Senior Materials Engineer - Roads and Pavements

Parsons; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 32,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons Corporation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is seeking a Senior Materials Engineer for Roads and Pavements. The role provides program-level materials governance across the RCRC Roads Program, overseeing asphalt, concrete, aggregates, soils, and geosynthetics with strict QA/QC and supplier qualification in a multi-project PMO setting.

Ideal candidates hold a Civil Engineering (or Geology) degree with 15+ years of relevant road materials experience, and deep knowledge of industry standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in Civil Engineering or Geology with extensive experience in construction materials.
• Strong knowledge of asphalt, concrete, aggregates, soils and geosynthetics; familiarity with AASHTO, ASTM, Saudi Highway Code.
• Experience leading multi-project PMO material governance and supplier qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Review and approve material submittals for aggregates, asphalt binders, cementitious products and geosynthetics.
• Ensure compliance with project specifications and international standards.
• Evaluate mix designs and provide technical approvals and recommendations.
• Establish standard testing protocols and QA procedures across multiple road projects.
• Coordinate with clients, contractors and laboratories for material approvals and testing.
• Mentor junior engineers and support continuous improvement in materials practice.

Skills

Pavement Materials

Asphalt Technology

Concrete Technology

Geotechnical Materials

Laboratory Testing

Quality Assurance

Material Source Approval

Root Cause Analysis

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering

Master's Degree in Materials/Pavement Engineering

Job description

Job Snapshot

Role: Senior Materials Engineer - Roads and Pavements

Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Industry: Civil Engineering

Function: Materials-Physical Research

Experience: 15 years

Job Type: Full-time

Position Overview

Senior Materials Engineer - Roads and Pavements in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is a senior Civil Engineering opportunity with Parsons Corporation supporting the RCRC Roads Program through program-level materials engineering, pavement quality assurance, laboratory oversight, mix design review, and technical compliance. The role is hiring an experienced materials specialist to provide consistent technical governance across multiple road construction and rehabilitation projects, with responsibility for asphalt, concrete, aggregates, soils, stabilized materials, geosynthetics, testing standards, supplier qualification, and materials performance.

Job Details

Country: Saudi Arabia

City: Riyadh

Industry: Civil Engineering

Function: Materials-Physical Research

Salary: 32000-45000

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 Senior Materials Engineer will operate within the Program Management Office and provide a consistent technical authority for construction materials used across the RCRC Roads Program. The position connects project specifications, laboratory testing, contractor submissions, source approvals, pavement performance, quality assurance, and field verification across multiple concurrent projects. By standardizing acceptance criteria and identifying material risks early, the engineer will help improve pavement durability, reduce failures and rework, strengthen quality consistency, and support reliable long-term road performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Review material submittals covering aggregates, asphalt binders, cementitious products, subgrade, sub-base materials, stabilized layers, and geosynthetics.
• Verify compliance with project specifications, Saudi Highway Code requirements, AASHTO, ASTM, and other applicable standards.
• Evaluate asphalt, concrete, and stabilized layer mix designs submitted by Contractors and provide technical approval recommendations.
• Review material performance requirements and confirm proposed mixes are appropriate for expected loading, environmental conditions, and pavement applications.
• Lead technical evaluation and approval of quarries, batching plants, asphalt plants, suppliers, and material sources.
• Assess supplier quality systems, production capability, material consistency, and supporting certification before source acceptance.
• Monitor and audit Contractor and Consultant laboratories for calibration, testing competence, procedures, staffing, equipment condition, and compliance.
• Establish consistent materials testing protocols and acceptance criteria across multiple RCRC road projects.
• Provide program-level materials engineering guidance to project teams, PMCM personnel, Consultants, and Contractors.
• Standardize test methods, inspection requirements, reporting formats, and quality control procedures across the road program.
• Review materials-related NCRs and provide recommendations for corrective, remedial, or preventive actions.
• Investigate recurring material deficiencies and identify root causes affecting construction quality or pavement performance.
• Support design reviews by evaluating proposed material specifications, pavement systems, and lifecycle performance assumptions.
• Provide technical input into pavement durability, rehabilitation strategies, material selection, and long-term maintenance considerations.
• Coordinate with Client representatives, PMCM teams, Contractors, Vendors, and third parties to monitor material approvals and testing compliance.
• Develop periodic materials dashboards, KPIs, technical reports, and status summaries for PMO leadership.
• Identify materials-related risks that could affect project schedule, cost, construction quality, or long-term performance.
• Record significant material risks within the PMO risk framework and recommend mitigation measures.
• Provide specialist technical support during disputes, claims, and disagreements involving construction materials or test results.
• Conduct field inspections and oversee independent sampling, verification testing, and quality surveillance activities.
• Review laboratory results including gradation, Proctor, CBR, Marshall, Superpave, compressive strength, density, and other required tests.
• Verify that testing results satisfy specified acceptance limits before materials are incorporated into permanent works.
• Investigate asphalt, concrete, soil, aggregate, and pavement failures and develop technically supported corrective recommendations.
• Review field and laboratory trends to identify inconsistent production, testing anomalies, or deteriorating material performance.
• Maintain and update program materials specifications, test method registers, approved material lists, and supplier registers.
• Support development of technical guidelines, Standard Operating Procedures, checklists, and training materials for engineering teams.
• Provide materials engineering input into road construction, rehabilitation, pavement design, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate technical requirements for asphalt plants, batching facilities, quarries, laboratories, and construction sites.
• Ensure environmental and HSE requirements are considered during material production, handling, storage, sampling, and testing.
• Represent the materials engineering function during technical meetings, design reviews, quality audits, and Client discussions.
• Mentor junior engineers and site materials personnel and provide guidance on material evaluation, testing, and acceptance.
• Promote consistent technical standards and lessons learned across all projects within the RCRC Roads Program.
• Support continuous improvement by evaluating new construction materials, testing technologies, and pavement engineering practices.

Ideal Profile

The position requires a Bachelor 's Degree in Civil Engineering or Geology, supported by at least 15 years of relevant experience in materials engineering. A Master 's Degree in Materials Engineering, Pavement Engineering, Highway Engineering, or a related specialization is preferred. Candidates should have substantial experience supporting major road and highway construction programs, with advanced practical knowledge of asphalt technology, concrete materials, geotechnical materials, pavement systems, and laboratory testing. The successful engineer should be capable of reviewing complex mix designs, material source approvals, technical submissions, laboratory results, and pavement-related quality issues while providing consistent guidance across several projects simultaneously. Strong familiarity with AASHTO, ASTM, BS, EN, Saudi Highway Code requirements, and other relevant regional or international standards is expected. Experience operating within a PMO or multi-project road program is highly desirable because the role requires standardizing material requirements, quality procedures, and reporting across several active projects rather than supporting only one construction package. Strong report writing, technical judgment, stakeholder coordination, and the ability to manage competing priorities are essential.

Skills Set

• Construction Materials Engineering
• Road Materials Engineering
• Pavement Materials
• Asphalt Technology
• Concrete Technology
• Geotechnical Materials
• Aggregate Testing
• Asphalt Mix Design
• Concrete Mix Design
• Stabilized Materials
• Geosynthetics
• Subgrade Materials
• Sub-base Materials
• Material Source Approval
• Quarry Assessment
• Asphalt Plant Assessment
• Batching Plant Assessment
• Laboratory Auditing
• Laboratory Testing
• Field Testing
• Material Sampling
• Gradation Testing
• Proctor Testing
• CBR Testing
• Marshall Testing
• Superpave
• Compressive Strength Testing
• Material Submittals
• Material Compliance
• Material Quality Assurance
• NCR Management
• Root Cause Analysis
• Pavement Performance
• Lifecycle Materials Assessment
• Material Specifications
• Test Method Registers
• Approved Supplier Lists
• Quality Dashboards
• Materials KPIs
• Technical Reporting
• PMO Coordination
• AASHTO
• ASTM
• BS Standards
• EN Standards
• Saudi Highway Code
• Technical Guidelines
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder Coordination

Why Join Us

Riyadh 's continuing investment in road construction, rehabilitation, and urban mobility creates strong demand for senior materials professionals who can improve quality consistently across entire programs rather than individual projects. This position offers the opportunity to influence pavement specifications, laboratory practices, material approvals, supplier performance, and technical standards across the RCRC Roads Program while applying specialist expertise to decisions that directly affect road durability, lifecycle cost, and construction performance.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation delivers engineering, transportation, infrastructure, program management, and technical advisory services across Saudi Arabia and international markets. Its multidisciplinary teams support major road programs through integrated design, materials engineering, construction oversight, quality assurance, project controls, and program-level technical governance.