive •

Merit-based rewards

Flexibility and work/life balance

Collaborative team atmosphere

Learning and development opportunities

Job summary

Tetra Tech is seeking a Senior Dam Safety Engineer to lead hydropower and dam safety projects from our Nashville, TN office with hybrid options across the US footprint. You will inspect and evaluate dams, perform risk analyses, and prepare technical reports and construction documents.

Ideal candidates have 10+ years in dams/hydropower, a PE license, and strong leadership and communication skills to mentor teams and manage projects effectively.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in civil, geotechnical, geological engineering or related field.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience involving dams, hydropower, water conveyance, hydraulic structures, or related infrastructure.
• Active PE license.
• Demonstrated project management and/or technical leadership experience.
• Construction experience and ability to troubleshoot issues in the field.
• Experience mentoring engineers and leading technical teams.
• Experience preparing and reviewing technical reports, drawings, specs, and cost estimates.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office for documentation and communication.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to travel to project sites, meetings, and inspections.

Responsibilities

• Lead or support inspections, engineering assessments, and risk assessments for dams, hydropower facilities, pumped-storage projects, and related hydraulic structures.
• Participate in or lead FERC Part 12 and USACE dam safety activities, including Comprehensive Assessments and Periodic Inspections, risk analyses, and related evaluations.
• Develop engineering analyses, evaluations, designs, and recommendations for dam and hydropower facilities.
• Lead or support the design of hydraulic structures (dams, spillways, gates, outlets, etc.).
• Prepare and review technical reports, drawings, specifications, design criteria, construction documents, and cost estimates.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams, clients, owners, contractors, and regulators to deliver project outcomes.
• Serve as a project manager with technical oversight and mentorship.
• Visit project sites for inspections and field issue resolution.
• Apply critical thinking and practical engineering judgment to dam safety challenges.
• Support proposals, client development, and growth of dam safety/hydropower services.
• Promote safety, quality, collaboration, innovation, and professional development.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Dam safety

Hydropower

Communication

Field inspections

Education

Bachelor’s degree in civil/geotechnical/geological engineering

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

AutoCAD

MicroStation

Job description

We’re seeking a Senior Dam Safety Engineer to join our growing hydropower and dam safety practice. This position offers hybrid work flexibility from our Nashville, TN office or any Tetra Tech office in Colorado, Tennessee, or the Pacific Northwest.

This role is ideal for an experienced engineer with a strong background in dams, hydropower, pumped-storage , or related hydraulic structures. The successful candidate will support and lead inspections, engineering assessments, design, risk assessments, and dam safety programs for new and existing infrastructure.

Why Tetra Tech:

At Tetra Tech, we are Leading with Science to solve the world’s most complex challenges. Our industry-leading experts in engineering and consulting are committed to driving positive change in communities around the world. For 60 years, we have been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability. Today we stand as a market leader, offering cutting-edge solutions in water, environment, energy, and international development. Our science-based planning and design improves lives in our local communities and around the world.

Your Impact:

Join Tetra Tech to make a real difference.Our workleveragescutting-edgetechnologies, advanced analytics, and theexpertiseof world-class scientists and engineers to create meaningful change around the world.Discover your full potential – join us to advance your career while leaving a lasting legacy .

Position Summary:

The Senior Dam Safety Engineer will provide technical leadership on hydropower, dam safety, and water-resources projects. Responsibilities may include inspections and evaluations of dams and hydraulic structures; risk assessments; FERC Part 12 Comprehensive Assessments and Periodic Inspections; design of new and rehabilitated facilities; construction support; and preparation of technical reports and contract documents.

This is a senior technical role with opportunities to serve as a project manager, lead multidisciplinary teams, mentor staff, support client relationships, and contribute to the continued growth of our practice. Experience as a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)-approved Independent Consultant is highly desirable.

