Protective Design Engineer – Structural and Blast Engineering

Job overview

The Protective Design Engineer – Structural and Blast Engineering role is onsite in Portland, OR. The expected salary range is $80,000–$95,000 per year. The role supports KPFF’s specialized protective design team working across San Francisco and Portland to improve the safety and resilience of buildings and critical infrastructure. The engineer applies structural engineering fundamentals to analyze how structures respond to extreme events and develop practical risk-reduction solutions. The role contributes to projects involving blast effects, structural dynamics, progressive collapse, and hostile vehicle mitigation, with technical responsibility growing over time.

What you'll do

• Depending on the project, perform structural analysis, computational modeling, design development, and technical calculations
• coordinate with multidisciplinary teams
• support design and construction
• contribute to protective design work involving extreme loading and structural response.

What we're looking for

Skills & competencies

protective design engineer

structural engineering

blast engineering

structural dynamics

progressive collapse

critical infrastructure

portland or

kpff consulting engineers

$80k–$95k per year

master's degree

security clearance

early-career

Work arrangement

• Weekend coverage required

Benefits & perks

• Medical plan options
• FSA
• dental and vision
• employee assistance program
• life and AD&D insurance
• 401(k) contribution
• disability insurance
• paid time off and holidays
• paid family leave
• mentorship and professional development.

Why this role

Early-career role requiring a master’s degree in structural engineering or closely related graduate program; ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance; occasional project-site travel may be required.

About the employer

KPFF Consulting Engineers is hiring for this role. Industry: Engineering Services. Sector: 54.