Structural Engineer - Hydropower

HDR; Savannah (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR's Hydropower Practice is seeking a Structural Engineer to support design, repair and retrofit of utility structures across the Southeast. You will work within HDR's employee-owned culture, collaborating with a national hydropower team to deliver reliable, resilient power infrastructure.

The role requires a Civil/Structural Engineering background, PE license, and experience in structural design, field inspections, and coordinating multidisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering and PE license.
• Minimum experience as a structural engineer with consulting exposure.
• Experience with hydropower projects is a plus.
• Ability to coordinate design teams and liaise with clients.
• Proficient with structural design software (AutoCAD, RAM, ETABS).

Responsibilities

• Review structural documents for conflicts with other disciplines.
• Write and edit structural specifications and perform calculations.
• Coordinate structural design team through development and contract phases.
• Engage with agencies for code compliance reviews.
• Lead site design development sessions with project manager.
• Ensure workload is managed across phases to meet schedule.
• Incorporate changes from addenda and RFI responses into docs.
• Perform related duties as needed.

Skills

Structural engineering

Hydropower

Field inspection

Client interaction

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering

Master's degree in Civil/Structural Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

Microsoft Office

AutoCAD

RISA

STAAD

ETABS

RAM

SAFE

Tedds

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe electricity powers modern life. As part of our Power sector, you'll help shape how electricity is generated, transmitted and delivered as global energy demands grow. From massive data centers to modernizing transmission systems, our industry-recognized engineers and scientists have been at the forefront of grid transformation for more than a century. You'll work side-by-side with these experts and contribute to reliable, resilient and sustainable power systems, helping communities thrive and industries expand. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to drive infrastructure forward, power innovation and leave your mark on our energy future.

HDR is growing our Hydropower team across the Southeast and we're looking for engineers at all experience levels who want to make a lasting impact. Whether you're an experienced hydropower professional or an engineer looking to apply your skills in a new industry, you'll have the opportunity to work alongside HDR's nationally recognized Hydropower Practice, ranked #2 in Hydro Plants by Engineering News-Record in 2026. Across the U.S., hydropower facilities that have powered communities for generations are becoming increasingly critical to grid reliability and the region's energy future. Join an employee-owned firm where you'll help modernize and sustain this vital infrastructure, develop leadership skills, accelerate your career growth, and contribute to meaningful projects that keep the lights on and strengthen communities.

We are looking for a Structural Engineer with the technical skills and desire to help support structural engineering design, repair and retrofit utility projects as part of our nationally recognized Hydropower Practice. In the role of Structural Engineer, we'll count on you to:

• Review structural documents for areas of conflict with all disciplines.
• Write and edit structural specifications, select procedures, materials and their respective sizes, and complete necessary calculations.
• Independently coordinate the work of the structural design team through the design development and contract document phases of a project.
• Establish meetings and participate in reviews with various governing agencies for code compliance.
• Conduct design development and contract document work sessions at project site in conjunction with the Project Manager and other disciplines.
• Take responsibility for coordinating workload through design development and construction document phases to complete the documents on schedule.
• Coordinate and assist with affected disciplines, with any addendum, requests for information, change proposal requests and change orders, and incorporate agreed-upon changes into the project documents.
• Perform other duties as needed.

This position is subject to a preemployment drug test.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with concrete dams, structural steel gates, and stability of concrete structures is desirable but not required
• Experience with Hydropower is a plus
• Ability to perform field inspections at operating power generation facilities or dams
• Masters degree in Civil/Structural Engineering
• Ability to independently direct the design of projects from proposal to completion
• Experience interacting with clients, local candidates are preferred

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil or Structural Engineering
• Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
• Previous structural engineer experience
• Microsoft Office, AutoCAD, RISA, Staad, SAP, Tedds, RAM, ETABS, SAFE or similar
• Previous experience with an architectural/engineering or engineering consulting firm
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location:United States-North Carolina-Charlotte Other Locations:United States-Kentucky-Louisville, United States-Georgia-Atlanta, United States-South Carolina-Greenville, United States-South Carolina-Charleston, United States-South Carolina-Columbia, United States-Tennessee-Memphis, United States-Alabama-Birmingham, United States-Alabama-Mobile, United States-North Carolina-Wilmington, United States-North Carolina-Asheville, United States-Tennessee-Nashville, United States-Georgia-Savannah, United States-North Carolina-Raleigh, United States-Tennessee-Brentwood, United States-South Carolina-Fort Mill, United States-North Carolina-Winston-Salem, United States-Tennessee-Chattanooga, United States-Kentucky-Lexington Industry:Power Schedule:Full-time Employee Status:Regular BusinessClass:Hydropower Engineering Job Posting:Aug 25, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Aff... (https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.