Water Resources Engineer

Water Resources Engineer

Are you ready to be part of a dynamic, diverse, and driven team who step together toward challenges and who strive to continually improve processes and outcomes? We are a well-funded, mission-driven public service agency who work at the interface of risk-reduction/infrastructure-protection and habitat restoration along major rivers throughout King County and we are looking for a talented Water Resources Engineer to join our team. You will have a chance to work on challenging flood hazard identification and mapping projects in locations spanning from steep rivers of the Cascade Mountains to tidally influenced lowlands. These projects are a diverse and technically challenging body of work.

In addition to the current opening, this recruitment may be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to fill future TLT Engineer II positions throughout the Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) over the next six (6) months.

About the Role: We are seeking to hire a Water Resources Engineer (Engineer II) to join the countywide Technical Services team working on water bodies throughout King County. This position is within the Water & Land Resources Division in the River and Floodplain Management Section. This team is focused on identifying and mapping flood hazards, reviewing hydraulic and hydrologic studies, and supporting other work of the River and Floodplain Management Program including our seasonal Flood Warning program, flood risk planning and communications, structural protection of public infrastructure and agency and community partnerships to limit development in flood risk areas.

This position provides excellent opportunities to apply and further develop your engineering skills including 1D- and 2D-hydraulic modeling, hydrologic and GIS analyses, and to conduct research including gathering technical information and field data. You will use your skills to support flood hazard identification and mapping, review of project proposals for flood risk reduction and habitat restoration and assist with floodplain mapping projects and related assignments. You will be working with senior hydraulic engineers on floodplain mapping, floodplain development review, and consultant contracted projects to serve King County residents, community partners and tribes while coordinating with local, state and federal agencies such as Seattle Public Utilities, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, USGS and US Army Corps of Engineers. In your work, you will collaborate with other engineers, geologists, planners, ecologists and you will have the opportunity to collaborate and build relationships with other county divisions and departments, landowners and members of the community.

You will work with myriad sources and types of data including precipitation, stormwater and streamflow data, various surface elevations, topographic data from lidar and PLS surveys, GIS point, line and raster data, and model files from 1D- and 2D-HEC RAS, SRH 2D, HSPF, and other hydrologic and hydraulic model types. You will have the opportunity to receive training to learn and become proficient in new models, updated versions of existing models, new platforms of GIS (ArcGIS Enterprise and ArcGIS Online), and data analysis in GIS, statistics, and other relevant software. Your duties will make you familiar with the King County Surface Water Design Manual, King County flood code and related regulatory requirements. You will receive Swiftwater Awareness, First Aid and CPR training, and be expected to participate in seasonal Flood Warning Center and Flood Patrol operations during your tenure with RFMS.

In the wake of historic flooding in December 2025, we have a greater need to provide technical support to numerous flood risk reduction programs and projects around King County. This 3-year temporary position will immediately make a difference by supporting floodplain engineers who provide expertise to the River and Floodplain Management Program, Water and Land Resources Division and other King County Departments delivering quality work on time for new and on-going projects and programs. This position follows a hybrid work model, blending remote and in-person work.

About the Team: The Technical Services Unit in the River and Floodplain Management Section is a team of subject matter experts in hydrology, hydraulics, geomorphology, geology, flood and geohazard identification, and King County's Flood Warning Program. We work at the intersection of water, sediment and people to help keep residents informed and keep people, property and infrastructure safe from flood hazards. We work across the 80+ staff River and Floodplain Management Program, the primary service provider to the King County Flood Control District and stay up to date on the latest analytical tools, approaches and applications to inform flood risk. From floodplain and channel migration zone mapping to hazard mitigation like home elevations and the 60+-year-old Flood Warning Program, Tech Services staff specialize in finding solutions to ambiguous, complicated questions. We gather, manage, interpret and store large amounts of data including Lidar, aerial ortho-imagery, drone imagery, and field data, collaborate with our partners and contractors to work efficiently and share our results with the public. The work King County performs along its major rivers is at the forefront of developing and implementing innovative, multi-benefit solutions addressing today's environmental, river management and habitat challenges.

The Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD) is at the forefront of King County's efforts to protect and restore clean water and healthy habitat and strengthen the resilience of communities, environment, and infrastructure in the face of climate change. We are a dedicated workforce of more than 450 supported by an annual budget of ~$280 million. WLRD has a strong track record of developing innovative strategies to protect working farms and forests, restore habitat, improve water quality, and provide county residents with equitable access to green space. We house the Land Conservation Initiative, which aims to preserve our last, most important lands. Our forestry and agricultural programs help individuals protect their lands and support local food production. We house four salmon recovery forums where we collaborate with scores of partners to plan, design, and build habitat projects. We partner with regional jurisdictions to help residents and businesses reduce the threats posed by production, use, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials. We are the primary service provider to the King County Flood Control District, contributing to flood preparedness and constructing and maintaining facilities that restore rivers and reduce risk. Our one true local service to unincorporated King County is stormwater management, protecting water quality, reducing flooding, and building and maintaining facilities. Finally, we provide regional science and laboratory services to an array of customers, maintaining high-quality data sets used to assess water quality and habitat trends, and provide Best Available Science to inform decision making. In two words, we are a watershed utility.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice: King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Water Resources Engineer, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Water and Land Resource Division of King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP). Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.

Job Duties

What You Will Be Doing:

1. Assist senior staff in various work assignments including hydrologic analyses, 1D and 2D hydraulic modeling, and GIS analysis.
2. Act as task manager of floodplain mapping projects to assist with production of maps, profiles and floodplain elevations for various FEMA and non-FEMA studies.
3. Research, organize and assess technical information. Coordinate the preparation of technical documents.
4. Review of work for floodplain compliance. Review hydraulic modeling inputs, outputs and model parameters.
5. Plan, develop and implement field data collection for projects.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Qualifications You Bring:

• Bachelors in civil engineering or equivalent with an intermediate level of experience in hydraulic modeling of natural systems.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of open channel hydraulics, river mechanics, and/or floodplain management.
• Strong working knowledge of HEC-RAS-1D, -2D, and ArcGIS Pro.
• Demonstrated strong oral and written communications skills.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively on a team and also independently to accomplish tasks with minimal supervision.

Competencies You Bring:

• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.
• Values Differences: Recognizing the value that different perspectives and cultures bring to an organization.
• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.
• Nimble Learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.
• Tech Savvy: Anticipating and adopting innovations in business- building digital and technology applications.
• Manages Ambiguity: Operating effectively, even when things are not certain, or the