Coastal Engineer Jobs
Coastal Engineer jobs are open across government agencies, engineering consultancies, construction firms, and environmental organizations, from entry-level to senior and principal, with specializations in shoreline protection, flood risk modeling, and coastal infrastructure design. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 4 of 23+ Coastal Engineer jobs
Do you want to build an impactful career to change the world for the better?
Geosyntec is an innovative, international engineering and consulting firm serving private and public-sector clients to address new ventures and complex problems involving our environment, natural resources, and civil infrastructure. Our engineers, scientists, technical and project employees serve our clients from offices across the world. Ranked by ENR as one of the top environmental engineering design firms, Geosyntec is internationally known for its technical leadership, broad experience, and exceptional client service.
We invest in our people. Each employee is unique, and your career at Geosyntec will be too. We offer competitive pay and benefits, and well-being programs to support you and your family.
To Learn More Visit: http://www.geosyntec.com/careers/
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:- Civil design, coastal design, and water resources design projects;
- Business development; including bringing in new clients and obtaining repeat business from existing clients, leading proposal preparation, and developing and implementing a business development plan;
- Management and mentoring of junior staff and managing subcontractors;
- Project and task management, including planning and implementing investigation and data collection projects, budgeting and budget management, adherence to schedule, quality, client satisfaction, and profitability;
- Preparation of engineering reports, design calculations, drawings, technical specifications, and permit applications;
- Fieldwork associated with design and construction administration services;
- Reviewing and managing written document production;
- Preparing for and participating in meetings with clients, regulatory personnel, and other parties; and
- Drive personal, company, and rental vehicles to client or company project or office sites, and other business locations, as needed.
- Bachelor’s degree in coastal or water resources engineering (required)
- Advanced degree in the same. (preferred)
- Professional certification (i.e., P.E., P.G.). (required)
- At least 15 years (25+ preferred) years of directly relevant experience in a consulting environment, or equivalent combination of education and experience. (required)
- Detailed understanding of coastal and water resources regulations. (required)
- Experience with multi-disciplinary project teams. (required)
- Demonstrated success in the development and management of clients. (required)
- Proven leadership skills. (required)
- Ability to succeed in a fast-paced consulting environment, handling multiple project assignments, meeting strict deadlines, and traveling to client facilities as needed. (required)
- Current OSHA 40-hr HAZWOPER training and refreshers. (preferred)
- Health & Safety training, medical monitoring, and client-driven drug and background testing may be required.
- Valid U.S driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record for business travel. (required)
This opportunity will be posted for at least five days. Below are the potential compensation ranges that we in good faith believe are applicable for this role at the time of this posting and are only applicable for jobs to be performed in the specified location(s) below. The typical base salary range for this position is just one component of Geosyntec’s total compensation package for employees. Actual compensation will be determined based on education, experience, skill set and location.
- Minimum Salary: $165,255/year / Maximum Salary: $247,885 /year (Oak Brook, Chicago, IL)
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including, paid holidays, vacation, sick, and personal paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, 401(k), and other benefits to eligible employees.
Do you want to build an impactful career to change the world for the better?
Geosyntec is an innovative, international engineering and consulting firm serving private and public-sector clients to address new ventures and complex problems involving our environment, natural resources, and civil infrastructure. Our engineers, scientists, technical and project employees serve our clients from offices across the world. Ranked by ENR as one of the top environmental engineering design firms, Geosyntec is internationally known for its technical leadership, broad experience, and exceptional client service.
We invest in our people. Each employee is unique, and your career at Geosyntec will be too. We offer competitive pay and benefits, and well-being programs to support you and your family.
To Learn More Visit: http://www.geosyntec.com/careers/
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:- Civil design, coastal design, and water resources design projects;
- Business development; including bringing in new clients and obtaining repeat business from existing clients, leading proposal preparation, and developing and implementing a business development plan;
- Management and mentoring of junior staff and managing subcontractors;
- Project and task management, including planning and implementing investigation and data collection projects, budgeting and budget management, adherence to schedule, quality, client satisfaction, and profitability;
- Preparation of engineering reports, design calculations, drawings, technical specifications, and permit applications;
- Fieldwork associated with design and construction administration services;
- Reviewing and managing written document production;
- Preparing for and participating in meetings with clients, regulatory personnel, and other parties; and
- Drive personal, company, and rental vehicles to client or company project or office sites, and other business locations, as needed.
