Senior/Principal Geotechnical Engineer

Gavin & Doherty Geosolutions (GDG); City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Venterra Group is seeking a Senior/Principal Geotechnical Engineer to lead offshore geotechnical analysis, design and reporting for wind foundation projects. The role is primarily office-based, focusing on analysis, interpretation and design activities, reporting to the Head of Geotechnics.

You will conduct site characterisation, driveability analyses with GRLWEAP and Allwave, develop FE models with Plaxis 3D, and support lab testing specification and queries during campaigns.

Qualifications

• Masters degree or PhD in Civil/Geotechnical Engineering or equivalent.
• Chartered Engineer status is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Execute offshore geotechnical analysis, design, and reporting.
• Design foundations (pile-soil interaction, drivability) and assess cyclic degradation.
• Review analysis and design work by the geotechnical project team.
• Characterise sites and interpret geotechnical data.
• Support lab testing specification and respond to testing queries.
• Manage geotechnical risks and contribute to offshore research.

Skills

Geotechnical analysis

Foundation design

Technical reporting

Programming

Education

Masters or PhD in Civil/Geotechnical Engineering

Chartered Engineer status

Tools

Plaxis 3D

GRLWEAP

Allwave

Python

MATLAB

Job description

As a Senior/Principal Geotechnical Engineer, you will be primarily office-based, focusing on analysis, interpretation, and design activities for offshore geotechnical and foundation projects. You will execute technical studies including geotechnical interpretive reports, foundation design, pile driveability analysis, and geotechnical risk assessments. You will also support our survey management team with specification of lab testing and addressing queries during lab testing campaign. You will report to the Head of Geotechnics.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute independent offshore geotechnical analysis, design, and reporting within projects, ensuring high-quality technical deliverables
• Design foundations, including pile-soil interaction, cyclic degradation assessment and pile drivability analysis
• Conduct technical reviews of analysis and design work performed by the geotechnical project team.
• Conduct site characterisation and geotechnical interpretation
• Support the Ground Modelling team in integrating geophysical and geotechnical data
• Support the Survey Management Team with geotechnical specification of lab testing and support with addressing queries during the testing campaign
• Manage geotechnical risks
• Contribute to offshore geotechnical research activities within the company
• Strong understanding of geotechnical design and installation analysis of offshore wind foundations (monopiles, jackets, and GBS)
• Proficiency in computational geomechanics, Finite Element Analysis (e.g., Plaxis 3D), and constitutive modelling
• Expertise in driveability analysis software (GRLWEAP and/or Allwave)
• Programming skills in Python, MATLAB, or similar languages
• Good knowledge of offshore wind design codes and certification requirements
• Strong technical writing and communication skills
• Experience in specifying and managing geotechnical lab surveys (beneficial)
• Experience with scour assessment and scour protection design is an advantage.
• Experience with CBRAs and cable routing design is an advantage.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Education/Qualifications

• Masters degree or PhD in Civil/Geotechnical Engineering or equivalent
• Chartered Engineer status (beneficial)

About Venterra

Venterra Group is a dedicated wind energy services group at the forefront of driving the clean energy transition. Together, we engineer, build and support the operations of major wind developments around the world by providing specialist, technical and comprehensive services at every stage of the project lifecycle. Our vision is to become the global services champion and strategic partner supporting the wind industry’s rapid expansion.

At Venterra, we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcome, respected and valued. We believe that diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives make us stronger and help us achieve better outcomes. As an equal opportunity employer, we strive to create a culture where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and thrive.