Senior Drainage Engineer

Posting Date: 22 Oct 2026

City: Houston

Location:

Houston, TX, US, 77070 Boston, MA, US, 02110 Chicago, IL, US, 60603 Lisle, IL, US, 60532

Contract Type: Permanent

Division: Plant Engineering

Level of experience: Senior

RINA is a global knowledge company where expertise travels across borders, disciplines, and industries. Every day, we collaborate on solving complex challenges that no single field could tackle alone. With a presence in more than 70 countries and 160 years of heritage, we turn individual know-how into collective progress.

We are currently recruiting for a Senior Drainage Engineer to join our office in Houston, TX, Boston, MA or Chicago/ Lisle, IL within the Plant Engineering Division.

Compensation Data

$135,000 - $180.000 commensurate with education and experience

Mission

This Senior Drainage Engineer serves as the drainage technical lead on major Oil, Gas, and Chemical facility projects, including fuel storage terminals, marine barge import facilities, and rail and truck loading facilities for refined fuel products, as our practice expands across the Gulf Coast and nationally.

Responsibilites include leading the technical development, execution, and quality of drainage, stormwater, and containment engineering for energy and industrial facilities, with a specific focus on Oil, Gas, and Chemical sites. Typical projects include petroleum and chemical storage terminals, marine docking and barge import facilities, rail and truck loading facilities for refined fuel products, process units, and associated site infrastructure. The technical work includes site hydrology and hydraulic analysis and modeling, site grading and drainage design, secondary containment and stormwater management systems, flood mitigation, and coordination of regulatory approvals, including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permitting. The Senior Drainage Engineer will serve as Engineer of Record for drainage deliverables, guide and mentor staff engineers and designers, interface directly with clients and regulatory agencies, and coordinate with civil, structural, mechanical, process, and electrical disciplines through Concept, FEED, detailed design, and construction support. The work is to be completed in compliance with client standards and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.

Key Accountabilities

Serve as the drainage discipline lead and Engineer of Record for site drainage, stormwater management, and containment on Oil, Gas, and Chemical facility projects.
Lead hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, including design storm selection, runoff, storm sewer, culvert, channel, and hydraulic grade line calculations, and pond and detention modeling.
Design site grading and drainage systems for tank farms, process areas, pipe racks, roadways, and plant infrastructure, including diked secondary containment, contaminated and non-contaminated stormwater segregation, oil/water separators, and controlled release systems.
Develop drainage and spill-containment designs for marine docking and barge import facilities, including dock and bulkhead drainage, product spill capture, and stormwater discharge to navigable waters.
Develop drainage, curbing, and spill-containment designs for rail and truck loading facilities handling refined fuel products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
Lead preparation of drainage studies, technical memorandums, flood studies, Basis of Design documents, calculation packages, specifications, and drainage plan and profile drawings.
Prepare and manage U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit applications and coordination, including Section 404 (Clean Water Act) and Section 10 (Rivers and Harbors Act) permitting, wetland and floodplain impacts, and work in or near navigable waterways.
Support stormwater and environmental permitting with state and local agencies, including SWPPPs, SPCC secondary containment requirements, and floodplain and drainage district approvals.
Coordinate drainage interfaces with civil, structural, piping, process, fire protection, and electrical disciplines, as well as with clients, vendors, and contractors.
Supervise, review, and mentor staff engineers, EITs, and designers; perform senior technical reviews and seal drainage deliverables.
Develop drainage scopes, man-hour estimates, schedules, and budgets, and support proposals and business development within the Energy & Industrial sector.
Identify value engineering opportunities that reduce cost and schedule while maintaining technical, safety, and regulatory requirements.
Provide engineering support during construction, including RFI responses, submittal reviews, and resolution of field drainage issues.
Responsible for adherence to quality control and HSE policies and procedures.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related discipline with a focus in hydrology and hydraulics from an ABET-accredited university or college; Master's degree preferred
10+ years of professional drainage study/design experience, including at least 5 years on Oil, Gas, Chemical, or other heavy industrial facility projects
Professional Engineer (PE) license in the State of Texas, or the ability to obtain a Texas PE license through reciprocity (comity) upon hire, is required
Experience with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), including permitting, coordination, and/or design criteria, is required
Experience with drainage and containment design for marine docking and barge import facilities
Experience with rail and truck loading facilities for refined fuel products
Demonstrated experience leading drainage scope on multidisciplinary projects and supervising engineers and designers
Proficiency with HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, EPA SWMM, and/or Bentley OpenFlows (StormCAD, PondPack), and with AutoCAD Civil 3D, MicroStation experience a plus.
Excellent technical communication skills (oral and written), including client and regulatory agency interaction
Self-starter who can work independently and lead within a multi-discipline team

Preferred Qualifications

PE licensure in additional states (e.g., Illinois, Louisiana) is a plus
Gulf Coast petroleum terminal, refinery, or petrochemical facility experience
Experience on greenfield terminal or industrial facility projects from Concept and FEED through detailed design and construction
Experience supporting EPC contractors or owner/operator clients in the energy sector
Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) or Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (CPESC)

Technical Working Knowledge

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permitting (Clean Water Act Section 404; Rivers and Harbors Act Section 10)
EPA SPCC regulations (40 CFR 112) and secondary containment requirements
NFPA 30 and related fire protection standards for flammable and combustible liquid storage
TCEQ/TPDES and IEPA/NPDES industrial and construction stormwater permitting
FEMA floodplain regulations and NOAA Atlas 14 precipitation data
US Coast Guard requirements for marine transfer facilities (33 CFR 154)
API standards applicable to petroleum terminals and loading facilities

Additional Requirements

Valid Driver's License
Ability to travel up to 20% for site visits, client meetings, and agency coordination, including Gulf Coast project sites

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the work being performed. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

#LI-LS1

Competencies

WORKPLACE DYNAMICS - Resourcefulness in shaping progress and working efficiently.
FORESIGHT & INSIGHT - Context awareness adopting a systemic perspective and informed decision making.
PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT - Ownership for life, work and results, striving to grow professionally and personally.
INTERPERSONAL INFLUENCE - Skills and strategies we use to interact effectively with others.
DOMAIN & BUSINESS ACUMEN - Applying a scientific approach and critical thinking in operations and solution development within area of expertise.

At RINA, your growth drives our innovation. We bring together engineers, inspectors, digital minds and specialists from more than 100 nationalities, creating an environment where diverse perspectives sharpen how we think, collaborate and deliver.

RINA North America provides a comprehensive benefits package, including the following insurance options: Medical, Dental, Vision, Medical Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Spending Account, Health Savings Account, Transit, Parking, Basic Life, Basic AD&D, Voluntary Life, Voluntary AD&D, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Voluntary Accident, Voluntary Critical Illness, Identity Theft Protection, Pet Insurance, and Employee Assistance Program. Additional benefits provided include paid time off, company holidays, tuition reimbursement, nursery grant, travel resource services, and 401K plan with company discretionary match.

Flexibility and respect drive how we work. We are committed to building a workplace where every person feels valued, empowered to develop their potential, and safe from discrimination or harassment of any kind. It is the policy of RINA to provide equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, gender (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disabilities, marital status, sexual orientation, genetics, military status, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans (veterans who served during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a badge has been authorized), and Armed Forces service medal veteran, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. We are strongly committed to this policy and believe in the concept and spirit of the law.

RINA does not accept unsolicited resumes from search firms or agencies. Any resume submitted to any employee of RINA without a prior written search agreement will be considered unsolicited and the property of RINA. Please, no phone calls or emails.