Senior Project Manager & Technical Leader - Dams and Levees

Freese and Nichols; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 160,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid overtime for salaried employees

Annual bonus

Hybrid schedule with up to 40% remote

Job summary

Freese and Nichols seeks a Senior Project Manager and Technical Leader in water resources and heavy civil infrastructure, with a specialized focus on dams, levees, and hydraulic structures. This role targets 15+ years of experience, leading complex projects and mentoring staff across the Southeast United States (including North Carolina, Georgia, and surrounding states).

The position emphasizes technical leadership, project management, and client relationship development, with opportunities to

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in dams, levees, and hydraulic structures.
• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related field.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• Proven track record of leading complex projects and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong technical writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated success in mentoring staff and growing technical practices.

Responsibilities

• Lead large, complex dam and levee projects from planning through construction.
• Manage scope, schedule, budget, and quality across multi-office teams.
• Serve as a technical expert in dam and levee engineering, including design, rehabilitation, and risk assessment.
• Guide technical strategy, innovation, and quality assurance across projects.
• Supervise and mentor engineers, designers, and technicians.
• Cultivate strong client relationships and lead business development efforts.
• Collaborate with regional and national leaders to grow the dam and levee practice in the Southeast.
• Represent the firm in industry forums, technical committees, and conferences.

Skills

PE license

15+ years of experience

Leadership of complex projects

Mentoring staff

Technical writing/communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related field

Job description

Freese and Nichols is seeking a highly experienced civil engineer to serve as a Senior Project Manager and Technical Leader in the field of water resources and heavy civil infrastructure, with a specialized focus on dams, levees, and hydraulic structures. This position is ideal for a professional with 15+ years of experience who is passionate about leading complex projects, mentoring staff, and advancing technical excellence across the Southeast United States, including North Carolina, Georgia, and surrounding states.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead large, complex dam and levee projects from planning through construction.

• Manage scope, schedule, budget, and quality across multi-office teams.

• Serve as a technical expert in dam and levee engineering, including design, rehabilitation, and risk assessment.

• Guide technical strategy, innovation, and quality assurance across projects.

• Supervise and mentor engineers, designers, and technicians.

• Cultivate strong client relationships and lead business development efforts.

• Collaborate with regional and national leaders to grow the dam and levee practice in the Southeast.

• Represent the firm in industry forums, technical committees, and conferences.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in engineering of dams, levees, and hydraulic structures.

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related field.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license.

• Proven track record of leading complex projects and multi-disciplinary teams.

• Strong technical writing, communication, and presentation skills.

• Demonstrated success in mentoring staff and growing technical practices.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Engineering or Business Management.

• Experience with regional clients and regulatory agencies in the Southeast U.S.

• Active participation in professional organizations related to dam safety and water resources.

About Freese and Nichols

At the heart of our culture is our LEADS values ( L earn continuously, E ngage as family, A ct with integrity, D eliver quality, and S erve always). Each year, our employee engagement survey confirms that our leaders and our employees live our values.

We strive to be the firm of choice for clients and employees through innovative approaches, practical results, and outstanding service. For more than 130 years, we have been planning and designing the infrastructure our communities need: developing water supplies, designing roadways and bridges, preparing for natural disasters, and much more.

Besides our comprehensive benefits package, we offer paid overtime for salaried employees, an annual bonus, and access to company cabins in Red River, New Mexico and Banner Elk, North Carolina. We are proud of our flexible work environment which includes a hybrid schedule with up to 40% of remote work, and an alternative work schedule program which provides a day off every other Friday.

Join our team of 1,300+ employees as we grow from Virginia to Colorado. Learn more about working here at Working at Freese and Nichols.

Freese and Nichols is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.