Forensic Structural Engineer / Project Manager

LVI Associates; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Bonus potential

Long-term financial participation

Healthcare coverage

Retirement benefits

Paid time off

Professional development

Licensure support

Access to technical specialists

Clear leadership progression

Job summary

LVI Associates is seeking an experienced Forensic Structural Engineer and Project Manager for the Houston team. You will lead projects from site assessment through forensic analysis, repair strategy, design, and construction support, owning client relationships and project delivery.

The role emphasizes technical leadership, collaboration with a national platform, and the ability to manage multiple forensic, restoration, and renovation projects across Houston and the United States.

Qualifications

• Degree in Civil, Structural, or Architectural Engineering.
• Active Professional Engineer licence.
• Typically seven or more years of relevant engineering experience.
• Experience managing technical projects, budgets, schedules, and deliverables.
• Strong technical report-writing and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Leading structural investigations and existing-building assessments.
• Evaluating damage, distress, deterioration, and performance issues.
• Planning and overseeing field investigations, testing, analysis, and documentation.
• Developing evidence-based conclusions and practical repair recommendations.
• Managing restoration, rehabilitation, renovation, and strengthening projects.
• Preparing and reviewing technical reports, calculations, drawings, and specifications.
• Taking ownership of project scope, contracts, fees, schedules, quality, and financial performance.
• Coordinating with owners, attorneys, insurers, architects, contractors, and consultants.
• Presenting complex findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Supporting repair design, construction administration, and field verification.
• Managing several concurrent assignments without compromising technical quality.
• Mentoring engineers and contributing to technical knowledge-sharing.
• Strengthening existing client relationships and identifying future opportunities.
• Supporting proposals, interviews, and new project pursuits.

Skills

PE license

Project management

Forensics

Structural analysis

Client relations

Technical leadership

Report writing

Education

Bachelor's in Civil/Structural/Architectural Eng

Professional Engineer license

Master's degree in structural focus (valued)

Job description

Investigate the problem. Define the solution. Lead the client through both.

A nationally respected engineering consultancy is looking for an experienced Forensic Structural Engineer and Project Manager to join its established Houston team.

This is not a role where you complete an investigation, issue a report, and move on.

You will have the opportunity to lead projects from the first site assessment through forensic analysis, repair strategy, design, and construction support. You will remain close to the engineering while taking genuine ownership of project delivery, client relationships, and future business opportunities.

The firm offers the technical resources and project quality of a major national consultancy, but its forensic and existing-building teams operate as one collaborative practice. Expertise, relationships, and opportunities are shared across offices rather than restricted by internal boundaries.

For an engineer who wants technically meaningful work, long-term stability, and a visible route into client and practice leadership, this is an opportunity worth exploring.

What You Will Do

You will manage multiple forensic, restoration, rehabilitation, and renovation projects across Houston, Texas, and the wider United States.

Assignments may begin with structural distress, deterioration, water infiltration, construction defects, storm damage, or a system that is no longer performing as intended. Your role will be to gather the evidence, determine what happened and why, communicate the findings clearly, and develop a practical route forward.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading structural investigations and existing-building assessments
• Evaluating damage, distress, deterioration, and performance issues
• Planning and overseeing field investigations, testing, analysis, and documentation
• Developing evidence-based conclusions and practical repair recommendations
• Managing restoration, rehabilitation, renovation, and strengthening projects
• Preparing and reviewing technical reports, calculations, drawings, and specifications
• Taking ownership of project scope, contracts, fees, schedules, quality, and financial performance
• Coordinating with owners, attorneys, insurers, architects, contractors, and consultants
• Presenting complex findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
• Supporting repair design, construction administration, and field verification
• Managing several concurrent assignments without compromising technical quality
• Mentoring engineers and contributing to technical knowledge-sharing
• Strengthening existing client relationships and identifying future opportunities
• Supporting proposals, interviews, and new project pursuits

The Work

The Houston team supports significant and technically demanding projects involving:

• Structural investigations and failure analysis
• Existing-building condition assessments
• Structural distress and deterioration
• Restoration and rehabilitation
• Repair and strengthening design
• Renovation and adaptive reuse
• Water infiltration and moisture-related concerns
• Building enclosure performance
• Commercial and industrial structures
• Parking and supporting structures
• Construction defects and performance disputes
• Construction administration and field observations

The variety is a major part of the opportunity. One project may require detailed field investigation and analysis. Another may involve repair design, contractor coordination, client advice, or construction-phase problem-solving.

