Transportation Hydraulics Section Manager

HDR; Mechanicsburg (Cumberland County); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Transportation Hydraulics Section Manager in Pennsylvania to lead and grow our hydraulics team. You will manage hydraulic staff, deliver project submissions, mentor staff, ensure profitability, and engage in business development activities with Area Leadership and National Directors.

You will serve as PM or PE on large infrastructure projects, coordinating cross-disciplinary teams and developing proposals, schedules, and budgets while upholding HDR’s employee-owned culture and

Qualifications

• BS degree in Civil Engineering or higher required; licensed PE preferred.
• Minimum 10 years hydraulics and water resources design experience.
• Strong leadership, communication, and multitasking abilities.
• Experience with PennDOT and PennDOT projects is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with Area Section Managers to balance workload and pursue business development opportunities
• Lead multi-disciplined transportation design teams as a Project Manager or Project Engineer for local/workshare projects
• Perform technical design for DOT and local hydraulics and water resources
• Drive business development within Ohio; marketing planning and client management
• Establish client relationships and lead marketing of new and existing clients
• Lead proposals, project scopes, schedules, and budgets
• Mentor staff and act as technical expert in engineering analysis and design
• Coordinate work of engineers and manage project delivery
• Conduct analyses, develop design solutions, and prepare drawings and specs
• Perform quality control reviews

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Mentoring

Education

BS degree in Civil Engineering

MS degree in Civil Engineering

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Tools

AutoCAD Civil 3D

MicroStation OpenRoads Designer

StormCAD

EPASWMM

XPSWMM

HEC-RAS 1D/2D

ArcGIS Pro

HEC-HMS

Microsoft Office

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 transportation is more than movement, it’s the foundation of connected, thriving communities. As part of HDR’s Transportation Business Group, you’ll help shape the systems that move people and goods safely, efficiently, and sustainably. From designing resilient highways and iconic bridges to advancing transit, passenger and freight rail, aviation, federal transportation ports and marine infrastructure, your work will directly support economic vitality, public safety, sustainable and resilient communities and quality of life. We bring together planners, engineers, architects, construction management staff, environmental, strategic communications, economists, management consultants and specialists across disciplines to solve complex mobility challenges with innovation, technical excellence, and a deep understanding of community needs. Whether you're modernizing aging infrastructure or pioneering next-generation transportation solutions, your contributions will help define the future of mobility. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead progress, drive meaningful impact, and leave a legacy of smarter, more connected transportation networks. We are all employee-owners at HDR, which is the foundation of our collaborative culture that connects employees around the world.

HDR is seeking a Transportation Hydraulics Section Manager in Pennsylvania to lead and grow our hydraulics team. The Section Manager will be responsible for management of hydraulic staff, delivery of project submissions, staff development, project profitability, staff morale, and quality control. They will function as a Project Manager or Project Engineer on large / complex infrastructure projects. They will be involved in business development planning, client management, proposal preparation, and interviews. The Section Manager will see that all work is planned, organized, controlled, and evaluated through a pro‑active project management system, and subsequently implement, monitor, and support company policies. They will also select, train, and develop technical personnel and work cooperatively with Area Leadership, National Directors, and Marketing Leads.

They will also be counted on to:

• Coordinate with our other Area Section Managers to balance staff workload, provide/identify staff training opportunities, and identify/pursue business development opportunities
• Lead multi-disciplined transportation design teams as a Project Manager or Project Engineer for local and workshare projects
• Perform technical design for DOT and local agency hydraulics and water resources
• Drive business development efforts within Ohio, including involvement in marketing planning and client management
• Establish client relationships and lead marketing of new and existing clients
• Lead the development of proposals, project scopes, schedules, and budgets
• Mentor less-experienced staff, and act as a technical expert in engineering analysis and design with a proven background of technical leadership on these types of projects
• Independently coordinate work of engineers and balance the project delivery team throughout project development
• Conduct analyses, develop design solutions, and prepare design drawings, calculations, and specifications for transportation projects, including checking calculations and designs done by others
• Perform quality control reviews of design projects
• Perform other duties as assigned

Preferred Qualifications

• BS degree in Civil Engineering, MS degree in Civil Engineering
• PE in Pennsylvania or ability to obtain within six months of hire
• Minimum of 10 years of hydraulics and water resources design experience
• Proven hands‑on experience in all aspects of transportation design projects with a focus on PennDOT and PTC projects
• Must have technical proficiency preparing hydrologic and hydraulic analyses and reports, scour investigations, erosion and sediment control plans and reports, drainage, and stormwater management design, waterway and NPDES permitting, quantity & cost estimates, and specifications
• Experience with standard drainage analysis and design packages including but not limited to AutoCAD Civil 3D, MicroStation OpenRoads Designer, StormCAD, EPASWMM, XPSWMM.
• HEC‑RAS 1D/2D and/or SRH‑2D river modeling experience is preferred
• ArcGIS Pro and HEC‑HMS experience is preferred
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office software
• Demonstrated leadership skills, communication skills and ability to work with various teams
• Must enjoy mentoring and teaching other staff
• Must have the ability to handle multiple assignments
• Excellent marketing and business development skills
• Experience managing staff, clients, and contracts
• Preference given to local candidates

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• A minimum of 10 years experience
• Professional registration, license or certification may be required based on role
• Strong communication and listening skills
• Ability to handle multiple assignments
• Good leadership and organizational skills
• 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-Pennsylvania-Plymouth Meeting Other Locations: United States-Pennsylvania-Philadelphia, United States-Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh, United States-Pennsylvania-Mechanicsburg Industry: Highway + Road Schedule: Full-time Employee Status: Regular BusinessClass: Transportation Hydraulics Job Posting: Oct 30, 2026

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