Field Geotechnical Engineer

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This position is dedicated to the Port Arthur LNG (PALNG) project in Port Arthur, Texas — a large-scale LNG liquefaction and export facility on the U.S. Gulf Coast, executed by Bechtel Energy under a full engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) scope. The site is characterized by compressible soils typical of the Gulf Coast, and the geotechnical scope centers on deep foundations (driven piles), ground improvement and settlement mitigation, and supporting earthwork and underground utilities.

This role is primarily field-based; the majority of the work involves on-site supervision of pile installation and testing, ground improvement (including prefabricated vertical/wick drains and surcharge), geotechnical instrumentation and settlement monitoring, and earthwork and backfill quality control. The position is part of the Geotechnical & Hydraulic Engineering Services (G&HES) group. The successful candidate will report to and receive technical supervision and functional oversight from the G&HES Group Supervisor / Geotechnical Engineering Manager or their designee, and is expected to work independently in the field while coordinating closely with Construction, CSAOM, ES&H, piling and marine subcontractors, the site-investigation contractor, and the project management team.

The role is site-based at the Port Arthur LNG project for an extended duration, with potential transition to another Bechtel project or permanent office thereafter, and may require travel to other Bechtel and client offices within the U.S.

Site Investigation & Geotechnical Instrumentation
• 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. Deep Foundations Works
• 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. Ground Improvement & Settlement Mitigation
• 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. Earthwork, Underground Utilities & Site Civil
• Inspect and approve subgrade preparation, structural fill…