Service Director, Geotechnical Engineering

LE044 Onterris Canada Inc.; Guelph; Hybrid; CAD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Onterris Canada Inc. is seeking a Service Director, Geotechnical Engineering to lead operations in Canada with hybrid office work in Oakville or Guelph. You will direct growth, ensure safety, and drive high-quality service delivery while managing multidisciplinary teams.

The role requires 15+ years in geotechnical engineering, a P.Eng. designation, and strong project leadership. Competitive CAD salary with significant scope for impact and career development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Geotechnical Engineering is required.
• P.Eng. designation is mandatory.
• Master's degree is preferred for advanced roles.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Service Leads to drive performance.
• Oversee workforce planning, hiring, performance management, and succession planning.
• Ensure safety champion and adherence to project management standards.
• Align technical capabilities with client needs to deliver value.

Skills

Geotechnical leadership

Project management

Business development

Team mentoring

Soil/rock mechanics

Geotechnical software

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Geotechnical Engineering

P.Eng. designation

Master's degree preferred

Tools

GeoStudio

LPile

Group

Settle3D

PLAXIS

Rocscience

Job description

About Us

At Onterris, we build careers grounded in purpose, responsibility and real-world impact. “For Planet and Progress” is our north star that guides everything we do. We believe environmental responsibility and human progress are interconnected, interwoven and international. Our scientists, engineers, field teams, consultants and professionals collaborate across disciplines and geographies, guiding industries and governments, ensuring that communities and environments thrive. When you join us, you’re not just forging a career, you’re joining a movement. A movement for better thinking, smarter solutions and lasting impact. Together, we will advance our way of life and protect the integrity of our environment every step of the way.

A Day in the Life

As the Service Director, Geotechnical Engineering, you will report to the Service Line VP. You will provide strategic and operational leadership. This role is accountable for driving financial performance, operational excellence, and safe, high-quality service delivery. As a member of the Canadian leadership team, the Service Director leads growth, develops talent, and advances business priorities through cross-functional collaboration. This position is hybrid and requires a minimum of 3 days a week in either our Oakville, ON or Guelph, ON office. The compensation range for this role is $160,000 to $210,000, commensurate with experience, skills, and geographic location.

Operations & People Leadership

• Deliver RBU performance targets (revenue, profitability, utilization, margins, DSO, pipeline, and cost management)
• Contribute to business planning, budgeting, and resource forecasting
• Lead and develop Service Leads to drive performance and align with strategic goals
• Oversee workforce planning, hiring, performance management, and succession planning
• Foster a high-performance, collaborative culture and address performance issues proactively
• Ensure compliance with company policies, systems, and governance requirements
• Collaborate with functional leaders (HR, Finance, H&S, Legal, Marketing, etc.) to align operations with business objectives

Revenue & Growth

• Support and drive revenue growth initiatives across the RBU
• Partner with Revenue & Growth teams on account strategy, business development, and key hires
• Promote cross-service collaboration to strengthen market position and client delivery
• Contribute to achieving annual revenue and growth targets

Technical Excellence & Project Delivery

• Ensure effective assignment of Project Managers, Project Directors, and technical experts
• Promote quality, technical excellence, and adherence to project management standards
• Oversee project performance through reviews and lifecycle controls to ensure quality and profitability
• Align technical capabilities with client needs to enhance value delivery
• Act as Project Director, SME, or proposal lead where appropriate
• Safety Champion and model a strong safety culture
• Partner with H&S to ensure compliance with company safety standards and employee engagement

Your Expertise and Skills

These requirements reflect the knowledge, skills, and abilities that help you do your best work here.

• Bachelor's degree in Geotechnical Engineering required; master's degree preferred.
• Must hold a P.Eng. designation.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive geotechnical engineering experience following graduation, including geotechnical investigations, foundation engineering, earthworks, and advanced geotechnical analysis and design.
• Demonstrated expertise in the design and assessment of shallow foundations, deep foundations, drilled shafts, driven piles, micropiles, retaining structures, and ground improvement systems.
• Extensive experience planning, directing, and interpreting geotechnical field investigations, laboratory testing programs, instrumentation and monitoring, and subsurface characterization.
• Strong technical knowledge of soil mechanics, rock mechanics, settlement analysis, slope stability, earth retaining structures, seepage analysis, and finite element modeling.
• Experience leading foundation engineering services for major infrastructure, transportation, industrial, commercial, institutional, and land development projects.
• Proficiency with geotechnical engineering software and analytical tools such as GeoStudio, LPile, Group, Settle3D, PLAXIS, Rocscience, or equivalent platforms.
• Strong project management skills, including scope development, budgeting, resource planning, contract administration, schedule management, and financial performance monitoring.
• Experience preparing and reviewing technical proposals, statements of qualifications, technical reports, specifications, and construction documents.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and mentoring engineers, project managers, and technical specialists, fostering a culture of technical excellence, knowledge sharing, and professional development.
• Successful track record in business development, client relationship management, and securing repeat and new work opportunities.
• Ability to travel up to 20%.
• A valid Class 5 or G driver’s license with no restrictions.

Additional Information

Onterris provides support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities; including accommodation that considers an applicant’s accessibility needs. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to work with Human Resources directly.

This posting reflects a current vacancy that the company is actively seeking to fill.

Onterris is a leading global environmental solutions company partnering with organizations to solve complex challenges where environmental pressures, regulatory expectations and operational risks intersect. Guided by our mission to advance the way of life without compromising the integrity of our environment, we believe environmental responsibility and human progress are fundamentally connected. Our scientists, engineers, field teams and consultants apply systems thinking that unites science, data and practical expertise to deliver solutions that strengthen our clients’ resilience, mitigate risk and protect the air, water and soil that sustain communities, while uncovering responsible paths forward for planet and progress. For more information, visit www.onterris.com.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

We acknowledge that these experiences and perspectives help to enrich our teams and contribute to our ongoing success.

We are committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in our employment for all applicants.

Employee Testimonials

“Working with inspiring coworkers and clients across the globe over the past five years has been incredibly rewarding. Their passion motivates me to improve our client experience and work that I deliver.” – Erin Peck, Emissions Services

“There are not many places where a toxicologist can be boots‑on‑the‑ground at an environmental emergency one day and deep in a human health risk assessment or litigation the next, but this company is one of them, and honestly, that breadth is what makes me love the work. We are a team of scientists with a broad range of talents and experiences who genuinely take the mission to heart, because protecting people and communities from chemical hazards is not abstract here; it is exactly why we show up every day. The culture reflects that shared commitment in the best way: collaborative, rigorous, and truly motivated by the impact we make together.” – Andre Richardson, Consulting

“I knew my position here would be more than just a job. Every day is a new, exciting challenge to solve, and I get to go home knowing that the work I am doing is having a positive impact on the world.” – J Esteves, R&D