Job Information
Barr Engineering Co. Hydraulic Engineer - Mid Level - Hydropower And Dam Engineer in Denver, Colorado
Job Description:
Summary: The person in this position will work on multidisciplinary project teams providing hydraulic engineering and related technical expertise, primarily for water retaining dams and hydropower facilities. Primary responsibilities will include hydraulic design and analysis of different types of spillways, low-level outlets, and other flow conveyance structures; development of headwater and tailwater rating curves; 1D and 2D flow modeling; sediment transport, erosion, and deposition assessments; design and analysis of energy dissipation structures; report writing; dam safety evaluations; and risk analyses. The work may involve short-term, out-of-town assignments either in the field or in another office. As markets fluctuate, opportunities may also include working on other types of water resource projects such as stormwater infrastructure, flood routing and/or flood risk reduction, or irrigation systems using gates, pumps, and canals.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in civil engineering with an emphasis on hydraulic engineering
5 years of relevant professional experience with an emphasis on hydraulic engineering
Professional Engineer (PE) certification or ability to obtain certification within one year
Experience with hydraulic design of spillways and associated energy dissipation features
Experience with hydraulic design of low-level outlets
Familiarity with a variety of software packages and modeling tools, in particular HEC-RAS 1D and 2D versions and steady and unsteady flow modules
Experience with flood routing, dam breach modeling, and inundation mapping
Familiarity with risk assessment frameworks for dams and hydropower facilities
Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with project team members and clients
Strong technical and problem-solving skills
Attention to detail, accuracy, and completeness
Experience mentoring junior level engineers
A flexible working style as required to meet deadlines and/or client needs
Possession of a valid driver's license and acceptable driving record
Legal authorization to work in the U.S. without the need for sponsorship from Barr, now or in the future
Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree or PhD in civil engineering with an emphasis on hydraulic engineering
6 or more years of relevant professional experience with an emphasis on hydraulic engineering
Experience with water resources challenges in Colorado including precipitation and flooding data analysis; urban and rural hydrologic analysis; storm sewer analysis and design; open channel and pipe flow analysis; hydraulic structures; stormwater quality and green stormwater infrastructure design; bank stabilization and stream restoration; floodplain analysis and mapping; dam break analysis; dam and levee analysis and design
Experience with determination of Inflow Design Floods, including incremental damage analysis
Knowledge of different methodologies for freeboard estimation
Experience with determination of hydraulic loads in spillway and outlet works structures
Experience with the evaluation for the potential for adverse hydraulic conditions in a spillway (e.g., vibration, cavitation damage potential, hydraulic jacking potential, chute wall overtopping, stilling basin sweepout)
Familiarity with methodologies to quantify and mitigate for ice and debris passage through flow conveyance structures
Knowledge of, and experience with relevant software packages including HEC-RAS, SMS, AdH, SRH-2d, OpenFoam, Flow3d, or Ansys Fluent
Knowledge of reservoir sedimentation processes and quantification
Familiarity with scour analysis
Knowledge of and experience using guidelines from established dam safety programs including those from USACE, USBR, or FERC
Observer or participant of a semi-quantitative or quantitative risk analysis s ssion