Position Overview

Balance Hydrologics (Balance) seeks highly motivated Restoration Design Engineers to join our team of hydrologists, geomorphologists, and engineers in our Truckee and Santa Cruz offices. We are looking for team members with approximately 8+ years of work experience, a passion for watershed hydrology, open channel hydraulics, stream and wetland restoration, and nature-based and regenerative design.

Who We Are

Balance is a specialized firm, recognized as being a leader in the analysis of watershed, channel, groundwater and wetland dynamics. We have a collegial and collaborative environment where our engineers, hydrologists, and geomorphologists are committed to delivering successful project results through in-depth analyses. Most investigations are designed to measure and control the effects of specific land uses on aquatic, riparian, or wetland habitat values. Our emphasis is on using multiple lines of field, analytical, historical, and regional evidence to provide practical solutions, sometimes with constrained time and resources. Pragmatically, most projects are a combination of field trials, streamflow and sediment transport measurement, supplemented by numerical modeling historical analyses.

We celebrate the differences—age, color, physical ability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, language, national origin, race, religion, veteran status, and other characteristics—that make each of us unique.

Who You Are

Working with Balance staff and specialists from other firms, you will apply expertise in hydrology, hydraulics, environmental fluid mechanics, storm water management, and engineering design to projects covering a wide range of water resources analysis and design challenges. You will carry out assessments of channel design and stability, as well as modeling of watershed processes and environmental hydrodynamics. Assignments may involve field and analytical elements, plus coordination with consultants in other disciplines and regulatory agency professionals. You enjoy working outdoors, and you have experience in scientific data collection, possibly topographic and/or bathymetric surveying, stream gauging, sediment studies, or other related skills.

Your Responsibilities with Balance

Balance seeks a candidate with experience including but not limited to the following:

• Working independently and collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Successfully managing complex engineering design projects through implementation.
• Managing project schedules and budgets by assigning and reviewing tasks completed by colleagues and subcontractors.
• Responsibility for project financial performance, material needs, client relations and team morale.
• Supervising junior engineering staff.
• Clearly and concisely communicating, both orally and in writing, basic technical information to individuals and small groups.
• Presenting aspects of a project to the public, regulatory staff, or clients.
• Planning, scheduling, and conducting the technical aspects of multiple projects in collaboration with principals and clients.
• Preparing proposals, work plans, and project budgets for client review.
• Being accountable for the successful execution and completion of engineering projects.
• Effectively managing and completing tasks or projects which may take several years for approval and implementation.
• Drafting stream and wetland restoration construction documents using Civil3D software and developing the associated specifications and cost estimates.
• Building, calibrating, and analyzing hydrologic and hydraulic models in HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, and a variety of other software packages.
• QA/QC hydrologic and hydraulic models in HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, and a variety of other software packages.
• Incorporating geomorphology with applications in stream restoration design and developing channel management strategies.
• Analyzing watershed characteristics with GIS software and preparing figures to communicate findings.
• Studying drainage of project sites—both in wildland and urban environments—including design of detention systems and hydraulic structures and preparing drainage reports.
• Maintaining outside professional activities (such as presentations or publications) or community involvement.
• Performing construction and post-construction monitoring activities.
• Budget monitoring and trend tracking.
• Participating in client/contractor meetings and resolving client/engineering and management project issues.
• Effectively communicating with clients.
• Providing technical and design report writing.

Skills and Competencies:

• Strong background in hydrology, fluvial geomorphology, and sediment transport.
• Proficiency in data collection and processing.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work outdoors in challenging conditions.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

Education/Experience/Licensing:

• Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited engineering program (Master’s preferred); and
• 8+ years with hydrology, hydraulics, environmental fluid mechanics, storm water management, and engineering design experience.
• Certification as a Professional Engineer (PE) in California