Field Geotechnical Engineer

Geotechnical Engineer

Requirement/Must Have:

• An M.S. degree in Geotechnical Engineering from an accredited university with a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience, or a Ph.D. in Geotechnical Engineering with a minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience.
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification.
• Demonstrated field experience supporting or supervising deep foundation (driven pile) construction and ground improvement of soft/compressible soils.
• Field experience with pile driving observation and testing (PDA/CAPWAP and/or static load tests) and pile driveability evaluation.
• Working knowledge of ground improvement (prefabricated vertical/wick drains, surcharge/preloading, and soil stabilization), geotechnical instrumentation, and settlement monitoring.
• Knowledge of foundation construction quality control, load testing, and field documentation (daily reports, NCRs).
• Familiarity with earthwork, subgrade preparation, compaction control, and underground-utility backfill, together with the associated field and laboratory testing.
• Ability to read and interpret geotechnical drawings and specifications; familiarity with soil characterization for soft-ground / Gulf Coast conditions.
• Familiarity with geotechnical software such as gINT, GRLWEAP, LPILE, APILE, Settle3, and SLOPE/W, as well as Microsoft Office programs.
• Strong coordination and communication skills (verbal and written), with the ability to work effectively in an active construction environment.
• Willing and able to travel to and remain at the Port Arthur LNG jobsite in Texas, and other jobsites in the U.S., on short- and long-term assignments.
• Authorized to work legally in the U.S. without sponsorship.

Responsibilities:

• Provide on-site engineering support and supervision for geotechnical construction on the Port Arthur LNG project, in accordance with applicable procedures, codes, standards, and contract requirements.
• Coordinate and oversee field investigation and in-situ testing performed by the geotechnical site-investigation contractor — soil borings, cone penetration tests (CPT/CPTu), and sampling — and review the resulting data.
• Install, monitor, and interpret geotechnical instrumentation — settlement plates/gauges, piezometers, and inclinometers — and maintain settlement-monitoring records for construction control.
• Provide on-site supervision of driven-pile installation (steel pipe and H-piles), verifying pile location, alignment, plumbness, embedment, and driving criteria against approved drawings and specifications.
• Witness dynamic pile testing (PDA/CAPWAP) and static load tests, verify driveability against wave-equation criteria (e.g., GRLWEAP), and review pile driving records for capacity and refusal.
• Support installation of steel sheet piles and helical piles where used, including verification of tolerances and installation records.
• Provide on-site supervision of ground improvement of compressible soils — prefabricated vertical (wick) drains, surcharge/preload placement, and soil stabilization (cement/lime treatment) — and verify installation against specification.
• Monitor consolidation and settlement during surcharge, interpret instrumentation trends, and coordinate surcharge-removal timing with home-office engineering.
• Inspect and approve subgrade preparation, structural fill placement, moisture conditioning, lift thickness, and compaction, including proof-rolling of exposed subgrade.
• Oversee excavation, bedding, and backfill compaction for underground utilities (including gravity sewers), and coordinate dewatering and excavation support as required.
• Review field and laboratory test results (density, gradation, moisture) and coordinate remediation of non-conforming areas with engineering and Construction.
• Identify construction issues or deviations early and coordinate corrective actions with Construction, subcontractors, and home-office engineering.
• Maintain field documentation, including daily reports, inspection records, nonconformance reports (NCRs), and quality records.
• Prepare daily geotechnical reports documenting field observations, testing results, and instrumentation readings for construction quality control and project documentation.
• Ensure all construction activities are carried out in full accordance with project specifications, engineering drawings, and applicable codes, standards, and regulations.

Nice to Have:

• Professional Engineer (PE) registration, or demonstrable progress toward PE.
• Experience on large LNG, energy, petrochemical, or heavy-industrial projects, preferably on the U.S. Gulf Coast.
• Prior involvement in driven-pile or marine-piling programs and dynamic/static load testing.
• Hands-on experience with soft-ground improvement (wick drains, surcharge/preloading) and geotechnical instrumentation / settlement monitoring.
• Experience adhering to established procedures in compliance with quality assurance protocols and occupational health and safety standards.