Sr Geotechnical Engineer

Stantec; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 118,000 - 177,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision plans

401(k) plan

Employee stock purchase program

Paid holidays

Job summary

Stantec seeks a Senior‑Level Civil or Geotechnical Engineer to join our U.S. Energy and Resources Geotechnical Team, focusing on tailings facilities and mine waste projects. You will lead investigations, design reviews, and client engagements across a broad mining lifecycle.

You will mentor engineers, contribute to proposals, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams. Domestic and international travel may be required, with opportunities to advance to EoR/DEoR roles.

Qualifications

• Exceptional technical writing, organizational, and leadership abilities.
• Experience with water dam and mine waste/tailings design and closure.
• Familiarity with GISTM-aligned design and risk-based decision making.
• Knowledge of tailings risk management and monitoring data integration.
• Experience with ITRBs, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to integrate monitoring technologies into dam safety programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead geotechnical projects across the full lifecycle, from site investigation to design and closure.
• Develop high‑quality deliverables: reports, specs, drawings for mining and dam projects.
• Engage with ITRBs, regulators, and reviewers delivering clear technical presentations.
• Build and maintain client relationships; support proposals, scope, and budgeting.
• Mentor junior engineers and support talent development initiatives.
• Serve as Deputy Engineer of Record or Engineer of Record for tailings facilities.

Skills

Technical writing

Leadership

Geotechnical analysis

Dam safety

Communication

Project management

Mentoring

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Client relations

Travel readiness

Education

M.S. in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer (P.E.)

Tools

GeoStudio

Rocscience

FLAC

Job description

At Stantec, we help deliver the critical minerals needed to power our world, from the cars we drive to the infrastructure powering our communities. And we don’t just design the largest, deepest, and most technically challenging mines in the world—we do it sustainably. We’re helping clients reduce energy usage, adopt clean energy sources, and implement digital solutions and automation.

Your Opportunity

At Stantec, our geotechnical engineers are shaping the future of responsible resource development—delivering the critical minerals needed to support global infrastructure while setting new standards for safety, stewardship, and sustainability. We are seeking a Senior‑Level Civil or Geotechnical Engineer to join our U.S. Energy and Resources Geotechnical Team and play a key role in some of the most important mining projects in the industry.

In this role, you will work across the full mining lifecycle, from early‑stage concept development through operations and closure, with a primary focus on tailings storage facilities, heap leach facilities, and waste rock management systems. You will be trusted with technically challenging assignments where sound judgment, defensible engineering, and risk‑informed decision‑making are central. Beyond mining, you will also have opportunities to contribute to water dams, pumped storage, and hydropower projects, offering technical variety and long‑term career flexibility.

You will join a highly collaborative national team of approximately 100 geotechnical professionals, working alongside recognized industry leaders and subject matter experts. The role is well‑suited for an engineer who enjoys combining technical depth with leadership—developing client relationships, leading and reviewing complex geotechnical work from investigation through detailed design, preparing scopes, budgets, and schedules, and mentoring junior and intermediate engineers.

This position offers a clear pathway to serve as Deputy Engineer of Record (DEoR) or Engineer of Record (EoR) for active or inactive tailings facilities, with strong institutional support and alignment with best‑practice governance frameworks. You will regularly engage with clients, regulators, and third‑party review bodies, contributing to technically rigorous and defensible outcomes on high‑profile projects.

Stantec actively supports professional growth. You will be encouraged to publish technical work, present at leading national and international conferences, and contribute to advancing industry practice, with backing from senior technical and business leadership. The ideal candidate brings strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams across planning, design, and construction phases. Domestic and international travel may be required for site inspections and oversight of field activities.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to a highly collaborative, innovative team environment, supporting technically rigorous and defensible engineering solutions across complex mining and dam safety projects.
• Lead and review geotechnical projects across the full project lifecycle—from site investigation and concept development through detailed design, construction support, operations, and closure—ensuring work is delivered on time and on budget.
• Perform and review advanced geotechnical analyses, including numerical modeling using industry‑standard tools such as GeoStudio, Rocscience, and FLAC, with a focus on tailings, mine waste, and water retention structures.
• Lead the development of high‑quality technical deliverables, including reports, memoranda, construction specifications, and design drawings, consistent with industry best practice and regulatory expectations.
• Serve as a technical lead in engagements with Independent Tailings Review Boards (ITRBs), regulators, and external reviewers, including preparation and delivery of clear, defensible technical presentations.
• Develop and maintain client relationships, supporting proposal development, scope definition, budgeting, and broader business development activities for mining and dam‑related projects.
• Mentor and supervise junior and intermediate engineers, supporting technical growth, quality control, and team development, and contributing to hiring and talent development initiatives.
• Serve as Deputy Engineer of Record (DEoR) or Engineer of Record (EoR) for active or inactive tailings storage facilities, with a willingness to assume EoR responsibilities in the near future.
• Promote and adhere to safe work practices, ensuring compliance with company, client, and regulatory requirements when planning and executing work, including field activities.

