Structural Engineer

Thornton Tomasetti; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 78,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Life insurance

AD&D insurance

Disability insurance

401k with company match

Job summary

Thornton Tomasetti is seeking a Structural Engineer in Protective Design & Security to advance risk-based engineering for protecting lives and assets in built environments.

You’ll apply blast and progressive collapse concepts, work across architecture, site design and security operations, and collaborate in a multidisciplinary team to deliver resilient solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in structural or civil engineering (master’s preferred).
• Interest in protective design, security, resilience and hazard-resistant engineering.
• Strong analytical, written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with design, visualization, documentation and computational tools (Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino/Grasshopper, Adobe CC, Bluebeam, SAP2000, ETABS or similar).
• Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Support risk-based engineering and physical security design for buildings and infrastructure.
• Apply threat-informed engineering to structural hardening, blast effects and progressive collapse.
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, planners and security specialists in a multidisciplinary team.
• Prepare diagrams, calculations, technical narratives, presentations and design documentation.
• Engage in on-site assessments, field surveys and construction-phase activities.
• Grow technical and professional skills within TT’s collaborative culture.

Skills

Protective design interest

Analytical skills

Written & verbal communication

Security clearance eligibility

Education

Bachelor’s degree in structural or civil engineering

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Revit

AutoCAD

Rhino/Grasshopper

Adobe Creative Suite

Bluebeam

SAP2000

ETABS

Job description

Thornton Tomasetti applies engineering and scientific principles to solve the world’s challenges. An independent organization of creative thinkers and innovative doers collaborating from offices worldwide, our mission is to bring our clients' ideas to life and, in the process, lay the groundwork for a better, more resilient future. We provide support and opportunities to our employees to achieve their full potential and cultivate a rewarding career.

Protective Design & Security team prioritizes the protection of life and assets by mitigating consequences of security risks in the built environment. With more than 75 years of experience, our risk-led and strategic solutions safeguard people, property, and operations from intentional harm, evolving and emerging threats.

Whether safeguarding a cultural landmark, securing a healthcare facility, or planning for crowd safety at a major event, our approach is grounded in intelligence, simulation, and human-centered design to deliver resilient solutions with demonstrable performance and lasting impact.

Within our practice, you’ll develop knowledge on how risk-based design brings together security planning, physical security, and electronic security to develop layered protection strategies. You’ll support the development of performance-based solutions—from secure site planning to physical hardening, access control, surveillance, and detection—and how these measures integrate with security operations.

Your Role

As a Structural Engineer in our Protective Design & Security practice, you will support risk-based engineering and physical security design that strengthens the safety, resilience, and security of buildings and infrastructure. You will apply threat-informed engineering to structural hardening, blast effects, and progressive collapse, helping connect protective measures with architecture, site design, electronic security, and operations across buildings, campuses, and mixed-use environments. With support from your team, you will work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment while developing technical, analytical, and project coordination skills.

What You'll Do

• Support protective design concepts and design studies involving blast effects, progressive collapse, structural hardening, and risk-informed design.
• Assist with analysis, modeling, and calculation tasks as well as the integration of structural and physical security measures into project designs.
• Help prepare diagrams, calculations, technical narratives, presentations, and design documentation that communicate protection measures clearly.
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, planners, and security specialists in a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Participate in on-site assessments, field surveys, and construction-phase activities.
• Build familiarity with TT’s culture, services, and collaborative working style while growing your technical and professional skills.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in structural or civil engineering, or a closely related field; master’s degree preferred.
• Interest in protective design, security, resilience, and hazard-resistant engineering.
• Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with design, visualization, documentation and computational tools such as Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino/Grasshopper, Adobe Creative Suite, Bluebeam, SAP2000, ETABS, or similar platforms is preferred.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance.

Compensation

The rate for this position generally is $78,000 - $92,000 annually. This range is a good faith estimate provided pursuant to the California Pay Transparency Law. It is based on what a successful California applicant might be paid and assumes that the successful candidate will be in California or perform the position from California. Similar positions located outside of California will not necessarily receive the same compensation. Actual pay rates may vary from the range, as permitted by California Equal Pay Transparency Law. Compensation offers will be based on various factors, including operational needs, individual education, qualifications and experience, work location and comparison to employee already in the role, as well as other considerations permitted by law. A potential new employee’s pay history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits

Depending on your employment status, benefits may include:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, Disability and other voluntary benefits
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical and Childcare
• Paid Time Off, Family Leave for New Parents, Volunteer Time
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Commuter Transit (where available)
• 401k retirement savings with Company matching on employee contributions and/or qualified student loan repayments
• Fitness Reimbursement
• And other various wellness, diversity/inclusion and employee resource programs and initiatives

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Thornton Tomasetti is proud to be an equal employment workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Thornton Tomasetti are considered without regards to age, ancestry, color, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, protected family care or medical leave status, race, religion (including beliefs and practices or the absence thereof), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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