Water Resources Practice Leader - Irrigation & Infrastructure

HDR, Inc.; Billings (MT); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee-owned culture

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Water Resources Practice Leader to guide irrigation and water infrastructure initiatives across the region. You’ll lead planning, design, and delivery of a broad range of civil and water resources projects, with opportunities to support irrigation systems and hydraulic structures.

The ideal candidate brings solid civil engineering fundamentals, multidisciplinary leadership, and a passion for innovative water solutions.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering or related field; preferred.
• 10+ years in civil/water resources engineering and related disciplines.
• Leads planning, design, and delivery of water infrastructure projects.
• Strong knowledge of hydraulic systems and water conveyance.
• Experience with public agencies, utilities, or tribal/federal entities.
• PE license required; strong client relationship ability.
• Excellent communication and mentoring skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and coordination for water resources and civil infrastructure projects from planning through final design and construction support.
• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams, fostering technical excellence and professional development.
• Manage projects while maintaining high standards of quality.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships with municipal, state, federal, tribal, agricultural, and private-sector clients.
• Support business development activities, including strategic planning, client engagement, proposal development, and project pursuits.
• Collaborate with technical specialists across HDR to deliver integrated solutions for complex water resource challenges.
• Coordinate project staffing and workload planning throughout the project lifecycle.
• Facilitate quality assurance and quality control processes for project deliverables.
• Participate in industry organizations and help strengthen HDR's presence within the water resources and irrigation markets.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Client relationship management

Communication

Mentoring

Public sector experience

Hydraulic systems knowledge

Irrigation systems

Pumps and pumping systems

Reservoirs & water storage

Canals & pipelines

Hydropower infrastructure

PE license

Education

Master's degree in Engineering or related field

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Professional Engineer license

Tools

MS Office

MS Project

Job description

Water Resources Practice Leader | Irrigation & Water Infrastructure - ( 197025 )

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 water is more than a resource, it's a shared responsibility. As part of our WaterBusiness Group, you’ll help shape how communities manage water for generations to come. From delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater responsibly to developing sustainable water supplies and protecting lives and property through flood control, your work will directly support public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience. We bring together experts across disciplines to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence. Whether you're modernizing aging systems or pioneering innovative approaches, your contributions will make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. This isn’t just a job, it's a chance to lead change, drive progress, and leave a lasting legacy.

HDR is seeking an experienced Water Resources Practice Leader | Irrigation & Water Infrastructure to help grow and advance our water infrastructure and irrigation services across the region.

This role combines technical leadership, project delivery, business development, and team mentorship. The successful candidate will help lead the planning, design, and implementation of a wide range of civil and water resources projects, with opportunities to support irrigation systems, water conveyance infrastructure, hydraulic structures, reservoirs, pump stations, river diversions, and other water management facilities.

The ideal candidate will bring strong civil engineering fundamentals, experience leading multidisciplinary teams, and a passion for developing innovative solutions for water-related challenges. Experience with irrigation and agricultural water systems is highly desirable.

In the role of Water Resources Practice Leader | Irrigation & Water Infrastructure , we'll count on you to:

• Provide technical leadership and coordination for water resources and civil infrastructure projects from planning through final design and construction support.
• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams, fostering technical excellence and professional development.
• Manage projects while maintaining high standards of quality.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships with municipal, state, federal, tribal, agricultural, and private-sector clients.
• Support business development activities, including strategic planning, client engagement, proposal development, and project pursuits.
• Collaborate with technical specialists across HDR to deliver integrated solutions for complex water resource challenges.
• Coordinate project staffing and workload planning throughout the project lifecycle.
• Facilitate quality assurance and quality control processes for project deliverables.
• Participate in industry organizations and help strengthen HDR's presence within the water resources and irrigation markets.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in civil engineering, water resources engineering, irrigation, hydraulic engineering, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience leading planning, design, and delivery of water infrastructure projects.
• Strong knowledge of hydraulic systems, water conveyance, storage, distribution, or related infrastructure.
• Experience working with public agencies, utilities, irrigation districts, agricultural organizations, tribal entities, or federal agencies.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain client relationships and contribute to business development efforts.
• Strong communication, technical writing, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated success mentoring staff and leading diverse project teams.
• Experience with one or more of the following is desirable:
  • Irrigation and agricultural water systems
  • Reservoirs and water storage facilities
  • Pump stations and pumping systems
  • River diversions and hydraulic structures
  • Canals, pipelines, and conveyance systems
  • Hydropower or renewable water infrastructure
• Commitment to technical excellence, continuous improvement, and HDR's employee-owned culture.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering
• 7 years related experience inclusive of a minimum 2 years experience in project management
• Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
• MS Office and MS Project experience is required
• Demonstrated leadership 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.

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

Other Locations

Industry

: Water

Schedule

Schedule

: Full-time

Employee Status

Employee Status

: Regular

BusinessClass : Integrated Watershed Management

Job Posting

Job Posting

: Oct 14, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity.

We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employe r.

We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.

Ready to learn more? Let's work together to make great thingspossible.

We design solutions to the world's greatest challenges. We'realways looking for great talent to join our global teams.