Principal Water Engineer

Job Description

At Mott MacDonald, we trust our brilliant people to do brilliant things in engineering, management, and development services, supporting multisector project work in over 150 countries. As one of the largest employee-owned companies in the world, we pride ourselves on our ability to deliver exceptional outcomes through our network of 20,000+ talented consultants. With sustainability and innovation at the heart of all our sectors in North America, including, Buildings, Energy, Transportation, and Water.

We believe in empowering our people to excel, learn, and grow, offering diverse opportunities to contribute to career-defining work. Join us and be part of a collaborative environment where your ambitions are united with ours, and you can truly shape your story.

If you share that vision, even if you don’t meet every requirement listed, we’d still love to hear from you. We value potential and diverse perspectives as much as experience. Let’s explore how we can support your growth and help you take the next step in your career, while contributing to an exciting new chapter for Mott MacDonald in North America.

We are seeking an experienced Principal Water Engineer to lead the delivery and growth of stormwater, CSO, LTCP and flood risk services across New Jersey, and Eastern Pennsylvania. This role focuses on solving complex flooding, drainage, and resilience challenges for municipal, utility, and infrastructure clients.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in hydrology, hydraulics and NJ regulatory processes. Extensive experience navigating regional regulatory frameworks, and a proven track record delivering large-scale stormwater, flood mitigation, and CSO programs is preferred. This individual will act as a technical leader, client advisor, and mentor, driving high-quality project delivery and supporting strategic growth.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead delivery of stormwater management, flood control, and drainage infrastructure projects, including pump stations, storage systems, and conveyance networks
• Experience with H&H modeling using industry standard tools such as HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, XP-SWMM, InfoWorks ICM, SWMM, and related platforms
• Direct floodplain analysis, watershed studies, and hydraulic system modeling across urban and riverine environments
• Lead permitting and compliance efforts, including:
  • NJDEP Flood Hazard Area (NJAC 7:13)
  • NJ Stormwater Rules (NJAC 7:8)
  • Understanding of NYSDEC and PADEP regulatory processes preferred
  • FEMA/NFIP coordination and floodplain considerations
  • NN Infrastructure Bank (NJEIT) funding
• Serve as the primary liaison with regulatory agencies and stakeholders (NJDEP, FEMA, USACE, local authorities)
• Deliver complex programs such as:
  • Flood mitigation and resilience projects (e.g., floodwalls, pump stations, drainage upgrades)
  • Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) LTCPs and sewer system improvements
• Review and approve engineering designs, reports, specifications, and cost estimates
• Lead project execution, managing scope, schedule, budget, and risk
• Develop innovative, climate-resilient solutions, incorporating future rainfall and flood conditions
• Support business development through client engagement, proposals, and market growth initiatives
• Mentor and develop staff, strengthening capability in stormwater, modeling, and flood risk disciplines

Candidate Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Civil, Environmental, or Water Resources Engineering
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) (NJ required, NY, or PA preferred)
• Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) strongly preferred
• 15+ years of experience in stormwater, drainage, CSO and flood risk engineering
• Advanced experience in hydrologic and hydraulic modeling across complex systems
• Strong background in:
  • Floodplain and floodway analysis
  • Stormwater management design (BMPs, green infrastructure, subsurface systems)
  • Large-scale sewer and drainage network modeling
• Delivery of major infrastructure and resilience projects, such as:
  • Flood mitigation and post storm recovery programs (including FEMA-funded projects)
  • CSO Long Term Control Plans and wastewater system upgrades
  • Urban drainage and transportation-related stormwater systems
• Deep understanding of NJDEP, NYSDEC, and PADEP requirements
• Experience navigating multi-agency permitting and approvals
• Familiarity with FEMA floodplain management and funding requirements
• Proven ability to lead complex, multidisciplinary projects
• Strong client-facing skills with public-sector stakeholders
• Ability to solve complex, non-routine engineering problems

Benefits & Reward

At Mott MacDonald, our employees have a stake and a voice in our business, providing them with a direct connection to our success through our personal and group performance bonuses. We provide a comprehensive benefit package that includes 401k, medical, dental and vision insurance, short-term/long-term disability, paid holidays, PTO, parental leave, and company paid life insurance.

Individual pay is determined based on several factors such as work location, education, experience, and unique skills.

The expected salary for this position is

Collaboration at Our Core
At Mott MacDonald, we believe great ideas happen when we’re together. Our hybrid approach centers on an in-office culture, with most of your time spent collaborating face-to-face and a minimum of three days per week in the office. We balance flexibility with connection, so you and your manager can choose how to meet client, team, and personal commitments.

Equal opportunity is the law.

We seek to promote fair employment procedures and practices to ensure equal opportunities for all. We encourage individual expression in our workplace and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels they have the opportunity to contribute.

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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, creed, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status or disability status.