Water Resources Engineer

Wright Water Engineers, Inc.; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Discretionary quarterly bonus

Flexible spending accounts

Health savings accounts

Profit sharing

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Wright Water Engineers, Inc. in Denver is seeking an early to mid-level Water Resources Engineer with 2–5 years of experience to support water resources projects in our Denver, CO office.

The role offers opportunities to deepen hydrologic/hydraulic expertise and to develop project management skills within a collaborative team of engineers and scientists. The ideal candidate will have foundational H&H modeling, GIS, and drainage design skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in civil/environmental engineering or closely related field.
• 2-5 years of professional experience in water resources, hydrology, hydraulics, or stormwater engineering.
• Proficiency with HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS (1D/2D) or ability to learn other models.

Responsibilities

• Perform hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling with HEC‑HMS and HEC‑RAS (1D/2D).
• Support stormwater and drainage studies, including watershed planning, floodplain mapping, permitting, and design.
• Assist with pre and post-fire hydrologic hazard analyses, including mud/debris flow studies.
• Support data collection, analysis, and field investigations as needed.
• Assist with preparing technical reports, calculations, exhibits, and design documents.
• Work collaboratively with project managers, senior engineers, and clients.
• Participate in QA/QC processes and internal technical reviews.

Skills

Hydrologic/hydraulic modeling

HEC-HMS

HEC-RAS

GIS

Excel

AutoCAD

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in civil/environmental engineering

Tools

SWMM

HY-8

FHWA Hydraulic Toolbox

MHFD workbooks

AutoCAD

Job description

Wright Water Engineers, Inc. (WWE) is seeking an early to mid-level Water Resources Engineer with 2–5 years of professional experience to support water resources projects in our Denver, Colorado office. This role provides the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, develop technical expertise, build project management skills, and grow as part of a collaborative team of engineers and scientists. The ideal candidate will have foundational hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, spatial analysis, and drainage design skills, as well as interest and capacity to expand their skills into new areas such as mud and debris flow modeling, water quality modeling, continuous simulation, stormwater criteria development, and stormwater design, as examples.

Representative Responsibilities

• Perform hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling with HEC‑HMS and HEC‑RAS (1D/2D). Learn and apply additional H&H methods, programs, and tools as needed (e.g., SWMM, HY‑8, FHWA Hydraulic Toolbox, Mile High Flood District (MHFD) workbooks, etc.).
• Support stormwater and drainage studies, including watershed master planning and modeling; floodplain mapping, analysis, and permitting; stormwater criteria development; and drainage system evaluation and design at conceptual, preliminary, and final design stages.
• Assist with pre and post‑fire hydrologic hazard analyses, including mud/debris flow and hillslope erosion and sediment transport studies.
• Support data collection, analysis, and field investigations as needed.
• Assist with preparing technical reports, calculations, exhibits, and design documents.
• Work collaboratively with project managers, senior engineers, and clients.
• Participate in QA/QC processes and internal technical reviews.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in civil/environmental engineering or a closely related field.
• 2-5 years of professional experience in water resources, hydrology, hydraulics, or stormwater engineering.
• Experience with H&H modeling software, including HEC-HMS and HEC-RAS (1D/2D). Knowledge of other models is desirable, and the ability to learn new models is essential.
• Proficiency with common engineering tools (e.g., GIS, Excel, and/or AutoCAD).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• EIT certification (PE licensure path expected).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with spatial analysis and statistics (strong preference).
• Familiarity with MHFD criteria and manuals.
• Experience with local stormwater design standards and permitting in Colorado.
• Experience with additional modeling tools (e.g., SWMM, FLO-2D, or GIS or AutoCAD-based H&H tools).
• Experience with FEMA analysis and permitting.
• Passion for water resources engineering and enthusiasm for professional growth.
• Full-time position with annual salary range of $70,000–95,000 (commensurate with experience, education, and skills) plus discretionary quarterly bonus program.
• Comprehensive benefits package, including employer-paid health insurance, voluntary dental and vision plans, and a retirement plan.
• Additional perks such as flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, and profit sharing.
• Career development opportunities in a dynamic and challenging work environment with leaders in the water resources industry.

About Us

WWE is an employee-owned consulting engineering firm specializing in water resources, environmental, and civil engineering. With offices in Denver, Glenwood Springs, and Durango, Colorado, WWE has provided comprehensive engineering services since 1961. Our interdisciplinary team includes engineers, biologists, chemists, geologists, hydrogeologists, hydrologists, and scientists, working on diverse and challenging projects across the United States. WWE is dedicated to excellence, innovation, and environmental stewardship.

WWE provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants and is a drug—free workplace. We encourage qualified female, minority, veteran, and disabled candidates to apply and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.