Water Resources Engineer

About Us

Northwest Hydraulic Consultants (NHC) is an international firm of civil engineers and geoscientists providing professional services for the development, management, and protection of water resources.  A career at NHC has you working within a specialized team of geoscientists, water resources engineers, hydrologists, surveyors, field technicians, and GIS specialists.

About the Role

NHC’s Olympia, WA team is looking for a dynamic early-career engineer with a strong background in hydrology and hydraulics and enthusiasm for developing water resources solutions for rivers and streams throughout the Pacific Northwest.

At NHC, you will work closely with experienced engineers and scientists—often as part of multi-disciplinary teams—to perform hydrologic, hydraulic, and geomorphic analysis and design for projects related to fish passage, stream restoration, infrastructure protection, floodplain management, watershed and stormwater planning, reservoir operations, and climate resilience. Work assignments may include field assessment of streams and rivers, data analysis, numerical hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, engineering design, and preparation of engineering reports.

Required Skills and Experience:

  • Strong technical background in engineering hydrology and hydraulics.
  • Professional experience working on surface water projects.
  • Demonstrated experience completing complex technical assignments in a team environment.
  • The ability to define problems, prioritize tasks, and meet agreed upon timelines.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • High technical standards and a commitment to delivering high quality work products.
  • Professional Engineer (PE) license in Washington or ability to obtain one within one year.

Minimum Qualifications

  • B.S. degree in civil/water resources engineering or a closely related field (advanced degree preferred)
  • 3 – 5 years of relevant post-Bachelor’s experience
  • Legal eligibility to work in the United States: U.S. citizen or current visa/work permit

Great Reasons to Join Us

We are different. NHC is an independent, employee-owned company. Our structure is horizontal, not top-down, and our primary focus is helping clients design and implement project-specific solutions to water resource issues.

NHC was founded in 1972 by engineers with a specialized technical background and unique focus. As we continue to grow and evolve, we remain committed to the independent culture that has shaped our consulting practice for over 50 years. Today, we offer more than 250 dedicated employees based out of 14 offices in the western US, Canada, southeast Asia, and South America. Our physical hydraulic modeling operations are the largest in western North America and remain instrumental in our ability to test and refine location-specific approaches to every solution we design.

Apply Today!

NHC offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including annual performance-based bonuses.

Salary: $85,000 – $100,000 annual (full-time)

Benefits (effective upon date of hire):

  • Full healthcare coverage including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
  • Flexible spending account, Health Savings account, or Health Reimbursement account
  • Employer-provided benefit allowance
  • Wellness incentives
  • Voluntary supplemental insurance
  • Family-friendly benefits and work/life balance
  • Paid vacation, sick leave, and holiday time
  • 401(k) with employer contributions
  • Professional development opportunities
  • Free snacks and beverages
  • Free Costco membership

View full benefits offered here.

NHC’s success has always depended on our creative and productive employees. We celebrate and welcome a diverse community of employees and foster their professional development and well-being. NHC is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

To be considered for the position, please complete the form below. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

Job Type: Full Time
Job Location: Olympia
App Year: 2025

Application for Employment

Important information to know before filling out an application for employment with Northwest Hydraulic Consultants Inc. (NHC):

1. All required areas of the application must be filled out completely and accurately.
2. If you are offered a position with NHC, be aware that we may verify all of the information that you have entered on the application, as well as your resume. If there is a discrepancy in your information, the job offer may be withdrawn. It is important to be sure that what you have entered is correct.
3. If you have any questions about completing the application, please indicate it in the Additional Information section.
4. This application will remain active for 120 days and you must renew the application after that time period to be considered for other job openings.

Applicant Acknowledgement:
By typing my name in the field below, I acknowledge that I have read and understand the importance of supplying accurate information on the application. I am also aware of the possibility of an offer of employment being withdrawn if any of the information is not correct.

NHC is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, race, color, religion, national origin, mental or physical disability, marital status, uniformed services status or any other classification protected by law. No application will be rejected as a result of a disability that, with reasonable accommodation, does not prevent performance of the essential job duties. Please complete all required fields.

5. I understand that no offer or promise of employment has been made by completion of this application.

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