Senior Surface Water Engineer

WSP in the U.S.; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 97,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP is seeking a Senior Surface Water Engineer to join our Denver, CO office. The role targets an engineer with 5–7 years’ experience in hydrology, hydraulics, floodplain analysis, and FEMA studies, aiming to grow into project management and team leadership.

Responsibilities include managing FEMA Risk MAP projects, leading technical modeling, and collaborating with clients and multidisciplinary teams to deliver compliant, high-quality water resources solutions in Colorado.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of relevant professional experience in water resources engineering, floodplain management, or related disciplines.
• Colorado PE license or ability to obtain licensure within 6 months.
• Experience with FEMA flood studies, floodplain analysis, flood hazard mapping, or Risk MAP projects.

Responsibilities

• Support management and delivery of FEMA Risk MAP studies and floodplain analyses across Colorado.
• Coordinate project scopes, schedules, budgets and deliverables under senior PM guidance.
• Lead hydrologic/hydraulic modeling and FEMA regulatory studies.
• Participate in client meetings and stakeholder discussions.
• Review work products and assist with QA/QC of reports, models, mapping, and analyses.
• Mentor junior engineers in modeling, mapping, and floodplain analysis.

Skills

Hydrology

Hydraulics

Floodplain analysis

FEMA studies

Project management

Team leadership

GIS

Modeling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering

Tools

HEC-HMS

HEC-RAS

HEC-RAS 2D

SRH-2D

ArcGIS

Bentley

Autodesk

Job description

Senior Surface Water Engineer – Denver, CO

WSP is seeking a Senior Surface Water Engineer to join our Denver (South Colorado Boulevard) office. This position is intended for an engineer with approximately 5–7 years of experience who has developed strong technical capabilities in hydrology, hydraulics, floodplain analysis, and FEMA flood studies and is looking to take the next step into project management and team leadership.

Responsibilities

• Support the management and delivery of FEMA Risk MAP studies, floodplain mapping projects, and flood hazard analyses throughout Colorado.
• Coordinate project scopes, schedules, budgets, and deliverables under the guidance of senior project managers.
• Lead technical tasks involving hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, floodplain analysis, and FEMA regulatory studies.
• Participate in client meetings and stakeholder discussions.
• Review technical work products and assist with QA/QC of reports, models, mapping, and engineering analyses.
• Serve as a technical resource for junior engineers and provide mentorship on modeling, mapping, and floodplain analysis.
• Support staff development through project reviews, technical coaching, and knowledge sharing.
• Assist with proposal preparation, scope development, and business development activities.
• Perform and review hydrologic and hydraulic analyses using industry-standard methodologies and software.
• Contribute to drainage, stormwater, open channel, bridge, and culvert hydraulic analyses as part of broader water resources projects.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality projects that meet client and regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a closely related field from an accredited university.
• 5–7 years of relevant professional experience in water resources engineering, floodplain management, or related disciplines.
• Colorado Professional Engineer (PE) license or ability to obtain licensure within 6 months.
• Experience supporting project delivery activities, including coordination, scope development, scheduling, and budget tracking.
• Experience with FEMA flood studies, floodplain analysis, flood hazard mapping, or Risk MAP projects.
• Proficiency with hydrologic and hydraulic modeling software, including HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, HEC-RAS 2D, SRH-2D, or similar tools.
• Experience working with GIS and engineering design software, including ArcGIS, Bentley, and Autodesk applications.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to coordinate effectively with clients and project teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience supporting FEMA Risk MAP studies, LOMR/CLOMR analyses, DFIRM development, or floodplain mapping projects.
• Experience serving as a task lead, deputy project manager, or project engineer with increasing project management responsibilities.
• Familiarity with Colorado floodplain regulations, CWCB standards, and Denver-area drainage practices.
• Experience working with local governments, state agencies, or federal clients.
• Interest in supervising, mentoring, and developing junior engineering staff.

Benefits

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation

Expected Salary (Colorado only): $97,000 - $160,000