Structural Engineer — Protective Design

Job overview

The Structural Engineer — Protective Design role is primarily office-based in Portland, OR, with occasional project-site visits and travel to project sites, client meetings, or other KPFF offices. The expected salary range is $80,000 to $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 position is intended for an early-career structural engineer developing expertise in protective design. Through analysis, modeling, design development, and multidisciplinary coordination, the engineer contributes practical solutions that reduce risks from extreme events and help protect people and infrastructure.

What you'll do

• Apply structural engineering fundamentals to protective-design projects
• perform structural analysis, computational modeling, design development, and technical calculations as project needs require
• coordinate with multidisciplinary teams
• support design and construction
• contribute to work involving blast effects, structural dynamics, progressive collapse, and hostile vehicle mitigation as applicable. Occasional travel to project sites, client meetings, or other offices may be required. Requires a master’s degree in Structural Engineering or a closely related graduate program with a strong structural emphasis, and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance.

What we're looking for

Skills & competencies

structural engineer

protective design

portland or

kpff consulting engineers

onsite

$80k–$95k/year

early career

structural analysis

blast design

structural dynamics

progressive collapse

critical infrastructure

master’s degree

occasional travel

Work arrangement

• Weekend coverage required

Benefits & perks

• Medical plan options
• flexible spending accounts
• dental and vision
• employee assistance program
• life and AD&D insurance
• 401(k) with 3% employer contribution
• company-paid short- and long-term disability
• paid time off, floating holidays, and company holidays
• paid family leave.

Why this role

Early-career protective-design opportunity with mentorship and technical development; projects address extreme events and resilience across aviation, aerospace, manufacturing, industrial, and other mission-critical environments.

About the employer

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