Geotechnical Engineer

SMEUSA; Plymouth (MI); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision after 30 days

401k match

Profit sharing into 401k

Yearly performance bonuses

Yearly wage evaluations

Flexible Spending Account

Tuition Reimbursement

Competitive PTO

Volunteer Time Off

Job summary

SMEUSA is seeking a Geotechnical Engineer to perform field observations, testing, and engineering consulting on complex projects. You will work under Professional Engineers with autonomy to evaluate and troubleshoot, supported by Project Managers.

Responsibilities include soil evaluations for bearing capacity, coordination with clients and subcontractors, and preparing proposals and reports. Strong communication, organization, safety awareness, and travel are essential.

Qualifications

• Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Excellent verbal and written communication to interact with clients and team members.
• Strong organizational and record-keeping skills for field observations and safety.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate soils for bearing capacity, subgrade modulus, seismic site classification, and related topics.
• Coordinate with clients, subcontractors and SME team members.
• Prepare geotechnical proposals and reports.
• Collaborate on scopes of work and recommendations with senior engineers.
• Utilize problem-solving skills to identify and resolve complex field challenges.

Skills

Strong communication

Adaptability

Problem-solving

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

The Opportunity

A Geotechnical Engineer is responsible for a variety of field-centric duties including observing construction activities, testing material properties, and providing engineering consulting on projects of increasing complexity. You will play a key role in assisting our clients to successfully execute their projects. As a Geotechnical Engineer you will work under the direct supervision of registered Professional Engineers and other industry experts. You will be given autonomy to execute in-depth evaluations, troubleshoot complex issues, and make recommendations with the support of the Project Managers.

The Opportunity

A Geotechnical Engineer is responsible for a variety of field-centric duties including observing construction activities, testing material properties, and providing engineering consulting on projects of increasing complexity. You will play a key role in assisting our clients to successfully execute their projects. As a Geotechnical Engineer you will work under the direct supervision of registered Professional Engineers and other industry experts. You will be given autonomy to execute in-depth evaluations, troubleshoot complex issues, and make recommendations with the support of the Project Managers.

Responsibilities

• Evaluation of soils for bearing capacity, subgrade modulus, seismic site classification, lateral earth pressures, analysis of laboratory test data and results, pressuremeter analysis, slope stability analysis, deep foundation design and other related geotechnical engineering topics.
• Work closely in coordinating with clients, subcontractors, and other SME team members.
• Prepare geotechnical proposals and reports.
• Collaboration of scopes of work and recommendations with senior level engineers.
• Use your problem-solving skills to identify and resolve complex challenges.

Requirements

• Has competency using computer operating systems and MS Office Suite programs (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint).
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills to effectively interact with clients, team members, and supervisors, conveying technical information clearly.
• Strong organizational skills, ability to prioritize, manage workloads, accurate and detailed record-keeping skills, documenting field observations, safety concerns, and problem resolutions.
• Effective interpersonal skills to build rapport with clients and team members, fostering positive working relationships, customer‑centric approach to provide excellent service to clients, ensuring their needs and concerns are addressed promptly and professionally.
• Must be able to understand and adapt to change and react productively to frequent interruptions and changing conditions.
• Basic construction competencies including ability to determine location from surface features and landmarks by interpretation from surveys, road maps, aerial photos, topographic maps, and geologic maps; understanding construction stakes set by others, and color markings of utility companies.
• Has a general aptitude for identifying and resolving complex technical problems in the field, utilizing critical thinking and logical reasoning.
• Demonstrates ethical conduct, maintaining confidentiality and ensuring safety and security in all aspects of work, strict adherence to safety protocols and guidelines, fostering a safe working environment for yourself and others.
• Ability to handle physical demands, such as lifting (up to 50lbs repetitively), walking on uneven ground frequently, and carrying equipment, working in various weather conditions, and traveling to different locations.

SME's Core Values

• Honesty and Integrity
• Respect
• Selfless Service
• Teamwork
• Practical Solutions

Benefits

At SME, we believe that taking care of our employees is the cornerstone of our success. Our commitment to your well-being goes beyond a job- it is about helping you thrive both personally and professionally. We offer a benefits package that is not simply meeting an expectation, but a key component of your overall job satisfaction. The following list highlights many of the benefits SME offers its employees.

• SME provides Medical, Dental, and Vision after 30 days of employment.
• SME covers the premium cost of medical insurance so that you and your families never have to worry about the costs of healthcare.
• 401k match
• Yearly profit sharing that goes directly into your 401k
• Yearly performance bonuses
• Yearly wage evaluations
• Flexible Spending Account
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Competitive Paid Time Off
• Volunteer Time Off