You will also have access to technical specialists across a broader national engineering platform when an assignment requires expertise beyond the local team.

What You Bring

You will already have a strong structural engineering foundation and the confidence to take ownership of projects, clients, and technical decisions.

The preferred background includes:

• Degree in Civil, Structural, or Architectural Engineering
• Active Professional Engineer licence
• Typically seven or more years of relevant engineering experience
• Progressive responsibility across structural design, forensics, restoration, rehabilitation, or existing buildings
• Experience managing technical projects, budgets, schedules, and deliverables
• Strong understanding of structural behaviour and common building systems
• Ability to assess incomplete or conflicting evidence and form defensible conclusions
• Strong technical report-writing and presentation skills
• Confidence communicating directly with clients and project stakeholders
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and competing deadlines
• Interest in developing client relationships and generating repeat work
• Commitment to mentoring engineers and improving technical delivery

A master’s degree with a structural focus would be valuable, but the quality and progression of your experience will carry greater weight.

Direct forensic experience is preferred. Strong engineers from restoration, rehabilitation, existing-building design, building enclosure, water infiltration, or complex structural assessment backgrounds may also be considered.

What Makes the Opportunity Different?

Follow projects from investigation through implementation

You will not be limited to identifying the problem. The work can extend into repair strategy, design, construction administration, and field verification, allowing you to see the solution carried through.

Project Managers remain engineers

You will take ownership of clients, contracts, budgets, and delivery without becoming disconnected from technical decisions and project work.

Collaboration is built into the practice

Teams share expertise, project opportunities, and relationships nationally. The structure encourages collaboration rather than competition between individual offices.

Technical quality drives growth

The firm has grown its existing-building work deliberately, with an emphasis on strong delivery, repeat clients, and sustainable workloads rather than chasing short-term revenue at the expense of quality.

The business is led by engineers

Decisions are made by people who understand technical work, client relationships, and the realities of project delivery.

Long-term contribution is rewarded

The compensation model includes more than salary and short-term bonus potential. Employees can participate in the long-term value created through the continued growth of the business.

Progression does not depend on arriving with a major book

Commercial awareness and relationship development matter, but you are not expected to arrive with a large portable client base. The firm has a strong record of developing technical engineers into client and business leaders internally.

Houston is a genuine platform

You will join an established local team with access to significant projects, experienced specialists, and a strong regional market position. Your contribution will be visible, with scope to progress into broader project, client, and practice leadership.

Who This Could Suit

This role may be especially attractive if you are:

• Delivering strong forensic work but unclear on your route to leadership
• Looking for larger or more technically demanding assignments
• Frustrated by internal competition or fragmented office structures
• Expected to generate substantial revenue before being considered for advancement
• Concerned about instability following ownership or organisational changes
• Looking for stronger technical and multidisciplinary support
• Ready to build client relationships without giving up engineering
• Seeking a long-term career move rather than another lateral position

Working Arrangement

This position is based in Houston and requires regular collaboration with the local team, clients, and project stakeholders.

Travel will form part of the role for investigations, meetings, and construction support. Frequency will depend on project and client requirements, and some assignments may require travel at relatively short notice.

Compensation and Benefits

The firm offers a competitive package aligned with experience, licensure, technical capability, project leadership, and client-development experience.

The wider offering includes:

• Competitive base salary
• Performance-related bonus potential
• Long-term financial participation
• Comprehensive healthcare coverage
• Retirement benefits
• Paid time off and company holidays
• Professional development and continuing education
• Licensure and professional membership support
• Access to experienced technical specialists
• Clear progression into broader technical, client, and practice leadership

The Bottom Line

This is an opportunity to do more than diagnose structural problems.

You will investigate why structures fail, define how they should be restored, lead clients through complex decisions, and build a career that extends beyond individual project delivery.

The technical work is demanding. The project exposure is broad. The Houston platform is established. And the route into client and practice leadership is real.