Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
What is a senior water resources engineer and how to become one
A senior water resources engineer manages all water resources development projects. You would usually work with a team of engineers to plan and deliver projects. Your responsibilities include drawing up budgets, assessing estimates, managing contracts, and ensuring that all project plans align with construction codes and regulations. You will be responsible for training your team, setting up guidelines, collaborating with necessary parties, and preparing contracts. You will also be expected to ensure that project is carried out within the stipulated timeline and according to project specifications. Government agencies usually employ senior water resources engineers to review and plan infrastructural developments related to water resources.
The average Senior Water Resources Engineer earns $43.19 every hour and $89,840 annually. You must possess leadership qualities, communication skills, and attention to detail. Highly rated skills to be included in your resume are project management, civil engineering, Hec-Ras, and GIS. The minimum educational requirement for this level is a bachelor's degree, although a master's degree is always preferred along with experience in the field.
Avg. Salary $84,106
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 6%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.49%
Asian 9.02%
Black or African American 2.25%
Hispanic or Latino 11.27%
Unknown 7.08%
White 69.88%
Genderfemale 7.41%
male 92.59%
Age - 43.5American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43.5Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is challenging
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
Key steps to become a senior water resources engineer
Explore senior water resources engineer education requirements
Start to develop specific senior water resources engineer skills
Skills Percentages Hec Ras 21.88% Project Management 14.49% Civil Engineering 12.97% HEC-RAS 9.75% GIS 9.43% Research senior water resources engineer duties and responsibilities
- Lead technology teams charge with full life cycle development processes involving system requirements and system architecture.
- Analyze the conveyance capacity of existing storm and sanitary sewer systems using XP-SWMM.
- Perform hydraulic and hydrologic analysis for different projects to identify existing flooding problems and develop alternative solutions.
- Conduct extensive research for the NRDC in the application of green infrastructure for the reduction of CSOs in Chicago and Milwaukee.
Apply for senior water resources engineer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a senior water resources engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first senior water resources engineer job
Are you a senior water resources engineer?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average senior water resources engineer salary
The average senior water resources engineer salary in the United States is $84,106 per year or $40 per hour. Senior water resources engineer salaries range between $67,000 and $105,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do senior water resources engineers rate their job?
Senior water resources engineer reviews
Every day is different, I get to analyze data, work with customers, and do specialized projects.
Water can be political and you can easily be ignored for political reasons.
Updated January 8, 2025
