Geotechnical Engineering Group Leader

Schnabel Branding Colors; Jersey City (NJ); On-site; USD 109,000 - 207,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401(k) and profit-sharing plan

Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)

Paid time off

Job summary

A leading engineering and consulting firm is seeking a Vice President/Geotechnical Engineering Group Leader in Jersey City, NJ. This role involves leadership in geotechnical practices, managing multidisciplinary projects and developing strategic client relationships. The ideal candidate has over 10 years of experience in geotechnical engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer. Schnabel offers a competitive benefits package including medical insurance and a wellness program, along with an employee stock ownership plan.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in geotechnical engineering.
• Licensed Professional Engineer or ability to become registered.
• Strong understanding of soil and rock mechanics.

Responsibilities

• Develop market growth strategy for the Geotechnical practice.
• Manage, execute, and support geotechnical infrastructure projects.
• Serve as direct supervisor for the Geotechnical Group.

Skills

Geotechnical expertise

Project management

Team leadership

Technical communication

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Geotechnical and/or Civil Engineering

Master’s Degree preferred

Tools

GeoStudio

Rocscience

STAAD Pro

AutoCAD/Civil 3D

Job description

Jersey City, NJ
220 9th St
Suite 385
Jersey City, NJ 07302, USA

Schnabel is an employee-owned, professional engineering and consulting firm that focuses on solving problems related to the earth and environment through specialization in geotechnical, geostructural, tunnel, and dam engineering. Schnabel’s high standards for quality, business ethics, and concern for the communities in which we live are a vital part of who we are. Schnabel is an ENR Top 500 Design Firm with 700+ employees in 31 offices throughout the United States.

Recognized by CE News as one of the Best Engineering Firms to Work for, Schnabel provides employees with a competitive benefits package including maternity leave, tuition reimbursement for continuing education, health, dental, life and disability insurance and a wellness program. As an employee‑owned company, through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Schnabel employees directly benefit from the success of our growing firm.

Benefit options include:

• Medical insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee life & ADD insurance (100% company-paid)
• Short-term disability (100% company-paid)
• Long-term disability
• Supplemental life insurance
• 401(k) and profit‑sharing plan
• Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)
• Paid time off
• 9 Paid Holidays
• Wellness program
• Professional development and tuition reimbursement

Job Description:

Our Jersey City, NJ office is seeking a Vice President/Geotechnical Engineering Group Leader to help expand our growing Geotechnical and Water Practices. In this role, you will provide leadership, management, and technical support for a variety of multidisciplinary projects that involve dams and reservoirs, flood resiliency, heavy‑civil works, and other general infrastructure across the Northeast and nationwide. As an employee‑owner, your voice will matter - you will have a say in how our business operates, share in our financial success, and work alongside a team moving in the same direction with a shared vision and purpose.

Job Responsibilities:

• Develop market growth strategy for our regional Geotechnical practice and prioritize annual investments that elevate the firm's Geotechnical brand in terms of client solutions, innovation, and operational effectiveness.
• Grow our local practice by adding new clients, building upon current client relationships, and following major regional programs and funding streams.
• Work with leaders across the firm's divisions and offices to build meaningful alliances and leverage Schnabel's 400‑strong team of geotechnical professionals nationwide.
• Identify and pursue key opportunities, partnerships, and funding programs to expand client base and service offerings.
• Lead and support business development initiatives, including managing proposals, building teams and industry partnerships, and aligning the appropriate technical expertise to best solve client challenges.
• Manage, execute, and provide technical support within a collaborative team environment on a variety of challenging geotechnical and multidisciplinary infrastructure projects.
• Develop, manage, and oversee the execution of geotechnical and geologic field investigations; review field investigation results; evaluate instrumentation and monitoring data; assign project‑specific soil and rock laboratory testing; conduct engineering analyses and design related to soil and rock mechanics, foundation design, fill placement/ground modification, seepage evaluations, slope stability analyses, and seismic analyses; as well as perform value engineering (VE) and forensic studies.
• Serve as a primary client interface, establishing goals and objectives for project teams, and planning, scheduling, and managing resources to deliver high‑quality projects on time and within budget.
• Serve as direct supervisor – responsible for managing the day‑to‑day operations of our Geotechnical Group, including budgeting, hiring, staff development, and mentoring.
• Participate in the development of a cohesive, positive culture for our Jersey City Office and company‑wide to cultivate a best‑in‑class environment that allows our people to realize their full potential.
• Collaborate across offices and disciplines to deliver integrated, value‑driven solutions.
• Contribute to maintaining and developing Schnabel's strong brand in the geotechnical and water markets through thought leadership, including published papers, white papers, and participation at recognized conferences and workshops.
• Promote the implementation of emerging technologies, including data‑driven design, automation, and numerical modeling.

Required Skills/Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s Degree preferred) in Geotechnical and/or Civil Engineering, or related fields.
• 10+ years of experience in the geotechnical engineering field.
• Licensed Professional Engineer or ability to become registered within 6 months.
• Proven track record in winning work, managing employees, and growing teams.
• Ability to successfully navigate a matrixed organization to bring new resources, innovations, ideas, and best practices to clients.
• Extensive geotechnical background, including a strong fundamental knowledge of principles of geotechnical and geostructural engineering, soil and rock mechanics, earthquake engineering, and groundwater hydrology.
• Relevant geotechnical expertise with dams, levees, flood barriers, cofferdams, and other hydraulic structures, including but not limited to seepage, static and seismic stability analysis, liquefaction analysis, deformation analysis, and foundation and settlement analysis.
• Strong technical background using various geotechnical and computer‑aided design software, such as GeoStudio, Rocscience, gINT/OpenGround, CWALSHT, PYWall, LPILE, Snail, Shoring Suite, STAAD Pro, GROUP, and AutoCAD/Civil 3D. Numerical modeling a plus.
• Organized, self‑starter, and entrepreneurial, with a strong team‑oriented mindset.
• Excellent English technical verbal and written communication skills.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to pass a background check which may include criminal history, motor vehicle record, and credit check.
• Ability to pass a pre‑employment screening.

The compensation range for this position is between $109,000 to $207,000. Compensation for this position may vary based on geographic location and other factors. We remain committed to providing competitive and equitable compensation to all employees, regardless of their location.

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.