Senior Dam Safety Engineer - Hybrid, Hydropower Leader

Tetra Tech, Inc.; Knoxville (TN); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

Competitive benefits

Professional development

Work-life balance

Job summary

Tetra Tech, Inc. in Knoxville, TN seeks a Senior Dam Safety Engineer to lead dam safety and hydropower projects with hybrid work options from Knoxville or other offices. The role focuses on inspections, risk assessments, design, and program development for new and existing infrastructure.

Ideal candidates bring 10+ years of dam-related experience, a PE license, and proven leadership in multidisciplinary teams, with strong communication skills and travel flexibility to site locations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in civil, geotechnical, geological engineering, or related engineering field.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant professional experience involving dams, hydropower, water conveyance, hydraulic structures, or related infrastructure.
• 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.

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, 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.

Skills

Project management

Technical leadership

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in civil/geotechnical/geological engineering

Master's degree in civil engineering (preferred)

Tools

AutoCAD

MicroStation

Microsoft Office

Job description

Tetra Tech, Inc. in Knoxville, TN seeks a Senior Dam Safety Engineer to lead dam safety and hydropower projects with hybrid work options from Knoxville or other offices. The role focuses on inspections, risk assessments, design, and program development for new and existing infrastructure.

Ideal candidates bring 10+ years of dam-related experience, a PE license, and proven leadership in multidisciplinary teams, with strong communication skills and travel flexibility to site locations.