Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising; Oakland (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR in Oakland, CA is seeking a Senior Geotechnical Engineer to lead complex geotechnical projects, mentor staff, and drive technical excellence. You will serve as a Technical Lead, manage scope and fees, and collaborate with clients to deliver impactful solutions.

Responsibilities include field exploration, laboratory testing, data analysis, and preparing geotechnical reports for Bay Area projects. A CA PE license and relevant geotechnical experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• 10 years of experience in geotechnical engineering.
• Professional Engineer license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position.
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications, GIS, and CADD.
• Experience with GeoStudio/Ensoft slope stability, settlement, seepage, and deep foundation response software, as appropriate.
• Experience with Bentley suite of geotechnical data management and visualization software (gINT/OpenGround/LeapFrog).
• Knowledge of advanced numerical modeling techniques such as Finite Difference, Finite Element, Discrete Element, etc. and commercial software (Bentley, PLAXIS, Itasca FLAC).
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Technical Lead on geotechnical projects and mentor staff.
• Take responsibility for proposal (scope and fee) development.
• Participate in marketing efforts with internal and external clients.
• Develop and lead geotechnical field exploration and laboratory testing programs.
• Lead data analysis and engineering evaluations to support design and project management.
• Prepare geotechnical reports and memoranda with conclusions and recommendations.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge of seismic hazard, site response, and liquefaction.
• Review geotechnical documentation and supervise staff on projects.

Skills

PE license

Geotechnical engineering

GIS

CADD

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's in Civil Engineering

Master's in Geotechnical Engineering

Tools

ArcGIS

AutoCAD

Civil3D

gINT

GeoStudio (SLOPE/W, SEEP/W)

Ensoft (LPILE, APILE, SHAFT, GROUP)

Settle3

CLiq

CPeT-IT

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world? Watch Our Story: ' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story' Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world. We believe water is more than a resource, it's a shared responsibility. As part of our Water Business Group, you'll help shape how communities manage water for generations to come. From delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater responsibly to developing sustainable water supplies and protecting lives and property through flood control, your work will directly support public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience. We bring together experts across disciplines to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence. Whether you're modernizing aging systems or pioneering innovative approaches, your contributions will make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. This isn’t just a job, it's a chance to lead change, drive progress, and leave a lasting legacy.

In the role of Senior Geotechnical Engineer, we'll count on you to:

Be viewed as a technical expert with recognized authority in an area of specialization that resolves problems of greater scope and complexity.

Mentor Staff in technical and leadership development skills.

Serve as a Technical Lead on projects.

Take responsibility for proposal (scope and fee) development.

Participate in marketing efforts of both internal and external clients

Develop and lead geotechnical field exploration and laboratory testing programs.

Lead and perform data analysis and engineering evaluating to support and inform engineering design, and project management as well as client management.

Prepare technical documents geotechnical reports and technical memoranda containing geotechnical conclusions and recommendations.

Have advanced working knowledge of geotechnical earthquake engineering concepts such as seismic hazard, seismic site response, and liquefaction.

Have advanced working knowledge of Bay Area and California geology and soil conditions, including marine deposits (e.g., Young Bay Mud).

Review geotechnical technical documentation.

Plan and develop projects or design activities that have significant impact on major company programs as needed.

Plan, organize and supervise work of a small to medium number of staff of professionals and technicians.

May serve as Project Manager on larger projects, though project management is not sole focus of position.

Perform other duties as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Master's degree in Geotechnical Engineering

Licensed Geotechnical Engineer (in CA)

Heavy emphasis on California project experience

Experience with ArcGIS and/or Autodesk AutoCAD and Civil3D.

Proficiency using the following software: gINT, GeoStudio (SLOPE/W, SEEP/W), Ensoft pile software (LPILE, APILE, SHAFT, GROUP), Settle3, CLiq, CPeT-IT.

Required Qualifications

• 10 years of experience
• Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications, GIS, and CADD, as appropriate
• Experience with GeoStudio/Ensoft slope stability, settlement, seepage, and deep foundation response software, as appropriate
• Experience with Bentley suite of geotechnical data management and visualization software (gINT/OpenGround/LeapFrog)
• Knowledge of advanced numerical modeling techniques such as Finite Difference, Finite Element, Discrete Element, etc. and commercial software for advanced numerical modeling (Bentley, PLAXIS, Itasca FLAC)
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location

Other Locations

United States-California-Oakland, United States-California-Folsom

Industry

Water

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

BusinessClass : Dams Levees Civil Works

Job Posting

Sep 29, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employe r.

We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.

Ready to learn more? Let's work together to make great thingspossible.

We design solutions to the world's greatest challenges. We'realways looking for great talent to join our global teams.