ESA is seeking a highly experienced Environmental Hydrology and Design Practice Leader to lead our team of more than 85 highly motivated and talented Civil and Coastal Engineers, Hydrologists, Geomorphologists, and Landscape Architects located throughout our West Coast and Southeast offices. Within ESA, a Practice Leader is the most senior position leading company-wide strategy and technical excellence for their respective practice. This role requires someone with exceptional leadership skills and a demonstrated record of business success as evidenced by at least 15 years of experience in the management and implementation of complex multi-objective engineering and environmental design projects our coastal, valley, and floodplain communities face.

Who We Are

We are a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm who values diversity and inclusion and celebrate the differences that make each of us unique. Our culture is built on mutual respect, recognizing that our variety of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives leads to better solutions, which fosters our continued success for our employee-owners and clients.

Who You Are

An exceptional leader with 15+ years of relevant experience with progressively increasing responsibility for developing and delivering consulting services related to civil and/or coastal engineering, watershed restoration design, flood analysis, and/or natural resources management across various markets, including leadership roles on hallmark projects. You have expertise and demonstrated experience in the development and execution of professional standards, quality control procedures, and proactive project and risk management in an engineering and/or environmental consulting firm.

You are an effective team member and communicator with demonstrated experience working collaboratively and effectively with clients, agencies, tribal representatives, corporate executives, and staff at all levels to address complex issues and develop innovative solutions that streamline project schedules.

You have deep technical experience regarding rural and urban watersheds, climate change adaptation, multi-benefit flood management, natural resources management and park and public access design for important natural systems throughout the western United States. You are recognized in the industry as a client-focused leader with a reputation as a highly credible, trusted advisor regarding engineering, hydrology, and restoration design.

What You Will Do for ESA

Leverage your expertise to optimize project performance by ensuring principles and practices of proactive project management and risk management are being implemented. Establish and implement technical and methodological standards and ensure that QA/QC standards consistently meet or exceed professional standards.

Demonstrate solution-oriented and collaborative communication, ensuring practice issues are addressed in a timely and constructive manner.

Develop and execute a 5-year strategic business plan for the practice to sustain and strengthen its reputation for expertise, innovation, integrity and thought-leadership. Keep the practice updated on pending regulatory changes and new technologies.

Be an accountable and collaborative team player who values diversity and inclusion and recognizes that our differences contribute to our success. Be an empathetic mentor and coach, and a hard worker who maintains high standards and sets a positive example.

Lead practice talent acquisition and development, including continual assessment of market and service needs to ensure best in class talent are recruited, supported, and developed to achieve exceptional industry recognition of ESA as a consultant and employer of choice.

Maintain and grow an extensive professional network including decision-makers within client organizations and regulatory agencies, that will result in expansion of ESA's reputation and portfolio across regions. Identify appropriate areas of investment/training and balance operational requirements with mid- and long-term responsible growth.

ESA has established multiple pay ranges tailored to the economic factors in the geographies in which ESA staff reside. For this position, the range is $185,683 - $278,524 or $164,108 - $246,161 annually based on our anticipated hiring locations as noted in the above job details. Actual compensation is determined by several factors including but not limited to an individual's related experience, education, skills, and the city in which the applicant lives.

What's Special About ESA

Joining ESA means becoming part of a close-knit team of environmental professionals who contribute to outstanding projects, improve environmental stewardship, and advance a more sustainable and resilient future for our communities and wild places.

At ESA, we provide benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance (paid at 70% for you AND your family), annual allocations of company shares through our ESOP, a 401(k) plan with company match, annual performance-based bonuses, and paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, to name a few.

We also provide specific programs whether you want to further your technical expertise, sharpen your business acumen, or help lead the next generation of employee-owners. We want to support you in reaching your career goals through tuition reimbursement, professional development bonuses, and attendance at conferences.

What's Special About Our Environmental Hydrology and Design Practice

Protecting precious water resources is more important and challenging than ever for today's communities. The EH&D team partners with clients to thoughtfully navigate these complexities. Our team provides integrated, enduring solutions for watershed management, sea-level rise adaptation, aquatic habitat assessments along river corridors, flood control, and dam removal.

We have led, designed, and implemented a wide range of multi-benefit flood and stormwater management projects, ranging from coastal flood assessments to river levee setbacks and floodplain restoration. We work with clients to address aging dams, reservoirs, and other infrastructure systems to keep up with demand of a growing population's residential and agricultural needs. We also provide hydraulic engineering and analyses, including application of a variety of 1- and 2-dimensional hydrodynamic and sediment transport models.

Our team emphasizes Nature Based Solutions (NBS) and know how to balance between natural function and real-world constraints.

We value creative thinking, teamwork, and multi-disciplinary and cross-disciplinary engagement and integration. To read about some of the exciting projects we have recently completed, check out these links: , and .

In accordance with ESA's duty and responsibility to provide and maintain a safe workplace that is free of known hazards and to minimize the exposure to potential hazards, any employee who works from an ESA office or conducts any other in-person ESA work-related activity is required to submit their proof of vaccination status or have received an approved exemption and accommodation.

ESA is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive work environment. (EOE M/V/F/D)