Coastal Engineer – Coastal Protection & Port Design
About the Opportunity
Disappearing beaches, rising seas, tighter budgets — coastal communities need resilient infrastructure now. As a Coastal Engineer you will mastermind seawalls, breakwaters, ports, and dredging campaigns that balance environmental stewardship with commercial demands. You will guide projects from numerical model to construction drawing, weaving together coastal hydrodynamics, geotechnical insight, and cutting-edge software such as Delft3D and STWAVE. Join a multidisciplinary team that values rigor, creativity, and data-driven decision-making.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop conceptual, preliminary, and final designs for seawalls, breakwaters, revetments, and living shorelines.
- Analyze wave climate, tides, currents, and storm surge using numerical tools (Delft3D, CMS, STWAVE, ACES).
- Conduct sediment transport and beach morphology studies to plan nourishment volumes and schedules.
- Design navigation channels, turning basins, and dredge disposal schemes that satisfy USACE guidance.
- Model port layouts and mooring systems; optimize berth alignment for safety and operational efficiency.
- Quantify coastal flood risk under multiple sea-level rise scenarios and recommend adaptive strategies.
- Prepare technical memoranda, design reports, and drawing packages meeting state, federal, and class requirements.
- Coordinate with structural, geotechnical, and environmental specialists to integrate holistic solutions.
- Present findings to public agencies, port authorities, and community stakeholders.
- Mentor junior engineers and review their calculations, fostering a culture of continuous learning.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Coastal, or Ocean Engineering (Master’s preferred).
- 5+ years of hands-on coastal design experience in North America.
- Proficiency with Delft3D, CMS-Wave, STWAVE, ACES, and AutoCAD (Civil 3D or MicroStation a plus).
- Strong foundation in wave mechanics, sediment transport, and geotechnical principles.
- Demonstrated success delivering projects for USACE, port authorities, or dredging contractors.
- Advanced written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex analyses into clear recommendations.
- Eligibility to work in the United States and obtain security clearance when required.
Preferred Skills
- PE license or ability to gain licensure within 12 months.
- Experience with coastal habitat restoration or nature-based solutions.
- Familiarity with ADCIRC, SWAN, or XBeach models.
- Working knowledge of BIM workflows and scripting (Python, MATLAB) for data automation.
- Public-facing presentation experience at permitting hearings or technical conferences.
Tools & Technologies
- Delft3D, CMS-Wave, STWAVE, ACES.
- AutoCAD Civil 3D, GIS, HEC-RAS.
- MATLAB, Python, Excel VBA for custom post-processing.
- Cloud platforms for remote numerical simulations.
Career Growth
Your portfolio will span iconic shoreline defenses, modernized ports, and eco-friendly beach restorations. You will shape guidelines for next-generation resilience while advancing toward senior technical leadership, project management, or practice development roles — all within a culture that supports hybrid and fully remote arrangements.