Engineering Section Manager Jobs
Engineering Section Manager jobs are open across manufacturing, defense, infrastructure, and energy, covering specializations in mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering, from lead engineer to senior manager level. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 58+ Engineering Section Manager jobs
What We're Looking For
At HNTB, you can create a career that is meaningful to you while building communities that matter to all of us. For more than a century, we have been delivering solutions for some of the nation's largest and most complex infrastructure projects. With continued growth across the Mid-Atlantic region, this is an exciting time to join our team of employee-owners.In recent years, our hydraulics team has played key roles on marquee transportation and infrastructure projects including the Long Bridge North, Susquehanna River Bridge, I-64/I-264 Phase III Interchange, and Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion. Looking ahead, our Northern Virginia team is positioned to support major initiatives such as the Arlington National Cemetery Entry Corridor project, Maryland SHA programs; along with VDOT's I-64/I-264 Phase IIIA Design-Build project and the NOVA District Megaprojects Program support services. With a strong backlog of impactful work and continued growth across the region, we are seeking experienced leaders who are excited to mentor staff, drive technical excellence, and help shape the future of our hydraulics practice.
This opportunity entails leading a professional or technical discipline section in the design, development, and delivery of project work while managing scope, budget, schedule, and quality. The role coordinates project priorities, staffing assignments, and resource allocation to ensure successful client delivery. Responsibilities include technical leadership, staff development, mentoring, and the efficient utilization of resources to provide high-quality service. Section Managers typically oversee up to 10 direct and indirect reports.
This position will lead and grow a multidisciplinary hydraulics team supporting drainage design, erosion and sediment control, stormwater management, and river mechanics modeling for some of the Mid-Atlantic region's most significant transportation infrastructure projects.
What You'll Do:
- Develops, monitors and manages the section's operating budget in support of the group or office operating budget and forecast updates.
- Responsible for the management, growth and professional development of discipline-specific engineering section. Coordinates section activities establishes priorities and staff to jobs. Ensures staff development, mentoring and training needs are being met. Collaborates with other Sections and Departments within the office on work-sharing needs and opportunities.
- Supports the implementation of the firm's strategic plan and HNTB's Sophisticated Sales Approach (SSA) process on project pursuits in the Section and office, including development of Section-level strategic planning strategies.
- Supports the implementation of the firm's contracting (SCA) process through project delivery and contracting activities including scope, work plan and fee reviews for all contracting activities impacting the Section.
- Supports the implementation of the firm's project delivery (SDA) process including Work Planning, Monthly Project Reviews and other project performance methods to ensure quality work, on time, on schedule, to the client's satisfaction.
- Assists in marketing responsibilities, including client discovery, proposal generation, interviews, and win-to-work activities
- Maintains client contacts to ensure client satisfaction
- Recruits, hires, develops and retains section staff, including development of plan for staff reporting, performance and compensation reviews, and succession.
- Manages assigned project management activities (project scope, schedule, budget and quality management) and performs technical discipline tasks including research, reports, design, specifications and plan preparation.
- Leads a team including the direct and indirect supervision of at least 5 but typically 7 - 10 or more employees.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
What You'll Need:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with 8 years of practical experience including 2 years of leadership experience.
What We Prefer:
- Master’s degree in Engineering
- 10 years practical experience
- 2 years supervisory experience
- Professional Engineer (PE) certification
- American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
Additional Information
Click here for benefits information: HNTB Total Rewards
Click here to learn more about Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. #JS #Water.
Locations:
Arlington, VA.
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The approximate pay range for Virginia is $145,993.46 - $228,348.77. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position based on all selected locations within the state at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as physical work location within the state..
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NOTICE TO THIRD-PARTY AGENCIES:
HNTB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or agencies. Any staffing/employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of HNTB. HNTB will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting staffing/employment agency, person or entity. Staffing/employment agencies who have fee agreements with HNTB must submit applicants to the designated HNTB recruiter to be eligible for placement fees.
What We're Looking For
At HNTB, you can create a career that is meaningful to you while building communities that matter to all of us. For more than a century, we have been delivering solutions for some of the nation's largest and most complex infrastructure projects. With continued growth across the Mid-Atlantic region, this is an exciting time to join our team of employee-owners.In recent years, our hydraulics team has played key roles on marquee transportation and infrastructure projects including the Long Bridge North, Susquehanna River Bridge, I-64/I-264 Phase III Interchange, and Arlington National Cemetery Southern Expansion. Looking ahead, our Northern Virginia team is positioned to support major initiatives such as the Arlington National Cemetery Entry Corridor project, Maryland SHA programs; along with VDOT's I-64/I-264 Phase IIIA Design-Build project and the NOVA District Megaprojects Program support services. With a strong backlog of impactful work and continued growth across the region, we are seeking experienced leaders who are excited to mentor staff, drive technical excellence, and help shape the future of our hydraulics practice.
This opportunity entails leading a professional or technical discipline section in the design, development, and delivery of project work while managing scope, budget, schedule, and quality. The role coordinates project priorities, staffing assignments, and resource allocation to ensure successful client delivery. Responsibilities include technical leadership, staff development, mentoring, and the efficient utilization of resources to provide high-quality service. Section Managers typically oversee up to 10 direct and indirect reports.
This position will lead and grow a multidisciplinary hydraulics team supporting drainage design, erosion and sediment control, stormwater management, and river mechanics modeling for some of the Mid-Atlantic region's most significant transportation infrastructure projects.
What You'll Do:
- Develops, monitors and manages the section's operating budget in support of the group or office operating budget and forecast updates.
- Responsible for the management, growth and professional development of discipline-specific engineering section. Coordinates section activities establishes priorities and staff to jobs. Ensures staff development, mentoring and training needs are being met. Collaborates with other Sections and Departments within the office on work-sharing needs and opportunities.
