How to hire a senior water resources engineer

How to hire a senior water resources engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior water resources engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior water resources engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior water resources engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior water resources engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The senior water resources engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A senior water resources engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior water resources engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of senior water resources engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Water Resources Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Water Resources Engineer	Natural sciences managers supervise the work of scientists, including chemists, physicists, and biologists. They direct activities related to research and development, and coordinate activities such as testing, quality control, and production.	$32-50
   Water Resource Project Manager	A water resource project manager administers a water quality monitoring network, nutrient or irrigation efficiency management initiative, and static water level program. Water resource project managers establish regulations and rules for the management and protection of drinking water quality... Show more	$32-55

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hec Ras
   • Project Management
   • Civil Engineering
   • HEC-RAS
   • GIS
   • Business Development
   • Technical Reports
   • Cost Estimates
   • Conveyance
   • Construction Management
   • Geotechnical
   • Water Resources
   • Hydraulic Structures
   • FEMA

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Perform regularly schedule maintenance boilers, heaters, pumps and HVAC equipment such as filter changes, greasing, etc.

   More senior water resources engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior water resources engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A senior water resources engineer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, senior water resources engineers' average salary in hawaii is 34% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior water resources engineers earn 36% less than senior-level senior water resources engineers.
   • Certifications. A senior water resources engineer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a senior water resources engineer's salary.

   Average senior water resources engineer salary

   $84,106yearly

   $40.44 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior water resources engineer salary

   $67,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average senior water resources engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$102,632	$49
   2	New York	$98,132	$47
   3	Massachusetts	$97,413	$47
   4	Ohio	$95,366	$46
   5	Kansas	$93,358	$45
   6	Utah	$92,246	$44
   7	North Dakota	$92,183	$44
   8	Maryland	$86,598	$42
   9	Oregon	$86,488	$42
   10	Colorado	$85,632	$41
   11	North Carolina	$81,017	$39
   12	Wyoming	$79,509	$38
   13	Florida	$73,141	$35
   14	Texas	$72,174	$35
   15	Maine	$71,856	$35
   16	Illinois	$71,541	$34
   17	Louisiana	$71,388	$34
   18	Missouri	$71,383	$34
   19	Georgia	$69,404	$33

   Average senior water resources engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Berkshire Hathaway	$97,135	$46.70
   2	Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance	$93,103	$44.76	7
   3	Chattanooga, TN	$90,067	$43.30
   4	GSI Water Solutions	$88,701	$42.64
   5	Amec Foster Wheeler	$88,613	$42.60
   6	URS E&C Holdings Inc	$88,613	$42.60
   7	Northwest Hydraulic Consultants	$88,549	$42.57
   8	Woods Services	$88,339	$42.47
   9	Sutron	$88,037	$42.33
   10	Snc-lavalin Project Services, Inc.	$87,187	$41.92
   11	Contech Engineered Solutions	$87,000	$41.83
   12	System One	$85,390	$41.05	9
   13	GRW Engineering	$84,545	$40.65	10
   14	Geosyntec Consultants	$84,398	$40.58	18
   15	Wsp USA Buildings Inc.	$83,310	$40.05	68
   16	PRIME AE Group	$83,254	$40.03
   17	Dewberry	$83,172	$39.99	43
   18	Stantec	$83,087	$39.95	259
   19	ms consultants	$82,868	$39.84
   20	David Evans and Associates	$82,693	$39.76

4. Writing a senior water resources engineer job description

   A job description for a senior water resources engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a senior water resources engineer job description:

   Senior water resources engineer job description example

   • Minimum 15 years of relevant experience to be considered
   • Bachelor or master's degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering from an ABET-accredited college or university
   • Professional engineering registration (home state) with the ability to gain in multiple states

   • Travel within United States at approximately 25% of the time
   • Exposure and understanding of likely climate change effects on infrastructure and stormwater management systems

   Modeling/Design Software Knowledge:

   • Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
   • AutoDesk (Civil 3D, SSA, Hydraflow)
   • ArcGIS (extensions including 3D Analyst, Spatial Analyst, ArcHydro a plus)
   • SWMM (EPA, XP, PC)
   • HEC Software (RAS, HMS, etc.)
   • ICPR
   • Water Quality models (e.g. SWMM, QUAL2K, WASP, etc.)

   Benefits:

   • Holiday Pay
   • Paid Time Off
   • 401K
   • Medical and Dental
   • Click Here for Full Benefits Information

   If this sounds like the role for you and you're ready to join an innovative, forward-thinking team, please apply.

   #LI-PW1 Water Resource Engineer; AutoDesk; ArcGIS; SWMM; ICPR

   The Team

   Our aviation experts are recognized industry leaders who provide cutting-edge solutions shaping the future of aviation in five service areas: airfields, buildings, planning, environmental planning, and environmental stewardship and resiliency. From the largest hubs to the smallest general aviation airports, commercial to private, you can assist aviation systems that serve communities around the world. Recognizing that water resources engineering is an essential element of sustainability and resiliency, you will have the opportunity to improve how airports interact with the environment and their surrounding community. All of this while working closely with our highly skilled team of airfield and terminal planners and designers who work side-by-side with our airport clients to create a stronger, more resilient aviation system.

   The Company

   RS&H provides fully integrated architecture, engineering, and consulting services to help clients realize their most complex facility and infrastructure projects for land, air, and space. We are committed to bringing extraordinary solutions to our clients through the promise of imagination, ingenuity, and innovation. With a tradition of excellence that began in 1941, we are consistently ranked among the nation's top 100 design firms. We attribute our success to an unwavering commitment to our core values of: integrity, quality service, business success and valuing associates.

   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, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.

   Pursuant to the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, RS&H will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories.

   Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right senior water resources engineer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with senior water resources engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit senior water resources engineers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior water resources engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit senior water resources engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with senior water resources engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior water resources engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior water resources engineer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new senior water resources engineer first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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