Senior Dam Engineer

Schnabel is an employee-owned, professional engineering and consulting firm that focuses on solving problems related to the earth and environment through specialization in geotechnical, geostructural, tunnel, and dam engineering. Schnabel’s high standards for quality, business ethics, and concern for the communities in which we live are a vital part of who we are. Schnabel is an ENR Top 500 Design Firm with 700+ employees in 31 offices throughout the United States.

Recognized by CE News as one of the Best Engineering Firms to Work for, Schnabel provides employees with a competitive benefits package including maternity leave, tuition reimbursement for continuing education, health, dental, life and disability insurance and a wellness program. As an employee-owned company, through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Schnabel employees directly benefit from the success of our growing firm.

Benefit options include:

• Medical insurance


• Dental insurance


• Flexible spending accounts


• Employee life & ADD insurance (100% company-paid)


• Short-term disability (100% company-paid)


• Long-term disability


• Supplemental life insurance


• 401(k) and profit-sharing plan


• Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)


• Bonus program


• Paid time off


• 9 Paid Holidays


• Wellness program


• Professional development and tuition reimbursement

Job Description: 

Are you looking for interesting and meaningful work, a fun atmosphere, and opportunities to learn, grow, and excel? If so, then welcome to Schnabel! We approach problems with creativity and innovation.  The Seattle office is seeking a Senior Dam Engineer with expertise and practical experience in geotechnical engineering to support our growing office and region.  We are looking for experienced, motivated candidates with attention to detail, a passion to continue to develop as a professional, and a desire to be part of a strong multi-disciplinary team. 

The Seattle office of Schnabel focuses on the evaluation and design of dams, structures, and facilities as well as advancing our practice of risk informed decision making within our dam engineering group. Example projects include the inspection, evaluation and design of embankment and concrete dams, spillways, outlet works, tunnels and instrumentation, and performing risk assessments for dam owners for sites located across the United States.

Job Responsibilities:

Perform the following dam engineering tasks:

• Provide engineering expertise, technical oversight and overall management of dam engineering projects.  Engineering services may include inspection, investigation, evaluation, analysis, design and construction of existing and new dams, reservoirs, and hydraulic structures.    


• Develop engineering proposals and qualification statements.


• Prepare and review of design calculations, engineering reports, construction drawings, and technical specifications.


• Manage client relationships.


• Perform project management activities including planning and delegating work, managing project budgets, invoicing, communicating resource needs and reporting backlog.


• Work as a team member within the Seattle office, and across Schnabel to effectively balance workload among available resources.


• Train and mentor junior engineers.

Required Skills/Experience:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or other related engineering discipline from an ABET-accredited program


• 10+ years of relevant work experience in civil engineering; work may consist of geotechnical analysis and design, geologic engineering, engineering geology, or hydrologic/hydraulic analyses, structural engineering, or other related field with specific emphasis in dam design or dam safety


• Licensed Professional Engineer or Engineering Geologist and the ability to obtain reciprocity


• Experience and knowledge of applicable state and federal dam safety design methodologies, policies, and regulations


• Experience/proficiency with common computer-aided analysis and modeling programs applicable to dam engineering


• Experience preparing and reviewing construction drawings and technical specifications


• Excellent oral and written communication skills


• Strong communication and client forward personality


• A strong work ethic and the desire to perform professionally at a high level


• Ability to work independently or as part of a team


• Attention to detail and well-organized


• Willingness to travel and oversee field work when needed


• Experience in proposal development and contract execution


• Experience with project and contract management

Desired Skills/Experience:

• Master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering or engineering Geology


• Experience in construction/project scheduling


• Experience in cost estimating


• Previous FERC approval as IC, SME or field engineer on FERC regulated dams

Other Requirements:

• Ability to pass a background check which may include criminal history, motor vehicle record, and credit check


• Ability to pass a pre-employment drug screening

The compensation range for this position is between $120,000 to $160,000. Compensation for this position may vary based on geographic location and other factors. We remain committed to providing competitive and equitable compensation to all employees, regardless of their location.