Water Resources Section Head

Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson; Englewood (CO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson seeks a Water Resources Section Head to lead Colorado's Water Resources practice, guiding staff, client engagement, and project delivery for drainage, floodplain, and water-quality services. You will drive workload planning, technical oversight, and regional growth with CDOT and local agencies.

The role emphasizes mentorship, cross-office collaboration, and delivering practical, high-quality design solutions in a fast-paced consultancy serving public and private

Qualifications

• Mastery in water resources project delivery and leadership.
• CDOT drainage design and transportation-related hydrology.
• Strong client engagement and business development abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead Water Resources staff and manage workloads.
• Oversee budgets, backlogs, and financial performance.
• Provide senior technical guidance across drainage, H&H, and water quality.
• Strengthen client relationships with CDOT and municipalities.
• Mentor multidisciplinary teams across offices.

Skills

Leadership

Client relations

Project management

Staff development

Water resources

CDOT experience

OpenRoads

H&H

Education

Bachelor's degree in civil engineering

Colorado PE license

Tools

OpenRoads Designer

HEC-RAS

HEC-HMS

SWMM

ARC-GIS

Job description

Johnson, Mirmiran & Thompson is a dynamic, 100% employee-owned consulting firm with more than 2,800 professionals, providing a full range of multidisciplinary engineering, architecture, information technology, and related services to public agencies and private clients throughout the United States. JMT is currently ranked #45 on Engineering News-Record's list of the Top 500 Design Firms.

JMT is an employee-owned firm where people work together, support one another, and take pride in delivering meaningful results for our clients and communities. Our collaborative culture brings together the accountability of ownership, the technical depth of a multidisciplinary team, and the shared commitment to help our people and projects succeed.

What You Will Help Us Build:

If you are a Senior Water Resources leader who understands Colorado's transportation, municipal, floodplain, stormwater, and water quality environment this role offers an opportunity to make a visible impact. JMT is growing its Water Resources leadership capacity in Colorado, and we are looking for a leader who can bring CDOT experience, local agency knowledge, and strong technical judgment to help expand our Denver-area practice with purpose.

Why JMT:

At JMT, you will join an employee-owned firm where technical leadership, collaboration, and accountability are part of how we work. Our Water Resources practice is delivering transportation, municipal drainage, floodplain, stormwater, and water quality projects, and we are looking for someone who can help grow our Colorado presence through strong client service, practical design solutions, and trusted delivery for CDOT and Denver-area cities, counties, and special districts. This is a strong fit for a leader who values mentorship, local relationships, and the chance to help build something lasting in a key regional market.

Position Summary:

The Water Resources Section Head will lead staff, operations, client engagement, and delivery oversight for JMT's Colorado Water Resources practice. This position is responsible for developing people, managing workload and financial performance, supporting business development, and providing senior technical guidance across drainage, stormwater, floodplain, H&H, and water quality services for CDOT, municipal, county, and regional clients.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop Water Resources staff, including performance management, staffing needs, and career growth
• Manage section operations, including workload planning, utilization, budgets, backlog, staffing forecasts, and financial performance
• Support strategic growth planning for the Water Resources practice in coordination with regional and office leadership
• Strengthen client relationships and support business development with CDOT, Denver-area municipalities, counties, flood control, transportation, and stormwater clients
• Lead or support pursuit strategy, proposals, interviews, and client presentations
• Provide senior technical leadership and quality oversight for drainage, hydrologic and hydraulic, stormwater, floodplain, and water quality projects
• Advise project managers and technical staff on complex delivery, risk management, staffing, and client-service decisions
• Promote collaboration across offices and disciplines to deliver consistent, high-quality solutions

Nonessential Functions and Responsibilities

• Perform other related duties as assigned

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, water resources engineering, or a related field from an accredited program
• Colorado Professional Engineer license or the ability to obtain Colorado licensure within 6 months of hire

• 10+ years of progressively responsible water resources experience

• Experience in CDOT drainage design for transportation projects, including hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, drainage reports, stormwater management, and PS&E delivery
• Familiar with CDOT drainage criteria, Denver-area municipal requirements, Mile High Flood District standards, and local city and county review processes
• Experience with OpenRoads Designer production and OpenRoads Drainage and Utilities modeling
• Experience with HEC-RAS 1D and 2D roadway drainage applications and stormwater management design
• Experience with HEC-HMS software
• Demonstrated experience leading, supervising, mentoring, or developing technical staff
• Experience managing operations, project delivery, financial performance, workload planning, and client expectations
• Experience with business development, proposal development, client coordination, and pursuit strategy
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and decision-making skills

Qualifications Preferred

• Experience as responsible drainage task lead for complex H&H schematic and PS&E projects involving modeling, design, and drainage reports
• Established client relationships with CDOT, Denver-area municipalities, counties, Mile High Flood District, or similar Colorado regional clients
• 2-D HEC-RAS, SWMM, ARC-GIS experience
• Experience with CDOT, municipal, county, flood control, transportation, or stormwater clients in Colorado or similar mountain/front range markets
• Technical background in drainage design, H&H modeling, floodplain studies, stormwater management, and water quality compliance
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams across multiple offices or regions
• Certified Floodplain Manager certification or other relevant technical certification

Working Conditions

Work is performed within a general office environment. Work is generally sedentary in nature, but may require occasional standing and walking. Lighting and temperature are adequate and there are no hazardous or unpleasant conditions caused by noise, dust, etc. within the office environment.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law.