Structural Designer / Project Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Ready to take your engineering career to new heights?

You want to do real structural design work. Not draft details on someone else's project and wonder what the point is - actually understand the system, contribute to the solution, and build a skill set that compounds over a career.

Our San Francisco office is looking for engineers at the earlier career stage who are ready to take on genuine design responsibility across a varied project portfolio. Whether you'd join us as a Structural Designer or a Project Engineer depends on where you are right now. The opportunity is the same: interesting work, strong mentorship, and a clear path forward.

Who We Are

Holmes US is an international structural engineering firm with offices up and down the West Coast and roots going back over 65 years to New Zealand. We're part of the Holmes Group - 500+ people worldwide - which means you get the technical depth of a global firm alongside the culture of a West Coast practice where people actually know each other.

In San Francisco, you could work in our Structures Practice - commercial, multi-family, education, civic, seismic retrofits - or our Resi studio , where the work is high-end custom residential and the relationship with architects and clients is close and ongoing. Or, both for a bigger variety of experience! You get to tell us your preference.

The variety is intentional. We don't silo early-career engineers into one project type, and we hear consistently that this is one of the things our people value most about working here.

What You'll Actually Do

• Design and analyse structural systems across concrete, steel, timber, and masonry on projects that genuinely challenge you
• Work across project types: seismic retrofits, high-density residential, custom homes, civic and commercial projects
• Apply seismic design principles in one of the most structurally demanding urban environments in the world
• Visit sites and engage with the full lifecycle of a project, not just the desk work
• Work directly alongside senior engineers and project managers who are invested in your development

What We're Looking For

This role is open at two levels:

Structural Designer - You have around 1 year of experience (internships count), a B.S. in Civil/Structural Engineering, and a genuine curiosity about how buildings work. EIT status or active progress toward your PE is a plus.

Project Engineer - You have 3-6 years of structural engineering experience, a PE licence, and you're ready to take real ownership of design work. You want breadth, not a niche - and you're starting to think about how to develop the engineers around you.

Both levels: strong communication skills, a collaborative mindset, and proficiency in or genuine interest in ETABS, SAP2000, or RISA.

Why Holmes?

The work is varied, and that's a deliberate choice.
You'll build a portfolio that spans building types, scales, and structural systems - often within the same year. You're not going to spend three years on the same building type. San Francisco is one of the most seismically complex cities in the world to practise in, and you'll feel that in the quality and challenge of the work.

Mentorship here isn't a line item in a brochure.
Senior engineers and principals are genuinely available. You'll get regular feedback, a clear sense of where you're headed, and real support toward your PE if you're not there yet. At the Project Engineer level, you'll start giving that mentorship as well as receiving it - which is one of the fastest ways to grow.

You have access to something larger than your office.
As part of the Holmes Group, you can draw on the technical depth of engineers across the US, New Zealand, and Australia. That network shows up in project collaboration, technical training through Holmes University, and knowledge sharing that doesn't stop at the office door.

Work-Life Balance, and We Mean It

Our hybrid model is three days in the office - the rest is yours. We offer biannual profit share so you participate in the success you help create. And we've built a culture where overtime is the exception, not the expectation. You'll do better work when you're not running on empty, and we structure the practice accordingly.

Benefits Offered:

Depending on your employment status, benefits may include:

• Hybrid work model (3 days in office)
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, Short-term and Long-term Disability and other voluntary plans
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical & Childcare
• Health Savings Account
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time off - Vacation, Sick, Personal Leave, Family Leave for new parents, and Community Service time
• Paid Holidays
• Pre-Tax Commuter Transit
• 401(k) retirement savings with Company contribution
• Company sponsored events
• Diversity / Inclusion programs and initiatives

Compensation

$76,000 - $114,000 + biannual profit share bonus potential. Salary commensurate with experience, skills, and location.

Our Commitment

At Holmes, we believe in building teams as diverse as the communities we serve. We provide equal support and opportunities for all our people to thrive, grow, and develop. Dream big - we'll help you get there.

 

Ready to join a team that believes in pushing boundaries and having fun while doing it? Apply now at and let's create something amazing together! ️

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