Flood Risk Reduction Engineer (Engineer IV)

$5,000 Signing Bonus*

Are you ready to join a team dedicated to making Fairfax County flood-resilient? Your expertise can protect lives and build a safer future for our community!
The Fairfax County Department of Public Works and Environmental Services (DPWES) seeks a Flood Risk Reduction Engineer to help protect our community from flooding. Use your technical skills and leadership to make a real impact.
Key Responsibilities:
Under the general supervision of the Watershed Modeling and Analysis Branch Chief, this position leads and coordinates flood risk reduction initiatives within the Stormwater Planning Division. The primary responsibilities include:

• Develop and implement strategies and prioritization framework to mitigate flood impacts, document and enhance existing efforts, and coordinate the design of capital construction projects.
• Engage in community outreach, maintain and update educational materials and webpages, support the identification and prioritization of flood mitigation projects, and collaborate with various stakeholders.
• Prepare grant applications and utilize GIS tools to support operations.
• Perform advanced Hydrologic and Hydraulic (H&H) engineering analyses for flood mitigation and stormwater management projects.
• Prepare and review neighborhood flood mitigation project plans and construction documents to ensure regulatory and engineering compliance.
• Provide construction administration, solve design challenges, oversee consultants, coordinate with utilities, and assist with environmental permitting and construction monitoring.
• Manage consultant contracts for stormwater capital improvement projects, including scope development, contract negotiation, and performance monitoring.

Behavioral Competencies

• Effective communication: Selects the best method for each situation, communicates clearly and professionally, listens actively, and speaks confidently and concisely to individuals and groups.
• Partnering: Builds networks inside and outside the organization, collaborates across boundaries, and manages competing interests to foster partnerships.
• Aligning Vision and Values: Ensures work aligns with the County’s vision and values, seeks clarification when needed, and models alignment for others.
• Teamwork: Collaborates across teams and departments, actively contributes to team goals, values all members’ input, and recognizes teamwork as essential to the role.
• Conflict Management: Prevents destructive conflict, facilitates constructive resolution, and promotes open, positive outcomes in disagreements.

Technical Competencies

• Project Management: Sets goals, plans and adjusts activities, selects appropriate teams, manages budgets, and evaluates outcomes for project success.
• Hydrology and Hydraulics (H&H) modeling: Expert in hydrologic and hydraulic engineering for flood mitigation and stormwater management.
• Problem Solving: Anticipates issues, evaluates options, makes timely decisions, and implements innovative solutions.
• Information Sharing: Delivers accurate information, openly shares knowledge and best practices, and keeps all levels informed.
• Strategic Thinking: Assesses organizational status and environment, anticipates challenges and opportunities, sets long-term goals, and incorporates trends into planning.

DPWES is a diverse, nationally accredited and award-winning public works agency with approximately 1,000 employees providing solid waste, capital facility development, wastewater, stormwater, urban forestry, and land acquisition management services for the most populous county in Virginia. Join our team to help us protect the environment and serve the people of Fairfax County by creating and preserving a sustainable community that is an ideal place to live, work, and play for everyone.
Fairfax County Government is committed to our employees, and offers comprehensive benefits, including a defined-benefit retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; paid leave; tuition reimbursement; and reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Through our LiveWell Program and the County Benefits Division, we endeavor to cultivate a culture of wellbeing that empowers, educates and engages employees and retirees to make life-long choices that promote a holistic approach to their physical, mental, emotional, social, spiritual and financial wellness. Please review our awesome benefits:

• Benefits
• Retirement

The Stormwater Planning Division is a nationally recognized team committed to improving sustainability and resiliency by equitably reducing flood risk and improving stormwater management and the water quality of approximately 400 square miles of local watersheds and the Chesapeake Bay.
Note: The appointee to this position is subject to emergency callback 24 hours a day/seven days a week (24/7) to respond to snow, flood, and other designated emergencies requiring division resources, on an as-needed basis.
In 2026, all West Drive assignments will be permanently located at the new Water Resources and Infrastructure building, located at 6000 Freds Oak Road, Burke, VA 22015. Position may require traveling to multiple Fairfax County sites.

This position is funded through a five-year grant and is expected to be available for the full five-year term. After five years, employment in this role will be contingent upon the availability and continuation of grant funding or the creation of a new position and is not guaranteed beyond that period.
*A $5,000 signing bonus is available to new county employees hired in the Engineer IV position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following: (Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for “Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to”)
Graduation from a four-year college or university accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technologies with a bachelor’s degree in the appropriate engineering or architectural field; plus, four years of progressively responsible professional experience in the appropriate engineering or architectural field.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

• Valid driver’s license
• Valid Professional Engineer License for the state of Virginia. An individual who possesses a valid Professional Engineer license in another state will be granted a temporary exemption of a maximum of six months to this requirement pending the Virginia Board for Professional Engineers decision regarding that individual’s Application for reciprocity.
• DEQ Stormwater Management Plan Reviewer certification – completion of first required training class within 12 months of hire and certification required within 12 months of date of completion of first required class within 12 months.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• More than 5 years of advanced engineering expertise in flood mitigation, stormwater management, regulatory compliance, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
• More than 5 years of proven experience in project and data management
• At least 1 year of experience managing grants and engineering contracts for the development of construction plans
• More than 5 years of proficiency in GIS and hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) modeling
• At least 1 year of experience utilizing software tools for data management and data sharing
• More than 5 years as an effective communicator and collaborator who builds partnerships, promotes teamwork, and resolves conflicts.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability and willingness to work in adverse weather conditions as needed responding to emergency events (e.g. snow removal, flood and hurricane response, etc.). Ability to communicate with the public verbally and in writing and perform field investigations. Ability to drive a motor vehicle. Ability to hike or field walk rugged, uneven and steep terrain in streams and stream valleys to perform field investigation on storm drainage, Stormwater Management, and stream channel projects. Ability to work in hot and cold temperatures. Physically and mentally able to use all applicable personal protective equipment in an outdoor environment; including hardhat, eye protection, hearing protection, safety footwear, long pants, and sleeved shirt. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.
BONUS ELIGIBILITY:
Positions within this classification that are general merit may be eligible for a one-time hiring incentive bonus for new county employees only. This bonus program requires a signed payback agreement between the department and employee.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.
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