Senior Water Resources Engineer

The Legacy Realty LLC; San Marcos (TX); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Freese and Nichols in Austin, TX is seeking a Senior Water Resources Engineer to lead stormwater and water quality design projects for our Central Texas Stormwater Group. You will guide multidisciplinary teams and coordinate with municipal and regional clients to deliver resilient infrastructure.

The role requires 8+ years in stormwater design, strong H&H modeling skills (HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, EPA SWMM), and excellent communication. Hybrid work with occasional site visits.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of stormwater management / water resources design.
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (or equivalent).
• Texas PE license or ability to obtain within 6 months.
• Experience with H&H modeling tools, GIS, and AutoCAD.
• Strong communication, leadership, and organization skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage stormwater projects for municipal and regional clients.
• Oversee design and analysis of detention/retention basins, channels, and SCMs.
• Perform and direct hydrologic, hydraulic, and water quality modeling (HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, EPA SWMM).
• Prepare and review plans, specifications, and construction documents.
• Manage project schedules, budgets, and client communications.
• Support permitting efforts and coordination with regulatory agencies.

Skills

Stormwater design

H&H modeling

Project management

Client coordination

Leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Texas PE license (or ability to obtain)

Tools

HEC-HMS

HEC-RAS

StormCAD

EPA SWMM

GIS

AutoCAD

Job description

Freese and Nichols is seeking a highly motivated Senior Water Resources Engineer to lead stormwater and water quality design projects for our Central Texas Stormwater Group.

The ideal candidate will combine technical depth in hydrologic/hydraulic (H&H) modeling, flood mitigation and stormwater control measure (SCM) design, with strong project management and client coordination skills.

This team member will guide multidisciplinary teams in delivering projects that improve watershed health, reduce flood risk, and enhance water quality through innovative green infrastructure and resilient design.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and manage projects involving stormwater management, flood mitigation, and water quality improvement for municipal and regional clients.
• Oversee design and analysis of stormwater infrastructure including detention/retention basins, open channels, storm drain networks, and SCMs.
• Perform and direct hydrologic, hydraulic, and water quality modeling using software such as HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS (1D/2D), StormCAD, and EPA SWMM.
• Prepare and review plans, specifications, and construction documents, ensuring quality control and compliance with local, state, and federal standards.
• Manage project schedules, budgets, deliverables, and client communications.
• Support permitting efforts and coordinate with regulatory agencies and local jurisdictions.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to junior engineers, analysts, and technicians.

Why Join Freese and Nichols

• Opportunity to work on meaningful, community-improving projects for public sector clients across Texas and the U.S.
• Employee-owned firm with a long-standing commitment to professional growth and excellence.
• Competitive compensation, benefits, and flexible work arrangements.
• Collaborative, supportive culture that values technical innovation and mentorship.

Qualifications

• 8+ years’ experience in stormwater management / water resources design
• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (or equivalent)
• Texas Professional Engineer (PE) license (or ability to expand licensure to include Texas within 6 months)
• Experience in H&H modeling tools (HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, StormCAD, EPA SWMM), GIS, and AutoCAD
• Strong understanding of stormwater infrastructure design principles and construction documents preparation. Experience with technical specifications, opinion of probable construction costs, and permitting.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills
• Preferred CFM Certification and/or experience in floodplain management practices
• Experience in Central Texas and familiarity with local criteria
• Experience with SCM design and nature based solutions a plus.
• Experience with business development activities, including fostering client relationships and development of proposals.

About Freese and Nichols

At the heart of our culture is our LEADS values (Learn continuously, Engage as family, Act with integrity, Deliver quality, and Serve 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 (see more at Benefits That Work for You), 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.

Location: Austin, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; San Marcos, Texas

Type: Full time