Principal, Hydrotechnical

PRI Engineering Corp. is an independent, Canadian-owned multidisciplinary engineering and environmental consulting firm of roughly 150 professionals across eleven offices in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. We are hiring a Principal, Hydrotechnical to lead the technical side of our Hydrotechnical practice as we grow toward a national firm of 300.Dams and mining are central to this role. The practice delivers Dam Safety Reviews, dam safety inspections, inflow design flood and dam breach assessments, and dam design and construction support for water retention dams, hydropower and diversion structures, and tailings storage facilities. Alongside that sits flood hazard mapping and river engineering, debris flow and steep creek hazards, municipal stormwater and drainage planning, coastal work, water supply and reservoirs, and fish passage design.Clients include mining and energy companies, municipalities, provincial and federal agencies, First Nations, and developers.You will be the senior technical authority the team turns to, the mentor who develops EITs into registered professionals, and the person who ensures every deliverable stands up to regulatory and professional scrutiny. Our sector VPs own client relationships and growth. You carry no sales target.What you’ll do
Act as senior technical authority for the practice, with oversight of complex and high-consequence work across all officesOwn technical review and professional sign-off on dam safety reports, hydraulic and hydrologic models, flood hazard mapping, drainage designs, and calculationsLead and seal Dam Safety Reviews and inspections, and act as, or support, Engineer of Record for dams and tailings storage facilitiesDirect inflow design flood and PMF analysis, dam breach and inundation mapping, consequence classification, spillway and outlet works design, OMS manuals, and Emergency Preparedness PlansDesign and assess embankment (earth-fill and rock-fill) and concrete (gravity, arch, buttress, RCC) dams across energy and mining, including upstream, downstream, and centreline tailings raises, working closely with our Geotechnical practiceLead mine water management: site-wide water balance, diversions, tailings facility hydrology, and closure drainage and spillwaysDirect flood hazard mapping, river engineering, debris flow assessment, and stormwater master planningOwn the practice’s technical standards, modelling and checking protocols, and quality management systemMentor engineers, EITs, and technologists across offices and support them toward P.Eng. with EGBC, APEGA, and PEOManage utilization and workload planning with sector VPs and Project Managers, and lead recruitment and succession for key technical rolesProvide technical strategy and content on major pursuits and act as a trusted advisor to clientsChampion 2D and 3D hydraulic modelling, LiDAR terrain analysis, and AI-enabled hydrologic tools while safeguarding engineering judgmentStandards you’ll work to
CDA Dam Safety Guidelines and Technical Bulletins (including the mining dams bulletin);
BC Dam Safety Regulation and EGBC guidelines for legislated Dam Safety Reviews and flood assessments;
Alberta Dam and Canal Safety Directive;
Ontario Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act and MNR dam technical bulletins;
GISTM and the MAC Tailings and OMS Guides;
HSRC for Mines in BC;
and the federal Fisheries Act.What you bring
Required
P.Eng. in good standing with EGBC, or eligible for registration;
APEGA or PEO registration a strong assetBachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering with a water resources or hydrotechnical focusMinimum 12 years of hydrotechnical experience with a record of sealing consequential workDirect experience leading and sealing Dam Safety Reviews and inspections, and working knowledge of the CDA guidelines and the dam safety regulations of at least one of BC, Alberta, or OntarioMinimum 5 years of technical or team leadershipDeep knowledge of hydrology, open channel hydraulics, flood hazard mapping, river engineering, and Canadian codes and guidelinesWillingness to travel to project and mine sites, including remote, fly-in, or camp-based workExcellent communication skills and a commitment to technical excellence and public safetyPreferred
Engineer of Record experience for dams or tailings facilities;
familiarity with GISTM and the MAC Tailings GuideMine water management experience, including water balance and closure drainageSpecialization in hydropower, fish passage, coastal engineering, steep creek hazards, or climate adaptationHEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, SRH-2D, MIKE, or PCSWMM, plus GIS-based floodplain mappingExperience building quality systems, technical standards, or training programs;
multi-jurisdictional experience across BC, Alberta, and OntarioWhy PRI
Technical leaders lead technically;
sector VPs own the commercial sideDam safety, mine water, and flood work with real public-safety consequenceOne team across Geotechnical, Civil, Environmental, and Geomatics on tailings and dam projectsInvestment in 2D and 3D modelling, remote sensing, AI-enabled tools, and your professional developmentCompetitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and a seat at the table as the firm grows to 300PRI is an equal-opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates and particularly encourage applications from Indigenous professionals. Apply with a resume and a short note on the dam safety work you have sealed.
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