Water Resources Engineer

Job Title: Water Resources Engineer

Job Description

This role offers the opportunity to lead impactful stormwater and water resources projects that support resilient infrastructure and sustainable solutions across the Southeast. You will serve as the on-site technical leader in the Atlanta area, taking ownership of complex projects, providing hands-on design expertise, and guiding a growing team. The position is ideal for an experienced engineer operating between project engineer and project manager level who is ready to step into greater ownership, leadership, and practice growth while remaining deeply involved in technical work.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage water resources projects, including stormwater master planning, drainage design, and hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling.

• Oversee the development of watershed studies, floodplain and flood studies, capital improvement projects, and stormwater management solutions for municipal and private clients.

• Perform and manage detailed hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, including 1D and 2D modeling, to support drainage and stormwater designs.

• Design and oversee stormwater management systems, including green infrastructure and low impact development practices, and prepare erosion and sediment control (E&S) plans.

• Lead NPDES permitting efforts and ensure compliance with applicable regulations and standards.

• Develop, review, and approve contract documents, including construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates.

• Coordinate closely with clients, contractors, consultants, regulatory agencies, and multidisciplinary internal teams to deliver high-quality project outcomes.

• Manage project scope, schedules, and budgets, including proposal development, fee estimates, and negotiations.

• Perform and oversee FEMA-related work, including Letters of Map Change and associated floodplain studies.

• Provide day-to-day leadership, mentorship, and technical guidance to engineers and technical staff, acting as boots-on-the-ground leadership in the Atlanta office.

• Direct project work, delegate tasks effectively, and collaborate with team members to ensure timely and accurate project delivery.

• Personally perform and review designs, maintaining a strong technical role where project managers remain hands-on.

• Monitor project progress and performance to ensure alignment with scope, schedule, budget, and quality objectives.

• Support the growth of the local water resources practice over time, building on an existing workload and established design presence.

• Communicate regularly and effectively with clients, providing clear updates, managing expectations, and fostering long-term relationships.

• Prioritize multiple concurrent projects and workflows to meet deadlines and maintain high standards of quality.

• Perform occasional field work, including site visits and inspections, which may involve lifting up to 25 pounds.

Essential Skills

• Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering or a closely related field.

• Professional Engineer (PE) license required, with Georgia licensure strongly preferred; candidates close to licensure may be considered with a clear timeline.

• 710+ years of experience in water resources engineering, with substantial stormwater and hydrologic/hydraulic (H&H) experience.

• Demonstrated experience in hydrologic and hydraulic modeling and stormwater management design, including H&H modeling for floodplain and drainage studies.

• Strong proficiency in designing stormwater systems, drainage infrastructure, watershed studies, and floodplain/flood studies.

• Experience with FEMA-related work, including Letters of Map Change and associated analyses.

• Experience in erosion and sediment control (E&S) design and permitting, including NPDES-related work.

• Proficiency in preparing detailed construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates for civil and water resources projects.

• Working knowledge of AutoCAD and ArcMap, as well as hydrologic and hydraulic modeling software commonly used in water resources engineering.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to lead client interactions and clearly present technical information.

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and appropriately prioritize tasks and workflow.

• Strong organizational and time management skills to keep projects on schedule and within budget.

• Ability to mentor staff and lead a high-performing technical team while maintaining hands-on involvement in design.

• Ability to perform field work, including lifting up to 25 pounds during site visits and inspections.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with green infrastructure and low impact development practices in stormwater design.

• Experience in civil engineering design related to water, wastewater, and stormwater projects.

• Experience in wastewater engineering and wastewater treatment or design is beneficial.

• Proficiency with Civil 3D and civil CAD tools, with interest in further developing Civil 3D skills through hands-on mentoring.

• Experience in project management, including scope development, budgeting, and schedule management.

• Ability to operate effectively at the level between project engineer and project manager, ready to assume greater leadership and ownership.

• Interest in growing and expanding a local water resources practice, building on an existing client base and workload.

• EIT certification and prior civil engineering design experience are advantageous for those close to PE licensure.

• Comfort working on a mix of FEMA, stormwater, H&H, municipal, and private sector projects.

• Motivation to progress from PE or project engineer into a project manager role while remaining technically engaged.

Work Environment

This is an in-office, on-site role based in the Atlanta area, with work in Buford strongly preferred and some flexibility possible. The schedule follows a condensed workweek: Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., supporting a strong work-life balance. You will work in a collaborative civil engineering environment alongside multidisciplinary professionals, using tools such as AutoCAD, ArcMap, Civil 3D, and hydrologic/hydraulic modeling software. The culture emphasizes immediate ownership of an existing workload, meaningful leadership opportunities, and clear career progression from project engineer to project manager while remaining hands-on with technical design. You will gain exposure to FEMA work, stormwater and H&H projects, and both municipal and private sector assignments. The organization offers competitive compensation with performance-based bonuses, a condensed schedule, comprehensive health, dental, vision, and prescription coverage, a 401(k), generous paid time off and holidays, and tuition assistance. You will also benefit from supportive, hands-on Civil 3D mentoring and a team environment that values professional growth, technical excellence, and long-term career development.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Chamblee, GA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $150000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Immediate ownership: existing workload Leadership opportunity: an established designer already there Career progression: excellent move for PE/Project Engineer PM Technical: remains hands-on rather than becoming purely administrative Exposure: FEMA + stormwater + H&H + municipal/private work Growth: ability to eventually expand the local practice Lifestyle: condensed Friday schedule

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Chamblee, GA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 11, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Chamblee,GA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.