Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Department: Geotechnical

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Portsmouth, VA

Reporting To: Kirsty Whewell

Compensation: $120,000 - $140,000 / year

Senior Geotechnical Engineer
Location: Virginia. Mixture of onsite and office
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Salary: 120-140K

As we continue to grow, we are looking for an experienced Senior Geotechnical Engineer, PE to provide technical leadership across complex geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing projects.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of major assignments, develop client relationships and support the growth and development of a highly skilled technical team.

What you will do

• Lead multiple geotechnical engineering and construction materials testing projects from proposal through to final delivery, managing scope, budgets, schedules, staffing and technical quality.
• Direct subsurface exploration programmes, including SPT borings, CPT, test pits, sampling, instrumentation, drilling activities and utility-clearance coordination.
• Complete and review advanced geotechnical analyses covering foundations, settlement, slope stability, retaining structures, earthworks, groundwater, pavement support and site-specific ground conditions.
• Prepare, review and approve geotechnical reports, technical memoranda, specifications, calculations and construction recommendations, including signing and sealing documents where required.
• Act as the principal technical contact for clients, contractors, architects and design teams, resolving site issues and providing practical engineering recommendations.
• Develop proposals, project scopes, fee estimates, schedules and staffing plans while supporting client development and business growth.
• Mentor junior engineers, technicians, inspectors and laboratory staff, providing task delegation, technical guidance and quality reviews.
• Oversee quality-control processes, field reports, laboratory results and technical deliverables to ensure accuracy, traceability and compliance with company procedures.
• Plan and oversee vibration and noise monitoring programmes, including pre-construction surveys, equipment installation, real-time monitoring and post-construction assessments.
• Lead specialist testing and analysis, including Dynamic Pile Testing, PDA, GRLWEAP, CAPWAP, Direct Shear and Triaxial testing.
• Provide senior-level support during critical construction activities, helping teams respond to unexpected subsurface conditions and develop corrective solutions.
• Promote a culture of technical excellence, safety, accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.

Who you are

We are looking for an experienced geotechnical professional who can independently lead complex projects while providing clear technical direction to clients and colleagues.

You will have:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering or a closely related discipline.
• A Professional Engineer licence, with current Virginia licensure preferred.
• Eligibility to obtain Virginia PE licensure through reciprocity where not already held.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in geotechnical engineering consulting or construction materials testing.
• Strong experience managing project budgets, schedules, staffing, technical risks and client expectations.
• Advanced knowledge of bearing capacity, settlement, shallow and deep foundation design and subsurface characterisation.
• Experience completing slope stability, earthworks, retaining structure, groundwater, pavement and subgrade assessments.
• Extensive experience with SPT borings, CPT, drilling oversight, soil sampling, boring logs and USCS soil classification.
• A strong understanding of shallow foundations, driven piles, drilled shafts, augered cast-in-place piles and specialist foundation systems.
• Excellent technical writing, communication, presentation and client-management skills.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and consistently deliver accurate work within demanding deadlines.
• Experience mentoring and developing junior technical staff.

Desirable technical experience

Experience in one or more of the following areas would be particularly beneficial:

• Dynamic Pile Testing using the Pile Driving Analyzer
• Pile-driving analysis and pile-capacity evaluation
• GRLWEAP and CAPWAP
• Direct Shear and Triaxial testing
• gINT or similar subsurface data-management software
• LPILE, APILE or GROUP
• GeoStudio, including Slope/W and Seep/W
• PLAXIS
• SETTLE3
• Vibration and noise monitoring programmes

What we offer

• Delta Dental Insurance for the employee, fully funded by ETS following 90 days of employment.
• Sentara Health Insurance, with ETS contributing 50% of the employee’s premium following 90 days of employment.
• Options to extend dental and health coverage to eligible family members up to age 26.
• A 401(k) plan with an annual company match of up to 3%.
• A company-provided vehicle and fuel card.
• A company mobile phone and laptop.
• Paid professional training, certifications and continuing education.
• Seven paid public holidays.
• Five days of paid sick leave.
• Ten days of paid vacation or PTO.

Join Engineering & Testing Services

At ETS, we invest in our people by providing high-quality equipment, ongoing professional development, strong technical support and opportunities to work on some of the region’s most complex engineering projects.

You will join an experienced and highly certified team where your technical knowledge, leadership and professional judgement will make a visible impact.

Important information

Celnor Group and its businesses manage recruitment directly. We do not require agency support for this role and will only engage with recruitment partners from our preferred supplier list where necessary.

We may use technology, including AI-enabled tools, to support parts of the recruitment process. AI is not used for candidate screening, scoring or hiring decisions. All hiring decisions are made by people, for people. Our recruitment systems are ISO 42001 accredited, reflecting our commitment to ethical, transparent and responsible use of technology.