Principal Geotechnical Engineer — Lead Projects & BD (ESOP)

hcea; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 130,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holidays

Generous paid time off

Medical with Health Savings Account (H

Dental

Vision

401k with company match

Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

Employee assistance program

Wellness program

Job summary

Hillis-Carnes Engineering Associates (HCEA) seeks a Principal Engineer to lead Geotechnical Engineering and CMT projects in the region, representing the firm in client meetings and guiding senior staff.

This role emphasizes business development, mentorship of Associate Principals, and ensuring quality control of deliverables while improving project profitability and client satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor and/or Master of Science in Civil/Geological Engineering (ABET-accredited).
• Minimum of 12+ years in geotechnical engineering/CMT consulting.
• Professional Engineer (P.E.) license.
• Demonstrated leadership with mentoring junior staff.
• Proficiency with MS Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Proficiency with RocScience/Ensoft/Tablogs or similar geotechnical software.

Responsibilities

• Lead Geotechnical Engineering and CMT projects with minimal supervision.
• Review and negotiate contracts with clients.
• Drive business development and win work to meet billability goals.
• Act as final QA/QC for written deliverables and client communications.
• Manage proposals, cost estimates, reports, specs, and project correspondence.
• Develop client relationships and serve as main client contact.
• Resolve client concerns and ensure timely collections and AR efforts.
• Maintain high performance metrics for efficiency, safety, and follow-up.
• Conduct site visits supporting junior staff.
• Support BD by maintaining client networks and professional involvement.
• Ensure compliance with safety policies and permitting requirements.
• Apply strong geotechnical principles and industry standards.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring staff

Business development

Client relationship management

Communication

Education

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Master of Science in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer (P.E.) license

Tools

RocScience

Ensoft

Tablogs

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Hillis-Carnes Engineering Associates (HCEA) seeks a Principal Engineer to lead Geotechnical Engineering and CMT projects in the region, representing the firm in client meetings and guiding senior staff.

This role emphasizes business development, mentorship of Associate Principals, and ensuring quality control of deliverables while improving project profitability and client satisfaction.