Stormwater Project Engineer

Project Engineer – Water Resources / Drainage Design

Chicago, IL

Orion Group has been exclusively retained by a leading employee-owned civil engineering consulting firm to identify a Project Engineer for its growing Chicago-area operation.

This is an exceptional opportunity to join a highly respected infrastructure engineering organization with a long history of delivering critical transportation and municipal projects throughout the Midwest. The Chicago office serves as a key center for some of the firm's most significant infrastructure pursuits, working closely with state DOTs, tollway authorities, municipalities, and public agencies on projects that make a lasting impact on communities across the region.

The firm offers a collaborative, employee-focused culture, ESOP ownership, strong technical leadership, and genuine opportunities for long-term career advancement.

As a Project Engineer, you will play a critical role in the planning, analysis, and design of water resources and drainage infrastructure projects. Serving as a technical lead within your discipline, you will collaborate with Project Managers and multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative solutions for municipal and transportation clients.

This role provides the opportunity to lead technical efforts, mentor junior engineers, and contribute to a diverse portfolio of roadway drainage, floodplain management, and stormwater infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct hydrologic and hydraulic analyses of floodplains, floodways, bridge crossings, and culvert systems.
• Evaluate flood-prone areas, identify challenges, develop alternatives, and design effective solutions.
• Analyze and design stormwater conveyance, detention, storage, and water quality best management practices for municipal and transportation projects.
• Design erosion and sediment control measures.
• Serve as the technical lead on assigned projects while coordinating engineering activities with project teams.
• Prepare engineering calculations, reports, plans, specifications, quantity estimates, and construction details.
• Collaborate closely with roadway, structural, and other engineering disciplines on multidisciplinary projects.
• Review and quality-check engineering work completed by team members.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with clients, agencies, and project stakeholders.
• Mentor and support the development of junior engineering staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from an accredited university.
• Approximately 8–12 years of relevant engineering experience.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• Indiana PE license preferred.
• Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) designation is a plus.
• Strong technical capabilities and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience with hydrologic and hydraulic modeling software, including HEC-RAS and SWMM.
• Experience supporting municipal and/or highway drainage design projects.
• Proficiency with MicroStation; AutoCAD experience is advantageous.
• Valid driver's license required.

What's on Offer

• Employee ownership through a well-established ESOP program.
• Exposure to complex and high-profile infrastructure projects.
• Strong career development opportunities and leadership visibility.
• Collaborative and supportive engineering culture.
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package.

Orion Group Partner Plus is managing this search on an exclusive retained basis. All inquiries will be handled with strict confidentiality.


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Orion Group was founded in 1987 and is now one of the largest, independent, international recruitment companies. We have a network of 200 employees working from 24 offices, delivering a range of services – Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Outsourcing Services, Retained Search, Global Workforce Solutions, Completions & Commissioning and Materials Management – across 68 countries. As a global leader in workforce solutions, we recruit personnel across the Engineering & Technical, Office & Commercial, Scientific and Skilled Trades disciplines, for sectors including Oil & Gas, Life Science, Power & Utilities, Constructions & Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Renewables.