Principal Civil Engineer

ARA Brand; Tyndall Air Force Base (FL); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

ARA is seeking an experienced civil engineer with pavement expertise to join the Engineering Science Division at Tyndall AFB, Florida. The role involves leading design, analysis, and evaluation for airfields and contingency environments, with opportunities for field testing and occasional travel.

Ideal candidates bring 12+ years of civil engineering experience, strong publication track record, and proven seller-doer skills in business development and proposals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering with 12+ years of experience, or equivalent (master's degree with 10+ years, or PhD with 8+ years).
• Expertise in pavement engineering, including mechanistic pavement modeling, statistics and data analysis, nondestructive pavement evaluation, pavement management, and development of software tools and decision-support frameworks (coding experience is a plus).
• Proven success as a “seller-doer,” to include business development and marketing, writing winning proposals, and managing projects.
• Established presence in the pavement engineering community. Publication in peer-reviewed journals and relevant professional or industry conference presentations is desired.
• Strong communication (written and verbal) and organizational skills.
• Must be a US citizen.

Responsibilities

• Lead engineering design, analysis, and evaluation activities for airfields, operational surfaces, and contingency environments.
• Oversee advanced investigations, develop mechanistic and empirical pavement models, direct engineering design efforts, support project execution, and ensure conformance to engineering specifications and client expectations.
• Our team works across the full spectrum of pavement engineering: mechanistic modeling, laboratory and field testing, nondestructive evaluation, pavement management systems, accelerated pavement solutions, and development of software tools and decision-support frameworks.
• Occasional travel and outdoor work (field testing) may be required.
• Lead successful proposal writing efforts in response to RFPs/RFQs and other solicitations.

Skills

Pavement engineering

Mechanistic modeling

Statistics & data analysis

Nondestructive evaluation

Pavement management

Software tools dev

Coding experience

Business development

Proposal writing

Project management

Publications

Communication skills

Organizational skills

US citizenship

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering

Master’s degree in Civil Engineering

PhD in Civil Engineering

Tools

Coding experience

Job description

Job Category: Engineering Support Services

Requisition Number: PRINC010174

• Posted : October 16, 2026
• Full-Time

Locations

Showing 1 location

Tyndall AFB, FL 32403, USA

Description

ARA is seeking an experienced civil engineer, with subject matter expertise in pavement engineering, to join the Engineering Science Division (ESD) Aircraft Operating Surfaces (AOS) Group at Tyndall AFB, Florida. Remote work may be considered for the ideal candidate.

Principal civil engineers provide leadership, technical direction, and high-level expertise across complex pavement engineering projects. In this role you will lead engineering design, analysis, and evaluation activities for airfields, operational surfaces, and contingency environments. Responsibilities include overseeing advanced investigations, developing mechanistic and empirical pavement models, directing engineering design efforts, supporting project execution, and ensuring conformance to engineering specifications and client expectations.

Our team works across the full spectrum of pavement engineering: mechanistic modeling, laboratory and field testing, nondestructive evaluation, pavement management systems, accelerated pavement solutions, and development of software tools and decision-support frameworks.

As a principal pavement engineer you will:

• Serve as a subject matter expert in pavement engineering, including pavement design, condition assessment, and pavement management.
• Formulate independent research questions, models, and solutions to deliver top-quality work.
• Lead project execution as a project manager/technical advisor.
• Ensure on-schedule project delivery, on budget, and interface with others to resolve any challenges.
• Perform business development tasks to grow your professional network, provide technical presentations at conferences/local area meetings and for potential clients, etc.
• Lead successful proposal writing efforts in response to RFPs/RFQs and other solicitations.
• Occasional travel and outdoor work (field testing) may be required.

Principal civil engineer requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering with 12+ years of experience, or equivalent (master's degree with 10+ years of experience, or PhD with 8+ years of experience).
• Expertise in pavement engineering, including mechanistic pavement modeling, statistics and data analysis, nondestructive pavement evaluation, pavement management, and development of software tools and decision-support frameworks (coding experience is a plus).
• Proven success as a “seller-doer,” to include business development and marketing, writing winning proposals, and managing projects.
• Established presence in the pavement engineering community. Publication in peer-reviewed journals and relevant professional or industry conference presentations is desired.
• Strong communication (written and verbal) and organizational skills.
• Must be a US citizen.

About ARA:

ARA is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs more than 2,000 professionals and continues to grow. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in civil technologies, computer software and simulation, defense technologies, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for pavement analysis, environmental site characterization, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience.

ARA’s culture supports career growth and rewards innovation, self-motivation, and technical excellence. We recognize that our employees are our greatest asset, and we offer competitive salaries and outstanding benefits.

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.