About this role
At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
We believe building engineering is more than systems and structures, it’s about powering progress and enabling innovation. As part of HDR’s Building Engineering Services Group, you’ll help design the critical infrastructure that supports the digital age and shapes the spaces where people work, connect, and thrive. From high-performance data centers driving the future of AI to dynamic commercial environments, your work will directly support technological advancement, sustainability, and human experience. We bring together mechanical, electrical, structural, and civil engineering experts to solve complex design challenges with precision, creativity, and collaboration. Whether you're optimizing energy efficiency, integrating resilient systems, or engineering the backbone of next-generation facilities, your contributions will help define the future of the built environment. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to lead innovation, engineer impact, and build a legacy of excellence.
Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'
Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
Come join the fast-growing Building Engineering Services Group at HDR. The Building Engineering Services Group (BES) provides industry leading mechanical, electrical, plumbing, site civil, structural, and specialty design services for a wide variety of buildings that include public, municipal, private, and government project types. Projects are a balance of local as well as across the region and the globe. With a team of experienced staff in specific market areas such as Healthcare, Datacenters, Science and Technology, Commercial Real Estate, Finance, Hospitality, Industrial, Municipal, Manufacturing, Transportation, and Federal facilities; we provide engineering excellence for our clients.
We are searching for the Area Structural Business Class Lead at our downtown Chicago office.
- Provide leadership for the Nebraska/Iowa Building Engineering Services structural engineering team with a focus on technical excellence, quality, recruiting, and staff development.
- Identify and collaborate with market sector leadership to ensure technical excellence in key markets including commercial, civic, industrial, federal, water, transportation, healthcare, education and laboratories, and mission critical facilities.
- Engage with clients and community stakeholders.
- Be involved in marketing, planning, proposals, and interviews in key markets.
- Promotion of HDR and our Structural Engineering practice within the engineering and architecture community including participation in conferences, educational institutions, and with clients.
- May function as design lead or engineering project manager for key projects.
- Build and maintain a leadership team for operations of the structural work group, including staff development, technical development and improvement, profitability, morale, and quality control.
- Assist in ensuring that all work is planned, organized, controlled, checked, and evaluated through proactive staff management.
- Implement, monitor, and support company policy.
- Works cooperatively with other business class directors, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts.
- Actively encourage and participate in work-sharing and structural practice development with a nation-wide network of HDR structural engineers.
- Actively engaged in professional or industry associations to enhance HDR technical expertise and brand
- Preference given to local candidates.
- Bachelor's degree in a Professional, Architecture, Engineering or closely related field
- 10 years of experience
- Committed to quality, improvement and HDR values
- Maintains a professional or engineering registration and has related technical experience
- Experienced in development and management of diverse teams
- Works cooperatively with other area business class leaders, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must
What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
Our Commitment
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
Other facts
About HDR
HDR is an employee-owned design firm specializing in engineering, architecture, environmental and construction services. We’re ranked No. 6 among the world’s design firms and we’re the largest healthcare design firm. Led by the strength of our values and a culture shaped by employee ownership, we network with each other, build on each other’s contributions, and collaborate together to make great things possible.
When you join HDR, we give you license to do the same. We help you take charge of your career, giving you multiple growth opportunities along the way.
So, what are you waiting for? Come grow with us.
What you'll do
- Provide leadership for the structural engineering team with a focus on technical excellence and staff development. Engage with clients and stakeholders while promoting HDR's Structural Engineering practice.
Ready to join HDR?
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