Jobs › Barry-Wehmiller

Principal Civil Engineer

Barry-Wehmiller · Oak Brook, IL · $170,000–$240,000 a year · Full time

Posted Apr 21, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a manufacturing site project where you led the civil design. What were the hardest calls you made?

What they are checking: Whether they have led civil work on industrial sites at a principal level, not just supported it.

How do you review the work of junior civil engineers so quality stays high without slowing them down?

What they are checking: Whether they mentor and check work in a way that builds people up, which a principal role requires.

Tell me about a time you helped win new work or grow a client relationship.

What they are checking: Whether they can contribute to business development, which is usually expected of principals in a consulting firm.

What would you do

Walk me through how you'd manage permitting with a municipality that is slow and keeps changing its comments.

What they are checking: Whether they can keep a client schedule on track while working patiently with regulators they cannot control.

A client wants to cut civil scope to save money, but you think it creates a drainage risk. How do you handle that?

What they are checking: Whether they can give honest professional advice and document it, even when the client is pushing back.

A construction contractor finds a field condition that doesn't match your drawings. Walk me through your response.

What they are checking: Whether they respond quickly and fairly during construction rather than defending drawings that turned out wrong.

About the work

How do you approach site grading and stormwater design for a large food and beverage or life sciences plant?

What they are checking: Whether they can design for heavy truck traffic, large roofs and strict permit rules common on manufacturing sites.

How do you coordinate civil design with architecture, structural and process teams in an integrated firm?

What they are checking: Whether they know where civil touches other disciplines, such as utilities, slabs and truck docks, and catch clashes early.

What's your process for site utility design when the plant expansion has to tie into live systems?

What they are checking: Whether they plan for working around an operating plant without disrupting production or safety.

How do you stay current on codes and stormwater rules across different states?

What they are checking: Whether they have a reliable habit for keeping up, since the firm serves clients across many US offices.

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The full job description

As published by Barry-Wehmiller.

About Us: BW Design Group is a fully integrated architecture, engineering, construction, system integration, and consulting firm committed to helping our clients realize their most critical goals from Strategy to Commercialization. As the only firm born from a manufacturing technology company to become an independent and fully integrated firm, we combine deep domain expertise in the manufacturing environment with an approach that is built to serve the dynamic needs of our clients. Rooted in our distinct culture of Truly Human Leadership, we cultivate the leaders who will define tomorrow and partner with our clients in the food & beverage, life sciences, industrial, and advanced technology industries to build the future of manufacturing and technology. Barry-Wehmiller is a diversified global supplier of engineering consulting and manufacturing technology for the packaging, corrugating, sheeting and paper-converting industries. By blending people-centric leadership with disciplined operational strategies and purpose-driven growth, Barry-Wehmiller has become a $3 billion organization with nearly 12,000 team members united by a common belief: to use the power of business to build a better world. Job Description: Who You’ll Work With You will join BW Design Group and be part of a committed team of over 1600 professionals, and work in teams and directly with our clients doing work that is shaping the world around us. You will be welcomed into a rapidly growing business and team and empowered to make an impact. You will be valued, cared for, and challenged on your path to becoming a world-class professional consultant and surrounded by leaders who are committed to creating an environment that enables you to realize your own success and fulfillment. When you join Design Group as a Principal Civil Engineer, you are joining a team that will challenge you and position you for growth. In this role, you will work with a team of industry experts to help the world’s leading companies solve their most difficult problems. You will join our Architecture/Engineering Process Practice and partner with seasoned leaders, technical specialists, and subject matter experts to deliver the highest quality solutions to our clients with consistency and accuracy. What You’ll Do The Principal Civil Engineer position is designed for the firms most accomplished professionals who demonstrate mastery in their field of study and are recognized as a thought leader by external industry professionals as well as within their Design Group practice. Principals are highly sought after by our clients and our project execution teams for their technical expertise. Our Principals’ knowledge base and expertise enhance the Design Group brand as a world-class engineering and consulting firm. • Project Leadership: Take charge of planning, executing, and finalizing projects according to strict deadlines and within budget constraints. As the Principal, you will be responsible for coordinating all aspects of the site development projects. • Client Collaboration : Foster strong client relationships, serving as the primary point of contact for project communication. Your ability to understand and address client needs will be crucial in ensuring project success. • Site Development : Oversee and manage site development projects, including coordinating with the construction project manager, expansions, and renovations, focusing on food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods manufacturing facilities. • Regulatory Compliance : Ensure that all projects adhere to local, state, and federal regulations. Coordinate with regulatory agencies and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) to secure permits and approvals. • Team Coordination : Lead a team of professionals, including engineers, designers, and support staff, to deliver high-quality, safe, and efficient site development projects. Your leadership and project management skills will be essential in motivating and guiding the team to success. • Cost Management : Responsible for controlling project budgets, monitoring expenses, and ensuring cost-effective solutions while maintaining high quality and safety standards. • Risk Management: Identify potential risks and challenges in the project, creating strategies to mitigate them and maintain project timelines. • Quality Assurance : Implement and maintain quality control processes to ensure that project deliverables meet the highest standards and client expectations. • Report Generation : Prepare detailed project reports and documentation for clients and internal teams, conveying project progress, milestones, and any deviations from the plan. • Business Development : Contribute to the growth of Design Group by fostering existing client relationships, identifying opportunities for additional services, and participating in the preparation of proposals. What You’ll Bring • BS Civil Engineering from an ABET accredited university. • A Professional Engineer (PE) license is required. • A minimum of 10 years of experience in site development and civil engineering within the manufacturing sector, with a strong focus on food, beverage, or consumer packaged goods facilities. • Proven track record of successfully managing and delivering site development projects from initiation to completion. • Excellent understanding of regulatory compliance and permitting processes at local, state, and federal levels. • Experience in performing field facility condition assessments and reviewing hydraulic calculations and analyses. • Experience reviewing construction documents using software such as AutoCAD Civil 3D and Hydro CAD. • Strong leadership and team management skills. • Exceptional communication and interpersonal abilities. • Proficiency in project management software and Microsoft Office Suite. • A willingness to travel for project requirements, including installation and start-up activities, client meetings, and industry-related events. • Relocation assistance may be available for outstanding candidates, determined on an individual basis. Our culture and commitment to our people is what sets us apart. We foster an environment of mutual respect, integrity, and unconditional interest in the individual and collective success of our professionals. Our model and entrepreneurial mindset offer a rewarding, challenging, and highly flexible path. As a Principal Civil Engineer, you will build a meaningful and fulfilling career with the support of professional development resources and mentorships including our First Year Experience program, Individual Development Plans, and Career Path resources and tools. You will be surrounded by exceptional talent who will support your development as both a world-class engineer and a highly effective leader. Feel like you're on the path to becoming a Principal Civil Engineer but you're not quite there yet? We'd love to connect with you to see if we can take you from where you are today and grow you into a Design Group Engineering Consultant. The approximate pay range for this position is $170K - $240K. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to background, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as geographic location of the position. #LI-JF1 At Barry-Wehmiller we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. We know that our differences often can bring about innovation, excellence and meaningful work—therefore, people from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require reasonable accommodations during the interview process. ​ Barry-Wehmiller is an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V This organization uses E-Verify. Applicants may be subject to pre-employment screening which may include drug screening, reference checks, employment verifications, background screening and/or skills assessments. Company: Design Group

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