Senior Hydrotechnical Engineer

Senior Hydrotechnical Engineer

Vancouver, BC

KCB is a multidisciplinary engineering, geoscience, and environmental consulting firm grounded in our values of Passion, Integrity , and Excellence . With teams across North America, South America, Australasia, and Europe, we bring together global technical knowledge, local insight, and a shared commitment to solving complex challenges that matter.

Today's challenges demand more than just technical knowledge; they require collaboration, creativity, and a deep understanding of the communities, industries, and environments that we support. At KCB, our team collaborates across regions and disciplines to bring practical thinking, technical excellence, and diverse perspectives to every project.

We are problem-solvers at heart. Our teams bring passion to complex challenges, integrity to every client relationship and excellence to the solutions we deliver for communities, industries, and future generations.

Guided by our long‑term ambition of Globally Connected Excellence and our purpose of Sustaining the Future, we work alongside our clients to deliver lasting solutions that strengthen resilience and benefit future generations.

The Opportunity:

KCB's Power and Transportation Group is seeking a Senior Hydrotechnical Engineer to join our Vancouver office. In this role, you will lead hydrodynamic modeling, fluid‑structure interaction studies, transient analysis and advanced numerical simulations that guide the planning, design, and assessment of water infrastructure.

The ideal candidiate will have a strong background in the design of large hydro and water control dams and appurtenant structures and a broad knowledge of other related disciplines, including dam safety reviews and condition assessments. Site experience for hydro projects (domestically and internationally) is preferred.

This is a hybrid position working mostly in our Vancouver office for a minimum of 3 days a week.

What you would engage in:

• Leading and collaborating with diverse teams of discipline engineers, designers, and drafters from conceptual design through preliminary and final design and construction support.
• Acting as a technical resource within the project team(s).
• Providing progress reports to Clients and to senior management at regular intervals
• Attending site visits, gathering information as required to complement the related design activities.
• Leading dam safety reviews, either as a discipline or overall lead.
• Communicating and collaborating with clients in a professional manner.
• Complying with company‑established quality management systems throughout a project and suggesting/implementing improvements as appropriate.
• Business and professional development activities such as conference attendance and training.
• Developing and mentoring younger members of the project teams.

What We Require

• Registration as a Professional Engineer in British Columbia or be eligible to register.
• Master's or PhD degree in Hydrotechnical or Civil Engineering.
• 10-15 years of hydrotechnical experience in consulting or owner/operator settings.
• Proficiency with CFD tools such as Flow 3D.
• Experience leading and conducting transient hydraulic and CFD analyses
• Business development experience e.g., writing, and leading proposals.
• Strong technical knowledge and design capabilities in civil engineering, specifically related to dams, from feasibility to detailed design.
• Have large conventional hydro and pump storage experience (i.e., over 50−100 MW).
• Ability to interface with other disciplines and understand the geotechnical, civil‑structural, and mechanical design aspects and drawings of a project.
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to work effectively within a multi‑disciplinary team of professionals and with Clients.
• Proven record of project management and client management.
• Effective verbal and written communications skills in English, with demonstrated competent report writing skills.
• Construction site experience.
• Experience performing dam safety reviews and inspections.
• The capability to manage $1Million+ projects.

Nice to Have:

• Professional registrations in other provinces and the US would be an asset.
• French or Spanish proficiency would be an asset.
• Experience in hydrology would be an asset.

The expected salary for this position is $120,000 to $180,000 per year. Compensation above this range may be considered for candidates with significant experience or specialized expertise. The actual salary offered is based on an individual assessment of applicable experience, education, and skill level.

Along with continued career development, KCB offers:

• Hybrid work opportunities
• Annual performance and salary review
• Vacation policy that aligns to your experience
• Paid OT, and sick days
• Flexible benefits, including RRSP, social, and mental well‑being initiatives
• Dedication to World Economic Forum’s “Four Pillars” of Environment Social Governance framework, Governance, People, Planet and Prosperity

We are a global mid‑size organization committed to developing a respectful workplace founded on the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We strive to be a workplace where our employees, clients, and the communities in the regions we operate, feel valued and are treated equitable. We respect the uniqueness that makes you, you. We encourage applications from all qualified career seekers, regardless of gender, sex, religion, or nationality.

To learn more about projects you could be a part of check out Projects - KCB (klohn.com) for more details.

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