- Supports the implementation of the firm's strategic plan and HNTB's Sophisticated Sales Approach (SSA) process on project pursuits in the Section and office, including development of Section-level strategic planning strategies.
- Supports the implementation of the firm's contracting (SCA) process through project delivery and contracting activities including scope, work plan and fee reviews for all contracting activities impacting the Section.
- Supports the implementation of the firm's project delivery (SDA) process including Work Planning, Monthly Project Reviews and other project performance methods to ensure quality work, on time, on schedule, to the client's satisfaction.
- Assists in marketing responsibilities, including client discovery, proposal generation, interviews, and win-to-work activities
- Maintains client contacts to ensure client satisfaction
- Recruits, hires, develops and retains section staff, including development of plan for staff reporting, performance and compensation reviews, and succession.
- Manages assigned project management activities (project scope, schedule, budget and quality management) and performs technical discipline tasks including research, reports, design, specifications and plan preparation.
- Leads a team including the direct and indirect supervision of at least 5 but typically 7 - 10 or more employees.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
What You'll Need:
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with 8 years of practical experience including 2 years of leadership experience.
What We Prefer:
- Master’s degree in Engineering
- 10 years practical experience
- 2 years supervisory experience
- Professional Engineer (PE) certification
- American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) certification
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
Additional Information
Click here for benefits information: HNTB Total Rewards
Click here to learn more about Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. #JS #Water.
Locations:
Arlington, VA.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The approximate pay range for Virginia is $145,993.46 - $228,348.77. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position based on all selected locations within the state at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as physical work location within the state..
.
.
.
.
.
.
NOTICE TO THIRD-PARTY AGENCIES:
HNTB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or agencies. Any staffing/employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of HNTB. HNTB will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting staffing/employment agency, person or entity. Staffing/employment agencies who have fee agreements with HNTB must submit applicants to the designated HNTB recruiter to be eligible for placement fees.
Engineering Section Manager Jobs by Experience Level
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Find JobsEngineering Section Manager Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services10
- Healthcare & Medical Services5
- Construction & Real Estate4
- Manufacturing2
- Automotive1
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in engineering section manager jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline such as mechanical, electrical, or civil
- 7 or more years of engineering experience with at least 3 in a supervisory role
- Demonstrated experience managing project budgets, schedules, and technical deliverables
- Proficiency with engineering design or project management software relevant to the discipline
- Professional Engineer licensure or active progress toward PE certification
- Experience coordinating with cross-functional teams including procurement, operations, and quality
Tips for Your Engineering Section Manager Job Search
Quantify your team leadership outcomes
Hiring managers for engineering section manager roles want numbers, not narratives. Replace phrases like 'led a team' with headcount managed, budget owned, and project delivery outcomes. Specific figures on cost savings or schedule improvements make your resume stand out.
Highlight cross-functional coordination experience
Engineering section managers are expected to align engineering work with operations, procurement, and program management. If your resume doesn't show you've negotiated priorities across departments or managed external vendors, you'll lose ground to candidates who do.
Target postings by program type, not just title
Job titles vary widely: 'section chief,' 'engineering group manager,' and 'technical section lead' all describe the same role. Search by the program type or technical discipline you know best to surface openings that match your background before competitors do.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists engineering section manager openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Prepare a technical depth interview answer
Expect interviewers to drill into one complex technical problem you resolved as a section lead. Prepare a concise story covering the engineering constraint, the team decision you drove, and the measurable result. Vague answers about 'collaboration' won't clear this stage.
Negotiate scope and reporting lines, not just pay
When you receive an offer, clarify what the section's headcount ceiling is, which decisions require escalation, and whether the role has dotted-line reports. These structural factors affect your authority day-to-day and matter as much as the compensation package.
Engineering Section Manager Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most engineering section managers?
The companies hiring the most engineering section managers right now include HDR, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon, with the largest share of openings in Alabama, Texas, and California, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Defense contractors, large infrastructure firms, and utilities consistently represent the heaviest hiring volume for this role.
How many engineering section manager jobs are remote?
About 27% of engineering section manager openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of most engineering environments. Sub-areas with the most remote flexibility include systems engineering, project controls, and software-adjacent engineering management roles, while roles tied to physical facilities or manufacturing lines remain predominantly on-site.
How do you become an engineering section manager?
Start by building deep technical expertise in your discipline and taking on lead engineer or project lead roles to develop hands-on team coordination experience. Pursue a PE license if your field values it. Volunteer to manage junior engineers or own a project end-to-end. When you can demonstrate budget ownership, delivery accountability, and cross-functional coordination, you're positioned to move into a section manager role.
Can you get hired as an engineering section manager with limited management experience?
It's possible if your technical credentials are strong and you can point to informal leadership, such as leading a project team, mentoring junior engineers, or serving as a technical lead without a direct management title. Smaller firms and growth-stage companies are more open to promoting strong individual contributors into first-time section manager roles than large defense or industrial employers, which typically require prior supervisory history.
What does the engineering section manager interview process look like?
Most processes run three to four stages. An initial call with HR or talent screens for baseline qualifications and culture fit. A technical interview with a senior engineer or director probes your discipline knowledge and your approach to engineering problems. A behavioral or case interview focuses on how you've handled team conflicts, schedule pressure, or scope changes. Final rounds often include a presentation to leadership on a past project or a proposed approach to a challenge relevant to the role.
Where can I find and apply to engineering section manager jobs?
You can find and apply to engineering section manager jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the listings to find roles that match your discipline, industry, and experience level, then apply directly to each one that fits your background.
See All 58 Engineering Section Manager Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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