Qualifications

Your Capabilities and Credentials

• Exceptional technical writing skills, organizational skills, technical leadership abilities, oral communication skills, and attention to detail.
• Experience with water dam and/or mine waste/tailings management design or mine closure/reclamation designs.
• Demonstrated experience applying GISTM-aligned design, performance monitoring, and risk-based decision‑making frameworks throughout the TSF lifecycle (design, operations, and closure).
• Strong understanding of tailings risk management, including failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), trigger action response plans (TARPs), and integration of monitoring data into operational decision‑making.
• Experience supporting or interfacing with Independent Tailings Review Boards (ITRBs), regulators, and external stakeholders throughout permitting, design review, and operational phases.
• Proven ability to integrate monitoring technologies (piezometers, inclinometers, remote sensing, survey, InSAR, data dashboards) into performance evaluation and dam safety stewardship programs.
• Practical experience with closure and post‑closure strategies for TSFs and mine waste facilities, including long‑term performance objectives, landform design, and risk reduction measures.
• Knowledge of filtered tailings, thickened tailings, and alternative tailings deposition technologies, including constructability considerations and operational risk trade‑offs.
• Experience working under Engineer of Record (EoR) / Deputy EoR frameworks, with a clear understanding of accountability, documentation, and ongoing stewardship responsibilities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary and global teams, integrating geotechnical, hydrological, environmental, and operational inputs into defensible engineering outcomes.
• Ability to lead and mentor younger professionals.

Education and Experience

• Minimum of a M.S. in Civil Engineering with preference given to advanced degrees.
• 15+ years of experience working on civil and/or geotechnical engineering projects, focusing on design, site investigation, reporting, and business development on tailings and mine waste projects.
• Existing professional registration (P.E.) or ability to obtain within 3‑6 months of starting work.

Pay Range

• Locations in CO, HI, IL, MD & Various CA, NJ, VA Areas-$117,800.00 - $176,800.00 Annually

Pay Transparency

In compliance with pay transparency laws, pay ranges are provided for positions in locations where required. Please note, the final agreed upon compensation is based on individual education, qualifications, experience, and work location. At Stantec certain roles are bonus eligible. Actual compensation for part‑time roles will be pro‑rated based on the agreed number of working hours per week.

Benefits Summary

Regular full‑time and part‑time employees (working at least 20 hours per week) have access to medical, dental, and vision plans, a wellness program, health saving accounts, flexible spending accounts, 401(k) plan, employee stock purchase program, life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, short‑term/long‑term disability plans, emergency travel benefits, tuition reimbursement, professional membership fee coverage and paid family leave. Regular full‑time and part‑time employees will receive ten paid holidays in each calendar year. In addition, employees will be eligible to accrue vacation between 10 and 20 days per year and eligible for paid sick leave (and if more generous, in accordance with state and local law).

Temporary/casual employees have access to 401(k) plans, employee stock purchase program, and paid leave, in accordance with state and local law.

The benefits information listed above may not apply to union positions because benefits for such positions are governed by applicable collective bargaining agreements

Primary Location: United States | CO | Denver

Other Locations: United States | AZ | Phoenix

Organization: BC-2242 E&R-US Northwest

Employee Status: Regular

Business Justification: New Position

Travel: Yes

Schedule: Full time

Stantec provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants for future and current employment and prohibit discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We prohibit discrimination in decisions concerning recruitment, hiring, referral, promotion, compensation, fringe benefits, job training, terminations or any other condition of employment. Stantec is in compliance with laws and regulations and ensures equitable opportunities in all aspects of employment. At Stantec we are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to all. If you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process then please inform a member of our Talent Acquisition team.