Water Resources Practice Leader | Irrigation & Water Infrastructure

HDR; Kalispell (MT); On-site; USD 111,000 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee ownership

Competitive benefits

Medical, dental, vision

Paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

HDR is seeking an experienced Water Resources Practice Leader to advance our irrigation and water infrastructure services in Montana. You will guide planning, design, and delivery of projects, leading multidisciplinary teams and developing innovative solutions.

The role emphasizes technical leadership, project delivery, business development, and building strong relationships with municipal, state, federal, tribal, and private-sector clients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering; valid PE license required.
• 7+ years related experience in civil/water resources engineering.
• Experience leading water infrastructure projects and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong communication and business development skills.
• Master's degree in Engineering preferred.
• Experience with irrigation systems and water conveyance is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for water resources and civil infrastructure projects from planning through final design.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams and mentor staff.
• Manage projects with high standards of quality.
• Develop and maintain client relationships with municipal, state, federal, tribal, and private-sector clients.
• Support business development through strategic planning and proposals.
• Collaborate with HDR experts to deliver integrated solutions for complex water resource challenges.
• Coordinate staffing and workload planning throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure QA/QC processes for project deliverables.
• Participate in industry organizations to strengthen HDR's presence in water resources and irrigation markets.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Skills

Water resources engineering

Civil engineering leadership

Project management

Client relationships

Team mentorship

Business development

Proposal development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Master's degree in Engineering

Tools

MS Office

MS Project

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 water is more than a resource, it's a shared responsibility. As part of our Water Business 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.

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success, which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time away, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement. The expected compensation range for this position depends upon skills, experience, education and geographical location. (Stated benefits are for full-time regular positions. Temporary and part-time roles eligible for limited benefits.) Montana: $110,600- $158,000

Primary Location: United States-Montana-Bozeman Other Locations: United States-Montana-Billings, United States-Montana-Helena, United States-Montana-Kalispell, United States-Montana-Missoula, United States-Montana-Butte Industry: Water Schedule: Full-time Employee Status: Regular BusinessClass: Integrated Watershed Management Job Posting: Oct 14, 2026

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