Senior Geotechnical Principal Engineer

Kleinfelder; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

401(k) plan

Paid holidays

Job summary

Kleinfelder is seeking a Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer to lead the geotechnical discipline in North Carolina. The role emphasizes leadership, client development, and expert geotechnical design across transportation, industrial, and energy projects.

Ideal candidates will have 15+ years of related experience in North Carolina, a PE license, and a track record of delivering complex projects. This is a hybrid office role with bases in Charlotte, Greensboro, or Raleigh.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of related experience, including North Carolina experience.
• Proven leadership of diverse project teams.
• Ability to target, pursue, and win new opportunities.
• Oversee resources, define client needs, and address project challenges.
• Strong geotechnical design experience: foundations, slope stability, earthwork.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor geotechnical project teams.
• Oversee pursuits and allocate resources to projects.
• Define client needs and address concerns with practical solutions.
• Prepare geotechnical reports, drawings, and specifications for foundations and earthwork.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across transportation, water, energy sectors.

Skills

Geotechnical design

Slope stability

Project leadership

Business development

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE)

Job description

Take Your Geotechnical Career to the Next Level

Kleinfelder, a Forbes' Top Employer for Engineers in North America, is committed to a people-first culture, technical excellence, and creating opportunities where employees can thrive!

Are you ready to be challenged, make a difference, and experience professional growth in your career? Kleinfelder's Geotechnical team is looking for you! From earthquake and seismic engineering to the latest trenchless technology methods, Kleinfelder's Geotechnical Services support the planning, engineering, and construction of complex projects, and our specialists are leading experts in their fields.

Step Into Your New Role

Kleinfelder is seeking a motivated, highly talented, Senior Principal Geotechnical Engineer to become a leader in its geotechnical engineering discipline in North Carolina.

With growing opportunities in the region and a variety of clients, the ideal candidate will join our high achieving, fast-paced group. Excellent communication skills with the ability to lead and inspire a team are valued attributes for this position. The work Kleinfelder executes is diverse, but experience in transportation (NCDOT), traditional industrial/commercial land development, renewables, utility infrastructure, and/or mining is especially relevant.

This is a hybrid office role and can be based in:

• Charlotte, NC
• Greensboro, NC
• Raleigh, NC

Position Requirements

• Candidates are required to have 15 or more years of related experience, including experience in North Carolina
• Proven experience in leading diverse project teams
• Ability to target and generate new opportunities
• Overseeing pursuits, designate the appropriate resources to projects, define client needs, address client concerns and suggest solutions to solve project challenges
• Proven experience in geotechnical design, slope stability, design of shallow, mat, and deep foundations, design of retaining walls, and large earthmoving projects.

Education/Certification

• Required, Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering.
• Required, Professional Engineer (PE)

Preferred Skills/Experience

• Be a recognized leader in their field with consulting experience
• Have experience being externally focused to grow client relationships and develop business
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to work independently or in multidisciplinary teams
• Knowledge of planning, implementing, and managing geotechnical exploration programs including assigning laboratory testing
• Ability to mentor engineers in performing material and site characterization, foundation recommendations, slope stability, and settlement analyses, etc.
• Have experience preparing geotechnical reports, drawings, and specifications for foundations and earthwork for a wide range of projects including transportation, water, retail, hospitality, commercial, etc.
• Be able to pro-actively troubleshoot and problem-solve with practical, client-focused solutions
• Ability to organize priorities and multi-task effectively
• Possess a thirst to learn and achieve continuous improvement in a team environment

Following an offer, candidates will be required to satisfactorily complete employment reference checks, verification of professional licensure and/or educational credentials, a motor vehicle report (MVR), and a comprehensive background check.

Move Forward with Kleinfelder

Kleinfelder and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, has been connecting great people to the best work since 1961. We are engineers, scientists, and construction professionals providing solutions that improve our clients’ transportation, water, energy, and other private infrastructure. As a responsive, cross-disciplinary team of bright, curious, and innovative problem-solvers, we are dedicated to doing the right thing, every day, on every project from over 110 offices in the US, Canada, and Australia. Connecting great people to the best work is our purpose – together, we deliver.

Progress with an Employer that Values You

Kleinfelder, and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, is an inclusive organization free from discrimination. We are a stronger organization when we are a diverse workforce and believe that through diversity, equity, and inclusion comes creativity, innovation, and unity. We are proud to offer the following:

Benefits

Kleinfelder, and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, offers an excellent compensation and benefits package, including: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) plan, and paid holidays.

Career Development

We are committed to investing in the professional development of our staff, offering each employee every opportunity to grow, develop, and take control of their career paths. We support these efforts through reimbursements for continuing education as well as many of the expenses associated with trainings and certifications, and opportunities for career development through our internal Mentoring Program.

Equal Opportunity

Kleinfelder, and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans. (Compliant with the new VEVRAA and Section 503 rules)