Tunnels Lead

WSP in the Middle East; Dubai; On-site; AED 450,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP is seeking an experienced Tunnels Lead to join our Middle East Transport & Infrastructure team, based in the UAE. This strategic role drives tunnel engineering excellence, oversees complex underground projects, and leads specialist design development across the GCC and broader region.

You will combine deep technical expertise with strong project delivery and people leadership, mentoring multidisciplinary teams and expanding WSP's tunnelling capabilities throughout the region.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Master’s Degree in Tunnel Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a relevant field would be advantageous.
• Minimum 15+ years of professional experience in tunnel and underground infrastructure engineering.
• Proven experience leading the design and delivery of major tunnelling projects, preferably within rail, metro, highway, utility, or underground infrastructure sectors.
• Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary engineering teams and large-scale project delivery.
• Experience working on international projects within the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Australia, or North America is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of both conventional and mechanized tunnelling methodologies.
• Experience in TBM tunnels, NATM/SEM tunnelling methods, cut-and-cover tunnel design, underground station and shaft design, geotechnical and structural analysis for underground works, ground-structure interaction, temporary works and construction methodologies, tunnel safety and risk management.
• Design software and analytical tools relevant to tunnel engineering and underground structures.
• Proven ability to lead high-performing technical teams.
• Strong project management and commercial awareness.
• Excellent client management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Demonstrated ability to secure and deliver major engineering commissions.
• Strong communication, presentation, and report-writing capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership: Serve as regional technical authority for tunnelling and underground projects; lead design and review of TBM tunnels, IMT tunnels, tunnel shafts, underground stations, cut-and-cover structures, retaining systems; provide guidance through feasibility to construction support; ensure compliance with standards and regulations; drive innovation and risk management; engage with global tunnels community.
• Project Delivery: Lead delivery of complex tunnel projects in the Middle East; manage scope, programme, quality, resources, and commercial performance; coordinate multidisciplinary teams; ensure on-time, on-budget delivery and high quality; support construction supervision with specialist design advice.
• Discipline Leadership: Develop and drive tunnelling growth strategy; lead and grow the Tunnelling discipline; mentor engineers across offices; support recruitment, performance development, and capability building; establish technical excellence frameworks and best practices; foster collaboration and high performance.
• Business Development: Support regional growth and strategic planning; engage with clients, contractors, and stakeholders; participate in bids, proposals, and technical workshops; identify market opportunities and expand tunnelling portfolio.

Skills

Tunnel engineering

Leadership

Project delivery

Geotechnical

Stakeholder management

TBM tunnelling

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s in Civil/Geotechnical/Structural engineering

Master’s in Tunnel Engineering

Tools

TBM design software

Finite element analysis

Geotechnical design tools

Job description

Job Description:

WSP is seeking an experienced and highly accomplished Tunnels Lead to join our Middle East Transport & Infrastructure team, based in the UAE and supporting projects across the GCC and wider Middle East region. This is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving excellence in tunnel engineering, overseeing the delivery of complex underground infrastructure projects, and leading the growth and development of a specialist design discipline.
The successful candidate will combine deep technical expertise in tunnel and underground structures design with strong project delivery and people leadership capabilities. They will play a key role in winning and delivering major transportation, rail, metro, highway, utility, and underground infrastructure projects while mentoring multidisciplinary engineering teams and supporting the continued expansion of WSP's tunnelling capabilities throughout the region.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Serve as the regional technical authority for tunnelling and underground infrastructure projects.
• Lead the design and review of TBM tunnels, IMT tunnels, tunnel shafts, underground stations, cut-and-cover structures, retaining systems, and associated underground works.
• Provide expert technical guidance throughout all project phases, from feasibility studies and concept design through detailed design and construction support.
• Ensure designs comply with international standards, local regulations, client requirements, and industry best practices.
• Drive innovation, value engineering, and risk management across all tunnel engineering activities.
• Engage with WSP’s global tunnels community to drive technical excellence through knowledge share, future ready, and global WSP initiatives.

Project Delivery

• Lead and oversee the successful delivery of complex tunnel and underground infrastructure projects across the Middle East.
• Manage project technical scope, programme, quality, resource allocation, and commercial performance.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams including geotechnical, civil, structural, rail, highways, utilities, and construction specialists.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.
• Support construction supervision teams by providing specialist design advice and resolving complex engineering challenges.

Discipline Leadership

• Develop and drive WSP’s tunnels growth strategy across the Middle East region.
• Lead, develop, and grow WSP's Tunnelling discipline within the Middle East.
• Manage and mentor tunnel engineers and technical specialists across multiple offices.
• Support recruitment, succession planning, performance development, and technical capability building.
• Establish and maintain technical excellence frameworks, design processes, and best practices across the discipline.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performing team culture.

Business Development

• Support regional business growth and strategic planning initiatives.
• Engage with clients, contractors, government entities, and key stakeholders across the region.
• Participate in business development activities, client presentations, technical workshops, and industry forums.
• Lead technical inputs for bids, proposals, and major project pursuits.
• Identify emerging market opportunities and contribute to the expansion of WSP's tunnelling portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Master's Degree in Tunnel Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a relevant field would be advantageous.
• Minimum 15+ years of professional experience in tunnel and underground infrastructure engineering.
• Proven experience leading the design and delivery of major tunnelling projects, preferably within rail, metro, highway, utility, or underground infrastructure sectors.
• Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary engineering teams and large-scale project delivery.
• Experience working on international projects within the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Australia, or North America is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of both conventional and mechanized tunnelling methodologies.
• Experience in:
• TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) tunnels.
• NATM / SEM tunnelling methods.
• Cut-and-cover tunnel design.
• Underground station and shaft design.
• Geotechnical and structural analysis for underground works.
• Ground-structure interaction.
• Temporary works and construction methodologies.
• Tunnel safety, fire life safety, and risk management.
• Design software and analytical tools relevant to tunnel engineering and underground structures.
• Proven ability to lead high-performing technical teams.
• Strong project management and commercial awareness.
• Excellent client management and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Demonstrated ability to secure and deliver major engineering commissions.
• Strong communication, presentation, and report‑writing capabilities.

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