Senior Geotechnical Engineer / Office Lead (PE Required)

Job Description

Job Description

Senior Geotechnical Engineer | PE Required

Orange County, CA | Full-Time | Direct Hire

Are you a licensed Professional Engineer who is tired of spending years on a single project?

What if you could step into a highly visible technical role where your expertise directly impacts real estate transactions, commercial developments, and major construction decisions every week?

Our client is a well-established Southern California engineering consulting firm seeking a Senior Geotechnical Engineer to serve as a technical leader within a growing geotechnical practice. This individual will play a critical role in preparing, reviewing, and signing geotechnical reports while supporting a diverse mix of projects ranging from commercial developments and hospitality projects to retail, transportation, and multi-story structures. The role places heavy emphasis on technical report writing, engineering judgment, and client interaction. Report-writing and signing authority are considered the most important functions of the position.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

• Direct impact on projects that drive property acquisition and development decisions
• Opportunity to become a key technical resource within the organization
• Diverse project portfolio ranging from retail and hospitality projects to large-scale developments
• Fast-paced environment with meaningful responsibility and visibility
• Opportunity to mentor junior engineers and influence technical direction
• Established company with long-term growth plans in Southern California
• Competitive compensation with advancement opportunities

What You'll Do

• Prepare, review, and approve geotechnical engineering reports
• Perform geotechnical analysis and develop foundation recommendations
• Sign and seal technical reports as required
• Review boring logs, laboratory results, and subsurface investigations
• Coordinate with field personnel and laboratory teams throughout project execution
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and staff
• Manage multiple active projects simultaneously
• Maintain direct communication with clients regarding project status, findings, and recommendations
• Support proposal preparation, budgeting, and project planning efforts
• Participate in meetings, networking activities, and relationship-building efforts within the engineering community
• Work closely with leadership to help support continued growth of the Southern California operation

Requirements Required

• Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering
• Active California Professional Engineer (PE) License
• 5+ years of geotechnical engineering experience
• Strong geotechnical report writing experience
• Experience reviewing soils investigations and foundation recommendations
• Experience working directly with clients
• Excellent technical writing and communication skills

Preferred

• California Geotechnical Engineer (GE) License
• Master's Degree in Geotechnical Engineering
• Experience signing and sealing reports
• Proposal writing experience
• Project management experience
• Experience mentoring junior staff
• Experience with commercial, retail, hospitality, transportation, or land development projects

Ideal Background

Successful candidates often come from consulting environments focused on:

• Geotechnical Engineering
• Foundation Design
• Land Development
• Commercial Site Development
• Transportation Infrastructure
• Public Works
• Construction Materials Testing & Geotechnical Consulting

What We're Looking For

This role is ideal for an engineer who enjoys technical ownership, thrives in a fast-paced consulting environment, and wants a position where report writing, engineering judgment, and client interaction are valued as highly as project management.

If you've built a reputation for producing high-quality geotechnical reports, can confidently communicate technical recommendations to clients, and are looking for a long-term opportunity with growth potential, we'd like to connect.

Apply today to learn more about the company, culture, compensation package, and long-term growth opportunities.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Orange, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $140000.00 - $170000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Competitive SalaryHealth Insurance401(k) and Profit SharingAdvancement / Relocation OpportunitiesEducational Advancement OpportunitiesPleasant Work EnvironmentTeam Atmosphere

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Orange, CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 26, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Orange,CA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.