WSP

National Aviation Runway Design Lead

WSP$180K — $310K *
Aerospace & Defense
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related discipline
  • Professional Engineer (PE) license, multi-state registration preferred
  • 15+ years of experience in aviation and airfield design
  • Deep expertise in runway and taxiway design, pavement design, grading, drainage, and airfield geometry
  • Thorough working knowledge of FAA standards, including AC 150/5300-series
  • Proven experience in leading pursuits, proposals, and client interviews
  • Strong communication skills for collaboration across distributed teams

Responsibilities

  • Serve as WSP's national technical lead for runway and airfield pavement design projects
  • Lead and oversee planning, design, and delivery of airfield infrastructure projects
  • Provide technical leadership and QA/QC oversight to project teams across regions
  • Act as a key pursuit and proposal leader, supporting competitive strategies and client engagements
  • Collaborate with regional aviation leaders on business development and client management
  • Support Design-Build and Alternative Delivery projects with risk mitigation strategies
  • Mentor and develop aviation and airfield engineering staff nationally

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Disability and life insurance
  • Retirement savings plans
  • Paid sick leave and personal time off
  • Paid parental leave
  • Paid vacation and bereavement leave
  • Paid time off for voting and naturalization proceedings
Full Job Description
Job Description

This Opportunity

We are seeking a National Runway Design Lead to provide technical leadership, project delivery oversight, and business development support across WSP's aviation platform in the U.S.

This position may be based out of any mutually agreed upon WSP USA Office, with a preference to our Northeast Locations.

This is a senior technical and leadership role focused on leading, winning, and delivering runway and airfield design projects nationwide. You will serve as a trusted technical authority for clients and internal teams, supporting pursuits, shaping design strategy, mentoring staff, and ensuring consistent delivery excellence across our Aviation practice.

Your Impact
  • Serving as WSP's national technical lead for runway and airfield pavement design projects
  • Leading and overseeing planning, design, and delivery of runway, taxiway, apron, and airfield infrastructure projects
  • Providing technical leadership and QA/QC oversight to project teams across multiple regions
  • Acting as a key pursuit and proposal leader, supporting competitive strategies, technical approaches, and client interviews
  • Collaborating with regional aviation leaders on business development, capture planning, and client relationship management
  • Supporting Design-Build and Alternative Delivery projects, including reviews, risk mitigation, and execution strategies
  • Mentoring and developing aviation and airfield engineering staff nationally
  • Ensuring compliance with FAA Advisory Circulars, industry standards, and client requirements
  • Representing WSP with airport sponsors, airlines, FAA stakeholders, and industry organizations
Who You Are

Required Qualifications

You are a recognized airfield and runway design expert with strong client presence and experience delivering complex aviation programs. You bring a balance of hands-on technical depth, project leadership, and business development acumen.
  • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering (or related discipline)
  • Professional Engineer (PE) license (multi-state registration preferred)
  • 15+ years of experience in aviation and airfield design
  • Deep expertise in runway and taxiway design, pavement design, grading, drainage, and airfield geometry
  • Thorough working knowledge of FAA standards, including AC 150/5300-series
  • Proven experience supporting or leading pursuits, proposals, and client interviews
  • Strong communication skills and ability to work across geographically distributed teams

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience leading national or multi-region aviation programs
  • Design-Build or Progressive Design-Build experience
  • Established relationships with airport owners and aviation stakeholders
  • Experience mentoring and developing technical teams
  • Active involvement in aviation or transportation industry organizations

WSP Benefits:

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee's career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation:
Expected Salary (all locations): $180,800 - $310,000

WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant's sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

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About WSP

WSP is a Canadian engineering consulting firm that provides services to transform the built environment and restore the natural environment. The firm's expertise ranges from environmental remediation and urban planning, to engineering iconic buildings and designing sustainable transport networks, to developing the energy sources of the future and enabling new ways of extracting essential resources. It has approximately 54,000 employees, including engineers, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors, program and construction management professionals, and various environmental experts. WSP has offices in more than 40 countries and territories around the world.
Learn more about WSP
Size
54,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1959

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