Geotechnical Design Engineer

Heyne Tillett Steel; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Heyne Tillett Steel, an award-winning structural and civil engineering practice based in central London, seeks a Geotechnical Design Engineer to join its in-house consultancy. The role focuses on delivering temporary and permanent works, including retaining walls, pile foundations, and excavation support, across diverse UK projects.

You will work with the Head of Geotechnical and multidisciplinary teams to deliver practical, high-quality geotechnical solutions while developing technical

Qualifications

• Strong experience in geotechnical design.
• Good understanding of soil mechanics and geotechnical principles.
• Experience in reviewing ground investigation data and ground model development.
• Ability to produce clear technical reports and documents.

Responsibilities

• Lead in delivering geotechnical design packages, including temporary and permanent works.
• Review site investigation data and support ground model development.
• Prepare technical deliverables: desk studies, reports, calculations, drawings.
• Assist with ground investigations scoping and reviewing proposals.
• Carry out ground movement and soil-structure interaction assessments.
• Support QA, internal procedures, and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Geotechnical design

Ground model development

Soil mechanics

Report writing

Communication

Team collaboration

Problem-solving

Project delivery

Commercial awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil/Geotechnical Engineering

Tools

Oasys Suite

PLAXIS 2D/3D

WALLAP

AutoCAD LT

Excel

Job description

Heyne Tillett Steel is an award-winning structural and civil engineering practice with a reputation for intelligent design and innovative, practical and sustainable solutions. Based in central London and established in 2007 by directors Andy Heyne, Mark Tillett and Tom Steel, the practice now has over 180 people. We are currently working on exciting and innovative projects throughout the UK for many leading developers and architects.

Heyne Tillett Steel is an Employee Ownership Trust. We are committed to the development and success of our staff and maintaining the ethos of the practice. If you want to be part of a friendly and dynamic team, then we want to hear from you.

About The Role :

We are seeking a motivated and technically capable Geotechnical Design Engineer to join our growing in-house Geotechnical Consultancy team.

This is a great opportunity for an engineer who is looking to progress their career in geotechnical design. The role will involve the delivery of both temporary and permanent works design, with exposure to retaining walls, piled foundations and excavation support, while building broader design and consultancy skills within a supportive team environment.

You will be working closely with the Head of Geotechnical and other internal team leads to help deliver practical, high-quality geotechnical solutions across a variety of sectors, including new build and reuse schemes. This role would suit someone who is proactive, eager to learn and keen to broaden their technical experience while contributing to a collaborative consultancy team.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading in the delivery of geotechnical design packages including but not limited to temporary and permanent works, including retaining wall design, pile foundation design and excavation support.
• Review site investigation data, support the development of ground models and assist in deriving geotechnical design parameters.
• Prepare technical deliverables including desk studies, interpretative reports, calculations, specifications and drawings.
• Assist with scoping and specifying ground investigations and reviewing contractor or alternative investigation proposals.
• Carry out ground movement and soil-structure interaction assessments, including:
• Thames Water asset assessments.
• Tunnel and third-party asset assessments, including BT, London Underground, Crossrail and Royal Mail.
• Liaise with internal teams, clients, contractors and other stakeholders to support practical and efficient design solutions.
• Help with the preparation of reports, calculations and project documentation.
• Support the management of project budgets, resources and programme deadlines where required
• Ensure technical outputs comply with relevant standards, codes of practice and health and safety requirements.
• Support quality assurance, technical improvement and the development of internal procedures and standards.
• Provide support to junior team members where appropriate, with supervision.

The Ideal Candidate :

• Strong experience in geotechnical design.
• Experience in geotechnical design work, with a willingness to develop greater independence.
• Good understanding of soil mechanics, geotechnical engineering principles and geotechnical risk assessments.
• Experience in reviewing ground investigation data and assisting with ground model development.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear technical reports and documents.
• Good working knowledge of UK geotechnical practice; exposure to London ground conditions and ground investigation practice desirable.
• Able to manage multiple tasks and priorities effectively.
• Good problem-solving skills and the ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
• Commercial awareness and an understanding of project delivery.
• Confident communicator, able to explain engineering concepts clearly to colleagues and site teams.
• Proactive, self-sufficient and keen to develop professionally.
• Commitment to technical excellence, continuous improvement and sustainable design, including reducing embodied carbon where practicable.
• Experience in the following would be advantageous:
• Site supervision or exposure to geotechnical works on site.
• Use of Oasys software including PILE, ALP, ADSEC, PDISP, XDISP and SLOPE.
• Numerical modelling and soil-structure interaction using PLAXIS 2D or 3D.
• Retaining wall design using WALLAP.
• Basic proficiency in AutoCAD LT.
• Coding or automation skills, such as Python or Excel VBA.

Heyne Tillett Steel is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce.