Forensic Engineer / Project Manager - New York, NY

DeSimone; New York (NY); On-site; USD 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

DeSimone Consulting Engineering is seeking an experienced Forensic Structural Project Manager to lead complex investigations, assessments, and repair design projects. You will supervise multidisciplinary teams, develop defensible opinions, and advise attorneys, insurers, and clients.

The role offers leadership growth within the forensic engineering practice, with opportunities for expert witness development and client relationship management across commercial, residential, and institutional

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or related field.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• Minimum 8 years of structural engineering experience with forensic investigations, failure analysis, or litigation support.

Responsibilities

• Lead forensic engineering projects from proposal through project completion.
• Manage project scope, schedules, budgets, staffing, and deliverables.
• Oversee investigations, code compliance, and quantitative analyses.
• Provide documentation and expert input for litigation support and client presentations.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to technical leadership.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil/Structural Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Job description

About Us:

DeSimone is a leading global structural engineering firm known for delivering innovative, high-performance design solutions across the built environment. Our team of engineers, designers, and technical experts collaborates on a diverse portfolio—from iconic high-rise buildings to complex, large-scale structures—shaping skylines and communities around the world. With offices across the U.S. and internationally, we partner closely with clients to bring bold ideas to life with precision, creativity, and technical excellence.

Why DeSimone?

At DeSimone Consulting Engineering, you’ll work alongside some of the world’s most brilliant engineering minds on projects that redefine skylines and push the boundaries of design and innovation. From iconic skyscrapers to cutting-edge structures, our global portfolio reflects a commitment to excellence and creativity.

We are a team that values growth, collaboration, and real impact - you won’t just be part of the work, you’ll help shape it. With strong mentorship, hands-on experience, and opportunities to advance, you’ll build a career as impressive as the projects you’re working on.

We offer a flexible, collaborative work environment along with a comprehensive benefits package:

• medical
• dental
• vision
• disability
• life insurance
• 401K

At DeSimone, your contributions matter. You’ll be trusted with meaningful work, empowered to grow, and supported every step of the way.

Ready to build what’s next? Join us.

About the Role:

DeSimone is seeking an experienced Forensic Structural Project Manager to assist with complex forensic investigations, structural assessments, litigation support assignments, and repair design projects. This role combines technical expertise, project leadership, client management, and business development responsibilities within a growing forensic engineering practice.

The teammate will manage investigations involving structural failures, construction defects, property damage, code-related issues, catastrophic events, and other performance concerns affecting buildings and infrastructure. This individual will oversee multidisciplinary project teams, develop technically sound and defensible engineering opinions, and serve as a trusted advisor to attorneys, insurance carriers, property owners, developers, contractors, and public agencies.

The position offers significant opportunities for leadership, expert witness development, client relationship management, and growth within the firm's forensic engineering practice.

What You’ll Do:

Project Leadership & Client Management

• Serve as Project Manager for forensic engineering assignments from proposal through project completion.
• Manage project scope, schedules, budgets, staffing, and deliverables.
• Act as the primary point of contact for condition assessment projects
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships through exceptional service and technical expertise.
• Participate in business development initiatives, proposal preparation, fee development, and client presentations.
• Identify opportunities for repeat business and expansion of client relationships.

Project Leadership & Client Management

• Serve as Project Manager for forensic engineering assignments from proposal through project completion.
• Manage project scope, schedules, budgets, staffing, and deliverables.
• Act as the primary point of contact for condition assessment projects
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships through exceptional service and technical expertise.
• Participate in business development initiatives, proposal preparation, fee development, and client presentations.
• Identify opportunities for repeat business and expansion of client relationships.

Forensic Investigation & Analysis

• Assist in forensic investigations involving structural failures, construction defects, building distress, settlement, vibration concerns, material deterioration, and code-related issues.
• Conduct and oversee on-site forensic assessments and investigations, including surveying and documenting observations, photography, sketching, non-destructive testing, measurements, and data collection.
• Conduct engineering analysis, field observations, and research.
• Organize and evaluate field data to facilitate engineering analysis and problem solving.
• Conduct condition assessments and damage evaluations of commercial, residential, institutional, industrial, and mixed‑use structures.
• Evaluate damage resulting from hurricanes, floods, fires, explosions, vehicle impacts, construction incidents, and other catastrophic events.
• Research historical backgrounds of structures, building materials, construction methods, technical specifications, and applicable building code requirements.

Structural Analysis & Repair Design

• Perform and oversee engineering calculations, structural modeling, and structural analysis for existing and new structures.
• Develop repair, rehabilitation, retrofit, and remediation solutions for damaged or deficient structural systems.
• Review and approve engineering analyses, calculations, drawings, and reports prepared by project team members.
• Prepare and review feasibility studies, repair recommendations, specifications, and cost opinions.
• Work with building departments, owners, and stakeholders to determine repair directives and code compliance requirements.

Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services

• Provide engineering support for litigation and insurance claims.
• Review construction documents, contracts, specifications, expert reports, technical records, and claims documentation.
• Prepare clear, concise, and defensible technical and investigative reports detailing observations, testing results, analyses, research findings, opinions, and recommendations.
• Assist with expert witness preparation, depositions, mediation support, and trial preparation.
• Develop toward serving as an expert witness for forensic engineering matters.
• Present technical findings to attorneys, insurance representatives, clients, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders.

Technical Leadership & Industry Engagement

• Mentor and develop junior engineers and technical staff.
• Perform technical peer reviews and quality assurance reviews.
• Conduct research and develop technical topics for publication, presentations, and industry conferences.
• Present at professional organizations, client seminars, and industry events.
• Remain current with emerging forensic methodologies, building technologies, and applicable codes and standards.

Minimum (Required) Skills:

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or related field required.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• Minimum 8 years of structural engineering experience with experience in forensic investigations, failure analysis, structural assessments, restoration, repair design, or litigation support.
• Demonstrated project management experience including budgeting, scheduling, staffing, and client management.
• Strong understanding of steel, concrete, masonry, timber, and other structural systems.
• Experience performing structural modeling and analysis.
• Experience evaluating, repairing, and restoring diverse building types and structural materials.
• Knowledge of local building codes, ICC family of codes, ASCE standards, and industry best practices.
• Experience preparing technical reports, engineering calculations, repair recommendations, and investigative findings.
• Ability and willingness to travel for site investigations, client meetings, and project‑related activities

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• Master's degree and or PhD in Structural Engineering or related discipline.
• Structural Engineer (SE) license.
• Experience providing litigation support, claims consulting, risk management, or insurance‑related forensic services.
• Established relationships within the legal, insurance, construction, or ownership communities.
• Experience supervising entry level engineers.
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and problem‑solving skills.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate complex technical information to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Detail‑oriented with a commitment to technical excellence.
• Highly motivated, proactive, collaborative team player.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Sound engineering judgment and decision‑making skills.

Salary & Benefits

At DeSimone Consulting Engineering, we’re committed to transparency - especially when it comes to compensation. The salary range listed reflects what we believe, in good faith, is a fair and competitive range for this role based on the market and location.

This is a salaried, exempt position with an anticipated base salary range of $115,000-$130,000, depending on experience and qualifications. Most candidates are typically hired near the midpoint of the range, ensuring a balanced and equitable approach across our team.

That said, we recognize exceptional talent. In cases where a candidate brings significantly more experience or specialized expertise than required, we may consider an offer toward the higher end of the range. We’re excited you’re considering DeSimone and look forward to learning more about you.

DeSimone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We consider all applicants for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion (including beliefs, practices, or absence thereof), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, disability (mental or physical), genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Recruitment Fraud Notice:

Scammers may attempt to impersonate DeSimone Consulting Engineering or represent opportunities on our behalf. All official communication will come directly from our team using company email domains. DeSimone is not working with external recruiting agencies. If you are contacted by a third party claiming to represent us, please reach out directly to Tess Garbarino, Head of Talent at DeSimone, to verify the legitimacy of the message.

Notice to Third-Party Agencies:

Consistent with our recruitment practices, DeSimone Consulting Engineering does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, staffing agencies, or search firms. We are not engaging external agencies for hiring at this time. Any unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions—whether sent directly to our employees, hiring managers, or through any other channel—will be considered the property of DeSimone. We reserve the right to pursue those candidates independently, without obligation to pay fees or compensation.