Essential Job Functions:

The following duties are essential to this role. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

• Lead or support inspections, engineering assessments, and risk assessments for dams, hydropower facilities, pumped-storage projects, and related hydraulic structures.
• Participate in or lead FERC Part 12 and USACE dam safety activities, including Comprehensive Assessments, Periodic Inspections, potential failure mode analyses, risk assessments, and related dam safety evaluations.
• Develop engineering analyses, evaluations, designs, and recommendations for new, existing, and rehabilitated dam and hydropower facilities.
• Lead or support the design of hydraulic structures, including dams, spillways, gates, outlet works, diversion structures, retaining walls, floodwalls, water conveyance structures, and foundations.
• Prepare and review technical reports, drawings, specifications, design criteria, construction documents, and cost estimates.
• Work with multidisciplinary project teams, clients, owners, contractors, and regulatory agencies to deliver high-quality project outcomes.
• Serve as a project manager and provide technical oversight, checking, quality assurance/quality control, and mentorship to engineering staff.
• Visit project sites to perform inspections, support construction activities, resolve field issues, and evaluate existing conditions.
• Apply critical thinking, creativity, and practical engineering judgment to address complex dam safety and infrastructure challenges.
• Support proposal preparation, client development, strategic planning, and the growth of dam safety and hydropower services.
• Promote a culture of safety, quality, collaboration, innovation, and continuing professional development.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in civil, geotechnical, geological engineering or related engineering field.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience involving dams, hydropower, water conveyance, hydraulic structures, or related infrastructure.
• An active Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Demonstrated project management and/or technical leadership experience.
• Construction experience and ability to troubleshoot issues in the field.
• Proven experience mentoring engineers and leading technical teams.
• Experience preparing and reviewing technical reports, drawings, specifications, and cost estimates.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (i.e., Excel, Word, PowerPoint) for documentation and communication.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills .
• Ability to travel to project sites, meetings, and inspections as needed.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in civil engineering, structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, or a related field is preferred.
• Experience with hydropower or pumped-storage projects regulated by FERC or other federal, state, or local agencies.
• Familiarity with FERC’s Part 12 Dam Safety Program, including Comprehensive Assessments, Periodic Inspections, potential failure mode analyses, risk assessments, Supporting Technical Information Documents (STIDs), Critical Safety Review Items (CSRIs), and Supporting Technical Information Documents or related technical documentation.
• FERC-approved Independent Consultant status, or the ability to qualify as an Independent Consultant within one to two years.
• Training or experience serving as an Independent Consultant or facilitator for FERC Comprehensive Assessments.
• Experience leading or participating in dam safety inspections and evaluations.
• Working knowledge of AutoCAD, MicroStation, or comparable design software.
• Demonstrated business development, client relationship management, and strategic planning skills.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to travel to local and remote project sites, including occasional overnight travel.
• Ability to walk, stand, climb, kneel, crouch, or stoop during site inspections.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather and terrain conditions.
• Ability to review technical documents and drawings and use a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to communicate effectively in-person and through electronic means.

Additional Information:

This position may be based in our Nashville, TN office on a hybrid schedule, typically in the office 3 days a week. Other office locations include Seattle or Bellevue, WA; Denver, CO; Portland, OR; or Knoxville, TN.

This is a full-time position, with standard hours of 8:0 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Additional hours may be required based on project needs.

Regular travel for field visits.

Compensation:

The salary range for this position is $150,000 - $200,000. Compensation may vary and is not limited to the stated range; offers will be determined based on a combination of an individual’s experience, skill set, certifications, and educational background.

Perks of working at Tetra Tech include:

• Multi-disciplinary environment where engineers work side by side with scientists to manage risk and develop better solutions.
• Comprehensive and market-competitive benefits.
• Merit-based financial rewards.
• Flexibility and company-wide commitment to work/life balance.
• A collaborative team atmosphere that values the contributions of all employees.
• Learning and development opportunities for ongoing professional growth.

About Tetra Tech:

Tetra Tech is the leader in water, environment, and sustainable infrastructure, providing high-end consulting and engineering services for projects worldwide. With 25,000 employees working together, Tetra Tech provides clear solutions to complex problems by Leading with Science to address the entire water cycle, protect and restore the environment, design sustainable and resilient infrastructure, and support the clean energy transition.

Tetra Techis proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, sex, marital or familial status, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law. Tetra Tech is a VEVRAA federal contractor and we request priority referral of veterans.

We invite applications from all interested parties.

Explore our open positions at https://www.tetratech.com/careers. Follow us on social media to learn more about our people, culture, and opportunities:

X (Twitter): @TetraTechJobs

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.