Geotechnical Engineer 5

Description

• Provides technical review, mentorship, and development of junior staff and may supervise junior engineers on project assignments. Participates in professional review of junior staff.
• Performs and reviews stability, seepage, settlement, liquefaction, and deformation analyses for dams and levees using numerical modeling and spreadsheet methods to assess internal erosion susceptibility, seepage gradients, allowable deformations, seismic loading effects, and overall embankment performance.
• Perform or supports site-specific seismic hazard assessments (SSHA), including probabilistic and deterministic analyses, site response modeling, and development of seismic loading parameters.
• Provides geotechnical engineering support for water and wastewater treatment facilities, conveyance infrastructure, transportation projects, and building/structural projects, including foundations, excavation support, slopes, pavements, and geoenvironmental evaluations.
• Submits technical papers and designs for publishing to technical journals.
• Performs conceptual and feasibility-level alternatives analyses for dams, levees, spillways, foundations, and appurtenant structures, integrating geotechnical performance, constructability, cost, schedule, and risk considerations.
• Supports needs definition and basis-of-design development for new dam, levee, and water infrastructure projects.
• Collaborates with sales staff to create proposals in response to current and potential client requests for proposal (RFPs). Reviews draft proposals prepared by others for adherence to firm, industry, state, local and federal requirements and best practices.
• Contributes to firm's Technical Knowledge Portal by developing white papers and technical design documentation of new or special case designs, studies, etc.
• Implements risk informed decision making throughout the project lifecycle by incorporating decisions at key project milestones (alternatives selection, design advancement, construction change evaluation).
• Develops geotechnical and geologic characterization models to support alternatives analysis, design criteria, and risk assessment.
• Plans and performs geologic and geotechnical field investigations, including explorations, drilling, sampling, in-situ testing, laboratory testing, and site reconnaissance.
• Performs and supports risk assessments through PFMA development, potential failure mode characterization, likelihood/consequence evaluations, geotechnical fragility curve development, and integrates findings into risk assessment reports.
• Engages with dam owners, water agencies, and municipalities to understand facility needs, develop project scopes, and deliver solutions-oriented dam and levee safety support.
• Performs issue identification and preliminary evaluations for existing dams and levees through inspection, condition assessment, instrumentation review, performance history, and surveillance data. Ensures that firm policies and practices are followed on all designs.
• Provides construction-phase engineering support including RFI evaluation, submittal review, field engineering, contractor coordination, and technical issue resolution.
• Maintains professional registration, etc. to improve the visibility of the firm's products and services.
• Develops risk-reduction measures and improvement alternatives consistent with FEMA, FERC, and state dam safety guidelines.

Requirements

• Experience providing construction-phase engineering support, construction inspection, or field engineering for embankment, foundation, seepage-control, or hydraulic-structure projects.
• Strong ability to develop and evaluate geotechnical inputs that support dam and levee design, understanding how foundation, embankment, seepage, and seismic characteristics influence structural, hydraulic, and risk-related decisions.
• Prior involvement in dam or levee risk analyses, PFMA development, SQRA/QRA, fragility assessments, or risk-informed alternatives analysis.
• Bachelor's degree in Geotechnical, Civil, Mining or Geologic Engineering or related discipline.
• Proficiency with geotechnical and dam safety modeling tools (e.g., GeoStudio, PLAXIS, FLAC, Rocscience, or equivalent).
• Experience supporting levee evaluations and improvements for FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) mapping, certification, or accreditation.
• Professional engineering (PE) license.
• Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering
• Experience applying FERC Engineering Guidelines, USACE Engineering Regulations (ER/EM), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Dam Safety Program guidance, California DSOD regulations, and FEMA dam safety and levee accreditation requirements.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including preparation of clear, defensible technical documentation for design teams, clients, and regulators.
• Ability to apply practical engineering judgment to balance technical rigor, constructability, and field conditions during analyses, design development, and construction support.
• Strong technical communication skills, including preparation of design reports, engineering memoranda, and regulatory submittals.
• Prior experience working with water agencies, irrigation districts, flood control districts, or hydropower operators on dam safety or levee improvement projects.
• Experience with levee design, construction, or rehabilitation under USACE jurisdiction, including familiarity with design documentation, review processes, and construction QA/QC expectations.
• Equivalent additional directly related experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Demonstrated experience preparing plans, specifications, and estimates (PS&E) for embankment dams, levees, spillways, or water infrastructure projects.
• Experience planning and performing geotechnical investigations for dam and levee evaluation, rehabilitation, or construction projects.
• Ability to work collaboratively within project teams and coordinate geotechnical information with other engineering disciplines as design progresses.
• 7 years of related experience.

Benefits

Training + Development

Interview process

Visa Sponsorship

Security clearance