Dam Safety Engineer

Overview

Position: Dam Safety Engineer

Location:

Salt Lake City, Utah

As a Dam Safety Engineer, you will safeguard public and environmental well-being by helping oversee dam safety programs, conduct inspections, and review dam designs and construction projects. The role requires strong attention to detail, commitment to compliance, and the ability to educate and work with dam owners and consultants. You will help ensure compliance with state regulations, support hazard assessments, and improve dam safety practices.

This is an entry-level position under close supervision with limited engineering experience. You will exercise limited judgment. Supervisors review all assignments for difficult or unusual conditions. You will apply advanced mathematics and engineering principles as an engineer in training. Work includes planning, design, construction, and related engineering activities. Areas include design, materials, hydraulics, planning, right-of-way, structures, traffic, transportation, field office, location, construction, natural resources, and environmental work.

You must complete Engineer-in-Training or the Fundamentals of Engineering exam at hire or within the 12-month probation period.

• Technical Proficiency & Licensure:
  Education — Bachelor’s degree or higher in Civil or Environmental Engineering from an ABET-accredited program;
  Certification — Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certificate, or ability to obtain one within six months of hire;
  Knowledge — foundational understanding of soil mechanics, open-channel hydraulics, and hydrology; ability to interpret engineering plans and specifications for earthen and concrete structures.
• Field Investigation & Physical Agility:
  Visual inspection of dam embankments, spillways, and outlet works to identify deficiencies; willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions; ability to traverse steep, uneven terrain and inspect in confined or remote locations.
• Regulatory Communication & Technical Writing:
  Familiarity with Utah state statutes and rules governing the Dam Safety Program; ability to communicate complex safety requirements to diverse stakeholders; proficiency in drafting clear, concise, and legally defensible inspection reports and compliance letters.
• Analytical Software & Technology:
  Knowledge of HEC-RAS and HEC-HMS for dam-breach analyses and flood-routing; knowledge of Geotechnical tools (e.g., Slope W, Seep W); knowledge of ArcGIS or similar GIS software for breach analysis and flood inundation mapping.
• Public Safety Commitment:
  Ethical responsibility toward public safety; willingness to assist in emergency monitoring and response during extreme weather events or structural failures.

• Has passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam, or will pass within 12 months of hire.
• Statewide travel required: 1-2 overnight trips per week and/or stays away from home may be required.
• Physical requirements:
  
  ability to climb slopes, hike rough terrain, inspect in field conditions; comfortable around heavy construction equipment; able to work in all weather conditions.

As one of the oldest agencies in the State of Utah, the Division of Water Rights within the Department of Natural Resources plays a central role in managing Utah’s water resources. Water users depend on the Division to provide consistency and certainty in water distribution across the state. You will help protect public safety by supporting dam safety efforts statewide and work in a demanding field with direct impact on communities, infrastructure, agriculture, and daily life in the arid West.