Senior Mechanical Engineer

Schnabel is an employee-owned, professional engineering and consulting firm that focuses on solving problems related to the earth and environment through specialization in geotechnical, geostructural, tunnel, and dam engineering. Schnabel’s high standards for quality, business ethics, and concern for the communities in which we live are a vital part of who we are. Schnabel is an ENR Top 500 Design Firm with 700+ employees in over 30 offices throughout the United States.

Recognized by CE News as one of the Best Engineering Firms to Work for, Schnabel provides employees with a competitive benefits package including maternity leave, tuition reimbursement for continuing education, health, dental, life and disability insurance and a wellness program. As an employee-owned company, through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Schnabel employees directly benefit from the success of our growing firm.

Benefit options include:

• Medical insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee life & ADD insurance (100% company-paid)
• Short-term disability (100% company-paid)
• Long-term disability
• Supplemental life insurance
• 401(k) and profit-sharing plan
• Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
• Paid time off
• 9 Paid Holidays
• Wellness program
• Professional development and tuition reimbursement

Job Description:

We are seeking an experienced Mechanical Engineer with more than 10 years of experience to support the planning, analysis, design, modernization, and construction of complex hydromechanical systems associated with dams, levees, hydropower facilities, pump stations, fish facilities, water control structures, and other critical water and power infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have expertise in the design and evaluation of hydraulic gates, bulkheads, stoplogs, valves, hoisting systems, penstocks, pump stations, and related mechanical equipment. The selected candidate will collaborate with Schnabel’s Western US Mechanical Practice to build a team that will be capable of winning and completing evaluation and design related services in the relevant areas noted above. The selected candidate will work closely with the leaders of our Hydropower (Powerhouse) Practice.

This position offers the opportunity to work on multidisciplinary projects involving civil, structural, geotechnical, electrical, and water resources engineers. The successful candidate will serve as a technical lead on projects, mentor junior staff, support business development efforts, and provide specialized engineering expertise throughout project execution.

The preferred locations for this position are in the southeastern Pennsylvania Area (e.g., Chadds Ford or Harrisburg areas); Greensboro, NC; or Alpharetta, GA. Other East Coast locations are also possible and will be considered for qualified candidates.

Job Responsibilities:

Technical Leadership

• Lead the mechanical design and evaluation of systems related to various civil infrastructure projects, including dams and levees, hydroelectric facilities, pump stations, intakes, and fish facilities.
• Develop designs for tainter, vertical lift, slide, and roller gates; stoplogs and bulkheads; hydraulic and electric gate hoists; penstocks; butterfly and fixed-cone valves; jet flow, knife, and sluice gates; and pump station mechanical systems.
• Perform engineering analyses including structural and mechanical calculations, equipment sizing and selection, load analysis, hydraulic force evaluation, fatigue and service life assessments, and operating system evaluations.
• Prepare engineering reports, technical memoranda, specifications, and design drawings.
• Conduct condition assessments and inspections of existing hydromechanical equipment.
• Evaluate rehabilitation alternatives and develop recommendations for repair, replacement, or modernization.

Project Delivery

• Serve as a project or discipline lead on multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.
• Coordinate and collaborate with internal and external structural, civil, geotechnical, electrical, mechanical and water resources engineering teams, leveraging Schnabel’s deep bench of senior technical experts for mentoring, peer review, quality assurance and guidance on complex engineering challenges.
• Support permitting, regulatory reviews, and owner coordination.
• Review and respond to contractor submittals, RFIs, manufacturing, supply chain, and field support during successful project execution.
• Participate in factory acceptance testing (FAT), commissioning, and startup activities.
• Travel, as necessary, to support essential functions of the role.

Client and Business Development

• Develop and maintain strong client relationships with public agencies, utilities, contractors, and private owners.
• Assist with proposal preparation, scope development, and fee estimates.
• Participate in project interviews and technical presentations.
• Identify opportunities for expanding mechanical and hydromechanical engineering services.

Mentorship and Quality

• Mentor and train junior engineers and designers.
• Actively engage with senior mechanical engineering staff for technical guidance, peer review, professional development, and the advancement of specialized expertise.
• Actively engage with Dams Business Unit leadership and senior technical staff to advance the state of practice in mechanical engineering, improve project delivery, and foster technical excellence across the company.
• Perform quality reviews of engineering analyses, designs, drawings, and specifications.
• Contribute to the development of technical standards, internal communities of practice, best practice guidance documents, and design guidelines.

Required Skills/Experience:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from an accredited university.
• 10+ years of relevant professional engineering experience.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license and ability to obtain licensure in other jurisdictions through reciprocity.
• Demonstrated experience with the design, analysis, inspection, or rehabilitation of heavy mechanical and hydromechanical systems.
• Project management experience, including the offer and execution phases of projects.
• Experience preparing technical specifications and construction documents.
• Strong understanding of mechanical system design principles, structural behavior of mechanical equipment, materials and corrosion protection systems, welding and fabrication practices, and mechanical equipment installation and commissioning.
• Experience using engineering analysis software and standard design tools.
• Strong technical writing and communication skills.
• Experience in business development to grow mechanical engineering services.
• Confidence and independent decision-making, with a shared sense of responsibility.
• Proven history of business development experience.
• Ability to lead staff and work across business lines in a matrix organization.

Preferred Skills/Experience:

• Master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
• Proven ability to lead a team of mechanical engineers and related technical staff.
• Experience with hydropower, dam, and pump station projects.
• Lead proposals and technical interactions with customers.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to pass a background check which may include criminal history, motor vehicle record and credit check.
• Ability to pass a pre-employment screening.
• Relocation support to an existing Schnabel office may be provided. Role not eligible for remote work.

The compensation range for this position is between $100,000 to $140,000.Compensation for this position may vary based on geographic location and other factors. We remain committed to providing competitive and equitable compensation to all employees, regardless of their location.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.