Water Resources/Agricultural Engineer

Larry Walker Associates is seeking a Water Resources Engineer/Agricultural Engineer to support groundwater and water resources projects throughout California. This role is ideal for a motivated engineer or hydrogeologist with more than 4 years of experience in water resources and an interest in working directly with groundwater sustainability agencies and agricultural clients. The successful candidate will contribute to technical analysis, engineering design, project planning, and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform technical analyses including groundwater modeling, water budget development, and irrigation efficiency studies
• Support the design and evaluation of surface water conveyance, distribution systems, Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR), Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR), and other water supply infrastructure
• Conduct field work including well monitoring, sensor installation and maintenance, and equipment calibration
• Prepare technical and regulatory reports, write grant applications, be proficient in water resource and agricultural engineering calculations, and prepare presentations
• Attend client and project team meetings, assist with proposal preparation, scopes of work, and budgets

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Civil Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Hydrologic Sciences, Environmental Engineering, or a closely related field
• 4 years of professional experience in water resources engineering, hydrogeology, or agricultural engineering
• Familiarity with California water resources, including groundwater management, irrigation systems, and SGMA
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience in GIS, data analysis tools (e.g., Python or R), and hydraulic modeling software
• Willingness to travel as needed

Highly Desirable Skills and Qualifications

• Professional registration (e.g., PG, CHG, PE) in California is highly desired
• Experience with irrigation districts, water districts, groundwater sustainability agencies, or agricultural clients
• Experience or coursework in irrigation system design, surface water conveyance, MAR/ASR project planning, or groundwater recharge and banking
• Familiarity with California regulatory programs such as SGMA, WDRs, ILRP, CV-SALTS
• Familiarity with California water data systems (DWR, GAMA, CIMIS, OpenET, DDW, CEDEN) and/or agricultural water management tools
• Excellent work ethic, self-directed, and highly motivated
• Valid driver's license

What We Offer

• LWA's total compensation package includes a competitive salary, an annual bonus program, a fully funded profit-sharing retirement program, a full range of health benefit offerings (including medical, dental, vision, life, and long-time disability insurance), flexible paid vacation time, paid sick leave, 10 paid holidays a year, and an annual training budget which includes conference attendance and support to obtain professional licensure.
• Our company is organized into self-directed teams that provide opportunities for employees to take responsibility for their own career path, work on diverse and interesting projects, and assume leadership roles from day one. Technical staff are directly involved in project leadership, client engagement, and strategic decision-making.
• LWA is committed to our values of passion for excellence, caring, building meaningful relationships, forward thinking, and serving the public good, and our successful employees embody the behaviors that support those values. We are known for taking great care of our clients and employees alike.

Estimated Annualized Compensation Including Bonuses

$90,000 to $125,000 depending on experience and skillset.

About Larry Walker Associates

Larry Walker Associates (LWA) is a small, family-owned environmental engineering and consulting firm based in Davis, California with regional offices in Berkeley, San Diego, Santa Monica, Ventura, Yreka, and Seattle. Our Groundwater team currently supports GSP implementation in 15 basins across California and has led the development of 5 GSPs, with expertise ranging from numerical modeling and groundwater recharge to basin-scale water quality planning under CV-SALTS. LWA is a Certified Evergreen® company and was recognized by the Tugboat Institute as one of the 2025 Best Evergreen Companies for our commitment to long-term purpose, a people-first culture, and sustainable growth. LWA is privately held, built to last, and focused on serving the public good, including its employees, clients, and communities. As an Evergreen® business, LWA is committed to upholding the Evergreen 7Ps® principles: Purpose, Perseverance, People First, Private, Profit, Paced Growth, and Pragmatic Innovation.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Larry Walker Associates is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants are considered for all positions based on experience and education, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, medical condition, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, reproductive health decision-making, genetic information/characteristics, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy governs all aspects of employment including recruiting, hiring, job assignment, promotion, compensation, training, access to benefits, discipline, and termination.