Environmental Engineer / Water Resources Modeler

Tetra Tech is seeking an experienced Environmental Engineer/Water Resources Modeler for its Ecological Analytics and Modeling team in Durham, NC. The role involves watershed modeling, water quality analysis, and water resources planning. Candidates should have a degree in environmental or civil engineering and over 10 years of relevant experience. Responsibilities include developing hydrologic models, analyzing environmental data, and collaborating on sustainability projects.
The Opportunity:
Tetra Tech is adding an Environmental Engineer/Water Resources Modeler to our Ecological Analytics and Modeling (EAM) team based in Durham, NC.


Why Tetra Tech:
At Tetra Tech, we are Leading with Science to solve the world’s most complex challenges. Our industry-leading experts in engineering and consulting are committed to driving positive change in communities around the world. For over 60 years, we have been at the forefront of innovation and sustainability.


Today we stand as a market leader, offering cutting-edge solutions in water, environment, energy, and international development. Our work has improved more than 625 million lives around the world.


Your Impact:
Join Tetra Tech to make a real difference. Our work leverages cutting-edge technologies, advanced analytics, and the expertise of world-class scientists and engineers to create meaningful change around the world. Discover your full potential – join us to advance your career while leaving a lasting legacy.


Position Summary:
We are seeking an experienced Environmental Engineer/Water Resources Modeler to support complex watershed modeling, water quality analysis, and water resources planning projects. This role will contribute to the development and application of advanced hydrologic and water quality models to support regulatory programs, watershed planning, and sustainability initiatives.


The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise in watershed and receiving water modeling, experience working with diverse clients (e.g., federal, state, and private sector), and the ability to translate complex analyses into actionable insights for decision-makers.


Essential Job Functions:
The following duties are considered essential to the role. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions:


Develop, calibrate, and apply watershed and water quality models (e.g., HSPF, SWAT, WASP, QUAL2Kw, CE-QUAL-W2) to support TMDLs, watershed planning, and regulatory analyses.


Perform hydrologic, water quality, and climate scenario analyses to evaluate management strategies and restoration outcomes.


Analyze and synthesize large environmental datasets (e.g., water quality, meteorological, land use) to support modeling and planning efforts.


Support the development of technical reports, modeling documentation, and presentations for clients, stakeholders, and regulatory agencies.


Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support water resources planning, resilience, and sustainability projects.


Engage with clients to communicate technical findings and support project delivery.


Support project management activities including scope development, budgeting, scheduling, and coordination with internal teams and subcontractors.


Contribute to proposal development and business development efforts.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in environmental engineering, civil engineering, or a related field.


A minimum of 10+ years of experience in water resources engineering, watershed modeling, or water quality analysis.


Proven experience developing and applying hydrologic and water quality models (e.g., HSPF, SWAT, WASP, QUAL2Kw, or similar).


Proven experience with GIS and spatial data analysis tools (e.g., ArcGIS).


Strong data analysis and technical problem-solving skills.


Experience preparing technical reports and communicating results to clients or stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience supporting Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development or regulatory modeling efforts.


Experience evaluating best management practices (BMPs) and watershed restoration strategies.


Experience with climate change impact assessments or water resilience planning.


Experience working with federal or state agencies (e.g., EPA, state environmental agencies).


Experience with agricultural or nature-based solutions modeling.


Programming experience (e.g., Python or similar).


Experience with sustainability, water stewardship, or corporate water risk/benefit analysis.
Physical Requirements:
Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer