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Water Resources Engineering Section Manager

HNTB

Arlington, VAFull-time$146–228K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$146–228K/yr
Location
Arlington, VA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive focuses on jobs in the United States, including remote roles you can work from there.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Bachelor's degree, required

Job overview

HNTB seeks a Water Resources Engineering Section Manager to lead and grow a multidisciplinary hydraulics team supporting transportation infrastructure projects across the Mid-Atlantic. The role oversees engineering work delivery, budgets, staffing, client relationships, and staff development, while contributing technical and project-management expertise. Section Managers typically oversee up to 10 direct and indirect reports.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Leadership, requiredStaff Development, requiredBudget Management, requiredProject Management, requiredHydraulics, nice to haveDrainage Design, nice to haveErosion and Sediment Control, nice to haveStormwater Management, nice to haveRiver Mechanics Modeling, nice to haveResearch, nice to haveReport Preparation, nice to haveDesign, nice to haveSpecifications, nice to havePlan Preparation, nice to have

Qualifications

Bachelor's in Engineering, required8 Years Practical Experience, required2 Years Leadership Experience, requiredMaster's in Engineering, nice to have10 Years Practical Experience, nice to have2 Years Supervisory Experience, nice to haveProfessional Engineer Certification, nice to haveAICP Certification, nice to havePMP Certification, nice to have

Full job description

What We're Looking For

At HNTB, you can create a career that is meaningful to you while building communities that matter to all of us. For more than a century, we have been delivering solutions for some of the nation's largest and most complex infrastructure projects. With continued growth across the Mid-Atlantic region, this is an exciting time to join our team of employee-owners.

In recent years, our hydraulics team has played key roles on marquee transportation and infrastructure projects including the Long Bridge North, Susquehanna River Bridge, I-64/I-264 Phase III Interchange, and Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion. Looking ahead, our Northern Virginia team is positioned to support major initiatives such as the Arlington National Cemetery Entry Corridor project, Maryland SHA programs; along with VDOT's I-64/I-264 Phase IIIA Design-Build project and the NOVA District Megaprojects Program support services. With a strong backlog of impactful work and continued growth across the region, we are seeking experienced leaders who are excited to mentor staff, drive technical excellence, and help shape the future of our hydraulics practice.

This opportunity entails leading a professional or technical discipline section in the design, development, and delivery of project work while managing scope, budget, schedule, and quality. The role coordinates project priorities, staffing assignments, and resource allocation to ensure successful client delivery. Responsibilities include technical leadership, staff development, mentoring, and the efficient utilization of resources to provide high-quality service. Section Managers typically oversee up to 10 direct and indirect reports.

This position will lead and grow a multidisciplinary hydraulics team supporting drainage design, erosion and sediment control, stormwater management, and river mechanics modeling for some of the Mid-Atlantic region's most significant transportation infrastructure projects.

What You'll Do:

  • Develops, monitors and manages the section's operating budget in support of the group or office operating budget and forecast updates.

  • Responsible for the management, growth and professional development of discipline-specific engineering section. Coordinates section activities establishes priorities and staff to jobs. Ensures staff development, mentoring and training needs are being met. Collaborates with other Sections and Departments within the office on work-sharing needs and opportunities.

  • Supports the implementation of the firm's strategic plan and HNTB's Sophisticated Sales Approach (SSA) process on project pursuits in the Section and office, including development of Section-level strategic planning strategies.

  • Supports the implementation of the firm's contracting (SCA) process through project delivery and contracting activities including scope, work plan and fee reviews for all contracting activities impacting the Section.

  • Supports the implementation of the firm's project delivery (SDA) process including Work Planning, Monthly Project Reviews and other project performance methods to ensure quality work, on time, on schedule, to the client's satisfaction.

  • Assists in marketing responsibilities, including client discovery, proposal generation, interviews, and win-to-work activities

  • Maintains client contacts to ensure client satisfaction

  • Recruits, hires, develops and retains section staff, including development of plan for staff reporting, performance and compensation reviews, and succession.

  • Manages assigned project management activities (project scope, schedule, budget and quality management) and performs technical discipline tasks including research, reports, design, specifications and plan preparation.

  • Leads a team including the direct and indirect supervision of at least 5 but typically 7 - 10 or more employees.

  • Performs other duties as assigned.

What You'll Need:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with 8 years of practical experience including 2 years of leadership experience.

What We Prefer:

  • Master’s degree in Engineering

  • 10 years practical experience

  • 2 years supervisory experience

  • Professional Engineer (PE) certification

  • American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification

  • Project Management Professional (PMP)

Additional Information

Click here for benefits information: HNTB Total Rewards

Click here to learn more about Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

#JS #Water

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Locations:

Arlington, VA

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The approximate pay range for Virginia is $145,993.46 - $228,348.77. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position based on all selected locations within the state at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as physical work location within the state.

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NOTICE TO THIRD-PARTY AGENCIES:

HNTB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or agencies. Any staffing/employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of HNTB. HNTB will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting staffing/employment agency, person or entity. Staffing/employment agencies who have fee agreements with HNTB must submit applicants to the designated HNTB recruiter to be eligible for placement fees.

Job Type: Regular

Full/Part Time: Full time

Job Category: Engineering Group

ReqID: R-32435

How this job compares

Set against the 2,429 open Engineering Management jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 13, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$146–228K/yr
  • Virginia median$146–262K/yr62 salary ranges
  • US median$146–264K/yr2,000 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $187K, is 6% below the Virginia median midpoint ($200K) — in the middle half of Engineering Management salary ranges in Virginia.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 78 open Engineering Management jobs in Virginia and 2,429 across the US. 7% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Virginia
Experience
This posting asks for at least 8 years of experience; Engineering Management postings that state a minimum ask for 8 years at the median (2,087 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 900 of the 2,429 open Engineering Management jobs (37%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 13, 2026. Figures based on too few postings are left out.

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