Senior Water Resources Planning Engineer

Freese and Nichols, Inc.; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 128,260 - 188,601; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonuses based on performance

401(k) matching

Comprehensive benefits package

Up to 40% remote work

Job summary

Freese and Nichols, Inc. is hiring a Senior Water Resources Planning Engineer in Colorado to focus on water resource planning. Responsibilities include project management for complex water resource evaluations, technical support for water rights applications, and development of planning models. Candidates should have 10+ years in water resources planning and hold a P.E. license. The position offers a hybrid schedule with a comprehensive benefits package.

The role supports clients throughout Colorado and nationally, emphasizing collaboration across teams and compliance with Colorado water rights regulations.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in water resources planning.
• Demonstrated experience in Colorado's prior appropriation system.
• Strong technical writing and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Project Manager for water resources planning projects.
• Provide technical support for water rights applications.
• Lead development of quantitative planning models.

Skills

Water rights analysis

Technical writing

Team collaboration

Project management

Modeling experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or Water Resources Engineering

Professional Engineer (P.E.) license in Colorado

Tools

StateMod

MODFLOW

RiverWare

StateCU

Job description

Freese and Nichols is seeking an experienced Senior Water Resources Planning Engineer to join our growing team in either our Denver or Loveland, Colorado office to support and help grow our Colorado Water Resources Planning practice with a strong emphasis on Colorado water rights, basin-scale hydrology, and long‑range water supply planning. This position will support public‑sector clients throughout Colorado and nationally, including municipal and regional water providers, special districts, and state or basin‑driven planning entities.

What You’ll Do:

• Serve as Project Manager and/or Technical Lead for complex Colorado water resources planning projects, including long‑range water supply and integrated water resources plans, water rights evaluations and strategy support, basin‑scale hydrologic and yield analyses, scenario‑based planning related to climate variability, demand growth, storage, reuse, and operational constraints.
• Provide technical support to water rights applications and processes, including support for water court change cases (engineering analyses, yield impacts, depletion accounting); evaluation of conditional and absolute water rights; analysis of augmentation plans, substitute supply plans, and conjunctive use operations; coordination with legal counsel on water rights matters.
• Lead or contribute to development of quantitative planning and decision‑support models, including surface water and/or integrated surface water‑groundwater systems.
• Prepare and review technical memoranda, reports, exhibits, and expert‑support documentation suitable for planning studies, regulatory review, and legal proceedings.
• Support business development by assisting in preparation of proposals (scope, staffing, fee), participating in client meetings and industry events, and leveraging existing and developing new client relationships across Colorado.
• Supervise and mentor engineers, planners, and analysts; provide technical guidance and quality control.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary internal teams (environmental, water/wastewater, planning) and subconsultants.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, or related engineering discipline.
• Professional Engineer (P.E.) license in Colorado (or ability to obtain via comity) within a defined timeframe.
• 10+ years progressively responsible experience in water resources planning and/or water rights analysis.
• Demonstrated experience working in Colorado’s prior appropriation system.
• Experience supporting or leading projects involving Colorado water rights administration such as augmentation plan support, change of water right analyses, yield and reliability analyses, conjunctive use or replacement water evaluations.
• Strong technical writing and presentation skills.
• Experience preparing scopes, schedules, and budgets for professional services.
• Ability to work independently while functioning as part of a collaborative team.
• Preferred: Direct experience with municipal or regional water providers in Colorado, basin roundtables or Colorado Water Plan–related efforts, and state agencies such as the Colorado Water Conservation Board or Division of Water Resources.
• Preferred: Modeling experience relevant to Colorado water rights and planning, including StateMod, RiverWare, StateCU, MODFLOW or equivalent groundwater flow modeling for stream‑aquifer interaction analyses, well depletion and lagged response evaluation, support of water rights and augmentation planning decisions, planning‑level evaluation of groundwater supplies as part of an integrated municipal or regional water supply portfolio.
• Preferred: Scenario‑based and risk‑informed planning approaches and familiarity with climate‑driven hydrologic stressors affecting Colorado supply systems.
• Preferred: Experience collaborating with legal teams on water rights matters.
• Advanced degree preferred but not required.

Benefits:

• Annual salary range: $128,260 – $188,601, dependent on qualifications.
• Eligible for annual bonuses determined by company profitability and growth.
• Exempt employees eligible for overtime pay at a straight‑time hourly rate for hours over 40 per week.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, healthcare advisory services, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, health reimbursement account, family and medical leave, short‑term medical leave, long‑term disability, 401(k) matching, life insurance, critical illness insurance, accident insurance, legal/ID shield, tuition reimbursement, employee assistance program, paid parental leave, paid holidays, paid time off, travel assistance, pet insurance, and access to company cabins and partner discounts.
• Hybrid schedule with up to 40% remote work and alternative work schedule program offering a day off every other Friday.

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.