Project Director – Tunnels & Underground Infrastructure

talisman; California (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Talisman, a globally recognised engineering consultancy, is appointing a Project Director to lead tunnelling and underground infrastructure work across California, including Los Angeles and the Bay Area. The role is senior, client-facing with ownership of major commissions, accountable for scope, schedule, budget, risk and quality, and for shaping growth in the region.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams and own senior client relationships with transit agencies, water utilities, and Tier 1

Qualifications

• 10+ years in tunnelling and underground construction.
• PE licence, with California registration or ability to obtain it
• Familiarity with US delivery models (design-bid-build, CMAR, progressive design-build, P3) and California procurement
• Excellent communication skills, comfortable in front of boards and public stakeholders

Responsibilities

• Lead as Project Director on major tunnelling commissions; design, PMCM, owner's engineer and design-build support roles
• Hold overall accountability for scope, programme, budget, risk, quality and client satisfaction across a portfolio of projects
• Lead multidisciplinary teams spanning geotechnical, structural, mechanical, systems and construction engineering
• Own senior client relationships with transit agencies, water and wastewater utilities, and Tier 1 contractors
• Drive business development: positioning, capture planning, proposals, pricing strategy and interviews for pursuits
• Provide technical leadership on ground risk, excavation and support methodology (TBM, SEM/NATM, drill-and-blast, cut-and-cover)
• Mentor and develop project managers and engineers, and contribute to succession within the underground practice

Skills

Leadership

Client relationship management

Communication

Business development

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Civil, Geotechnical, Mining or Structural Engineering

Job description

Project Director - Tunnels & Underground Infrastructure - California (Los Angeles or Bay Area)

A globally recognised engineering consultancy is appointing a Project Director to lead its tunnelling and underground infrastructure work across California. The practice designs and delivers some of the most technically demanding underground assets in the world and is investing heavily in its West Coast platform on the back of a growing capital pipeline across transit, water and utility clients. Examples of work include; transit and rail tunnels, deep water conveyance and storage, wastewater and CSO tunnels, shafts, caverns and portals.

This is a senior, client-facing appointment with genuine ownership: you will lead major commissions, act as the trusted technical voice for owners and delivery partners, and shape how the business grows in the region.

The role

• Serve as Project Director on major tunnelling commissions; design, PMCM, owner's engineer and design-build support roles
• Hold overall accountability for scope, programme, budget, risk, quality and client satisfaction across a portfolio of projects
• Lead multidisciplinary teams spanning geotechnical, structural, mechanical, systems and construction engineering, drawing on national and international specialists
• Own senior client relationships with transit agencies, water and wastewater utilities, and Tier 1 contractors
• Drive business development: positioning, capture planning, proposals, pricing strategy and interviews for pursuits
• Provide technical leadership on ground risk, excavation and support methodology (TBM, SEM/NATM, drill-and-blast, cut-and-cover), settlement and instrumentation, and contractual risk allocation
• Mentor and develop project managers and engineers, and contribute to succession within the underground practice

What's required

• Bachelor's or Master's in Civil, Geotechnical, Mining or Structural Engineering
• Around 10+ years in tunnelling and underground construction, with a track record directing large, complex projects ($100M+ construction value)
• PE licence, with California registration or the ability to obtain it
• Deep knowledge of soft ground and rock tunnelling methods, ground improvement, and underground risk management
• Experience across the project lifecycle, from planning and preliminary engineering through construction support and commissioning
• Familiarity with US delivery models (design-bid-build, CMAR, progressive design-build, P3) and agency procurement in California
• Commercial credibility: proposal leadership, fee negotiation and portfolio-level P&L awareness
• Excellent communication skills, comfortable in front of boards, agency leadership and public stakeholders