Geotechnical Engineer (Field Position)

SMEUSA; Plymouth (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

Yearly profit sharing

Yearly performance bonuses

Tuition reimbursement

Flexible Spending Account

Competitive Paid Time Off

Job summary

SMEUSA, located in Plymouth, Michigan, is seeking a Geotechnical Field Engineer. You will be responsible for a variety of duties such as evaluating soil properties, collaborating with clients, and preparing reports under the supervision of professional engineers. This role requires strong problem-solving skills, effective communication, and the ability to manage complex engineering projects.

SME offers a comprehensive benefits package aimed at ensuring your well-being and job satisfaction, including medical, dental, and vision coverage after 30 days, yearly performance bonuses, and tuition reimbursement.

Qualifications

• Strong competency using MS Office programs (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for technical explanation.
• Ability to manage workloads and maintain accurate records.
• Experience in building rapport with clients and team members.
• Capacity to adapt to changing conditions and priorities.
• General aptitude for interpreting surveys and maps.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate soils for various geotechnical engineering topics.
• Coordinate with clients, subcontractors, and SME team members.
• Prepare geotechnical proposals and reports.
• Collaborate with senior engineers on work scopes and recommendations.
• Identify and resolve complex challenges in the field.

Skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Technical problem identification

Basic construction competencies

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related field

Job description

A Geotechnical Field 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 Geotechnical Field 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, maintain 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 Core Values

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

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.
• Yearly profit sharing that goes directly into your 401k
• Yearly performance bonuses
• Yearly wage evaluations
• Flexible Spending Account
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Competitive Paid Time Off

Qualifications

Education

Required

Bachelors or better in Civil Engineering or related field.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.