- Bachelor’s degree in coastal or water resources engineering (required)
- Advanced degree in the same. (preferred)
- Professional certification (i.e., P.E., P.G.). (required)
- At least 15 years (25+ preferred) years of directly relevant experience in a consulting environment, or equivalent combination of education and experience. (required)
- Detailed understanding of coastal and water resources regulations. (required)
- Experience with multi-disciplinary project teams. (required)
- Demonstrated success in the development and management of clients. (required)
- Proven leadership skills. (required)
- Ability to succeed in a fast-paced consulting environment, handling multiple project assignments, meeting strict deadlines, and traveling to client facilities as needed. (required)
- Current OSHA 40-hr HAZWOPER training and refreshers. (preferred)
- Health & Safety training, medical monitoring, and client-driven drug and background testing may be required.
- Valid U.S driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record for business travel. (required)
This opportunity will be posted for at least five days. Below are the potential compensation ranges that we in good faith believe are applicable for this role at the time of this posting and are only applicable for jobs to be performed in the specified location(s) below. The typical base salary range for this position is just one component of Geosyntec’s total compensation package for employees. Actual compensation will be determined based on education, experience, skill set and location.
- Minimum Salary: $165,255/year / Maximum Salary: $247,885 /year (Oak Brook, Chicago, IL)
We offer a comprehensive benefits package including, paid holidays, vacation, sick, and personal paid time off, medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, 401(k), and other benefits to eligible employees.
Coastal Engineer Jobs by Experience Level
See All 23 Coastal Engineer Jobs
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Find Coastal Engineer JobsCoastal Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in coastal engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in civil, coastal, or ocean engineering
- Proficiency in hydraulic and hydrodynamic modeling software such as HEC-RAS or ADCIRC
- Experience with USACE design standards and coastal project permitting processes
- Professional Engineer licensure or active progress toward PE certification
- Demonstrated knowledge of FEMA floodplain mapping and coastal hazard analysis
- Fieldwork experience including bathymetric surveys and shoreline condition assessments
Tips for Your Coastal Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to project types
Coastal engineering postings vary sharply between beach nourishment, seawall design, and stormwater management. Reorganize your project experience so the most relevant work appears first for each application, and name the specific site conditions and deliverables you handled.
Highlight your hydraulic modeling software
Employers filter hard on tools like HEC-RAS, ADCIRC, and MIKE suite. List every modeling platform you have used in a dedicated skills section, note the version if you know it, and reinforce each tool with a project context in your bullets.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists coastal engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings by regulatory environment
Coastal roles tied to federal projects often require experience with USACE permitting or FEMA floodplain mapping, while state agency roles emphasize shoreline access law. Read the posting carefully and match your cover letter language to the specific regulatory framework named.
Prepare a technical portfolio of site analyses
Many hiring panels ask candidates to walk through a past coastal study before or during interviews. Bring a one-page summary of one project, covering the site challenge, the modeling approach you used, and the design outcome, so you can reference it quickly.
Negotiate scope alongside salary
In coastal engineering, project variety builds your career faster than title alone. When an offer comes in, ask which active projects you would join first and whether the role includes field investigation work, since desk-only positions can limit your long-term marketability.
Coastal Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most coastal engineers?
Moffatt & Nichol, The Foth Companies, and HDR are hiring the most coastal engineers right now, with openings concentrated in Florida, Texas, and California, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Demand is especially active on listings tied to federal infrastructure and shoreline resilience contracts.
How many coastal engineer jobs are remote?
About 78% of coastal engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with most remote-eligible roles concentrated in data analysis, modeling review, and report writing functions. Positions that involve field surveys, site inspections, or construction oversight are almost always on-site or tied to a regional office.
How do you become a coastal engineer?
Start with a bachelor's degree in civil, ocean, or environmental engineering, then take electives or a graduate program focused on hydraulics, coastal processes, or water resources. Internships with engineering consultancies or government agencies give you field and modeling experience early. Passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and working toward your PE license makes you competitive for independent project roles.
How do you get hired as a coastal engineer with little experience?
Focus your applications on entry-level roles at engineering consultancies that run USACE or FEMA-funded projects, since these firms expect to train new graduates on agency workflows. Highlight any coursework in hydrodynamic modeling, sediment transport, or GIS, and show any capstone or thesis work involving real site data. A research assistant or internship record at a coastal lab or state agency carries significant weight for your first full-time hire.
What does the coastal engineer interview process look like?
Most employers start with a phone or video screen focused on your background and modeling experience, followed by a technical interview where you may be asked to walk through a past project or explain how you would approach a specific coastal problem. Some firms include a written exercise or ask you to review a sample data set. Final rounds often involve meeting the project team and discussing how your skills fit their active contracts.
Where can I find and apply to coastal engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to coastal engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience level and specialization, then apply directly to each one that fits.
See All 23 Coastal Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Coastal Engineer Jobs