Underground Structures Engineer - Design Coordination

AECOM Middle East Ltd; Dubai; On-site; AED 246,000 - 357,000; Full time

Job summary

AECOM in Dubai is seeking an experienced Underground Structures Engineer - Design Coordination to lead multidisciplinary design integration for tunnels, shafts, and underground civil works. You will align civil, structural, geotechnical and MEP inputs with project standards and schedules.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in underground design coordination, strong interface management skills and a track record on large transport infrastructure projects in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• This role requires a Civil/Structural engineering degree and at least 10 years in underground structures design coordination.
• Experience coordinating civil, structural, geotechnical and MEP disciplines is essential.
• Strong track record with tunnels, shafts and underground infrastructure projects.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate multidisciplinary design inputs for tunnels, shafts, retaining structures and underground elements.
• Manage design interfaces between civil, structural, geotechnical and MEP disciplines.
• Review submissions for compliance with project criteria and technical specs.
• Track design packages through development, responses, revisions and approvals.
• Support constructability reviews and value engineering to improve performance and cost.

Skills

Underground structures

Tunnel design coordination

Shaft design

Multidisciplinary coordination

Interface management

Design review

Constructability reviews

Risk management

Education

Civil/Structural Engineering degree

Job description

Job Snapshot

Role: Underground Structures Engineer - Design Coordination Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Industry: Civil Engineering Function: Civil & Structural Engineering Experience: Minimum 10 years Job Type: Full-time

Position Overview

Underground Structures Engineer - Design Coordination in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a Civil Engineering opportunity for an experienced professional specializing in tunnels, shafts, retaining systems, multidisciplinary design integration, and infrastructure project delivery. The role supports complex transportation and underground works by coordinating technical inputs, managing design interfaces, reviewing submissions, resolving design issues, and maintaining alignment with project standards and programme milestones.

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates

City: Dubai

Industry: Civil Engineering

Function: Civil & Structural Engineering

Salary: 22000-32000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.

Gender: Any

Candidate Nationality: Any

Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Underground Structures Engineer - Design Coordination will provide technical coordination across underground infrastructure design packages, ensuring structural, geotechnical, civil, and MEP requirements are properly integrated before construction. The role acts as a key link between designers, contractors, consultants, and internal engineering teams, helping resolve interface conflicts, reduce design risk, improve constructability, and keep technical deliverables aligned with the overall project programme.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate multidisciplinary design inputs for tunnels, shafts, retaining structures, and other underground infrastructure elements.
• Manage interfaces between civil, structural, geotechnical, MEP, and related engineering disciplines.
• Review design submissions for compliance with project requirements, approved criteria, technical specifications, and applicable standards.
• Track design packages, comments, responses, revisions, and approvals through the design development process.
• Identify interface conflicts between disciplines and coordinate practical technical resolutions.
• Support constructability reviews to ensure proposed designs can be safely and efficiently implemented on site.
• Participate in value engineering studies aimed at improving technical performance, cost efficiency, and construction practicality.
• Monitor design progress against agreed programme milestones and highlight potential delays or dependencies.
• Coordinate with contractors, consultants, designers, and internal technical teams during design reviews and workshops.
• Support resolution of design queries, technical clarifications, and discipline-specific issues.
• Review design changes to understand their impact on adjacent systems, structures, interfaces, and project delivery.
• Contribute to risk identification and mitigation during the design phase, particularly for underground construction interfaces.
• Maintain clear records of design decisions, technical comments, interface matters, and outstanding actions.
• Assist project management teams with design status reporting and technical coordination updates.
• Support integration of structural and geotechnical requirements for excavation support, shafts, tunnels, and retaining systems.
• Ensure design development remains aligned with construction sequencing, access requirements, and downstream project activities.

Ideal Profile

• Engineering degree in Civil, Structural, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in underground structures design coordination or a related engineering field.
• Strong technical exposure to tunnels, shafts, retaining systems, and underground civil works.
• Experience coordinating civil, structural, geotechnical, and MEP design disciplines.
• Previous involvement in large-scale infrastructure or rail projects is highly advantageous.
• Strong understanding of design review, technical submissions, interface management, and multidisciplinary coordination.
• Familiarity with constructability assessment and value engineering processes.
• Ability to identify design risks and develop coordinated mitigation measures.
• Experience tracking complex design packages against programme requirements.
• Strong understanding of underground construction constraints and structural interfaces.
• Effective communication skills for resolving technical matters with consultants, contractors, and project stakeholders.
• Strong analytical ability with careful attention to design consistency and technical compliance.
• Comfortable working within multidisciplinary engineering teams on complex infrastructure assignments.

Skills Set

• Underground structures
• Tunnel design coordination
• Shaft design
• Retaining structures
• Civil engineering
• Structural engineering
• Geotechnical coordination
• MEP coordination
• Multidisciplinary design coordination
• Design interface management
• Design review
• Technical submissions
• Constructability reviews
• Value engineering
• Design risk management
• Interface resolution
• Infrastructure design
• Rail infrastructure
• Tunnel interfaces
• Excavation support systems
• Structural coordination
• Geotechnical interfaces
• Design progress tracking
• Programme coordination
• Technical compliance
• Design change management
• Consultant coordination
• Contractor coordination
• Design workshops
• Technical documentation
• Project risk mitigation
• Design delivery
• Infrastructure project coordination

Why Join Us

This position offers the opportunity to work on technically demanding underground infrastructure where successful delivery depends on precise design integration across multiple engineering disciplines. The role provides experienced engineers with continued exposure to tunnels, shafts, structural systems, geotechnical interfaces, constructability reviews, and major transportation projects while strengthening leadership in complex design coordination. Ongoing investment in rail and underground infrastructure across the UAE also supports strong long-term demand for professionals with specialist underground structures experience.

About the Company

AECOM is a global infrastructure consulting organization delivering engineering, planning, design, environmental, construction supervision, and program management services. Its transportation teams support complex rail, road, tunnel, and major infrastructure programs through integrated engineering, multidisciplinary coordination, and structured project delivery.