Forensic Engineer / Project Manager - New York, NY

DeSimone Consulting Engineering•New York, NY

8d•$115,000 - $130,000•Onsite

About The Position

DeSimone is seeking an experienced Forensic Structural Project Manager to assist with complex forensic investigations, structural assessments, litigation support assignments, and repair design projects. This role combines technical expertise, project leadership, client management, and business development responsibilities within a growing forensic engineering practice. The teammate will manage investigations involving structural failures, construction defects, property damage, code-related issues, catastrophic events, and other performance concerns affecting buildings and infrastructure. This individual will oversee multidisciplinary project teams, develop technically sound and defensible engineering opinions, and serve as a trusted advisor to attorneys, insurance carriers, property owners, developers, contractors, and public agencies. The position offers significant opportunities for leadership, expert witness development, client relationship management, and growth within the firm's forensic engineering practice.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or related field required.
Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
Minimum 8 years of structural engineering experience with experience in forensic investigations, failure analysis, structural assessments, restoration, repair design, or litigation support.
Demonstrated project management experience including budgeting, scheduling, staffing, and client management.
Strong understanding of steel, concrete, masonry, timber, and other structural systems.
Experience performing structural modeling and analysis.
Experience evaluating, repairing, and restoring diverse building types and structural materials.
Knowledge of local building codes, ICC family of codes, ASCE standards, and industry best practices.
Experience preparing technical reports, engineering calculations, repair recommendations, and investigative findings.
Ability and willingness to travel for site investigations, client meetings, and project-related activities

Nice To Haves

Master's degree and or PhD in Structural Engineering or related discipline.
Structural Engineer (SE) license.
Experience providing litigation support, claims consulting, risk management, or insurance-related forensic services.
Established relationships within the legal, insurance, construction, or ownership communities.
Experience supervising entry level engineers.
Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills.
Ability to communicate complex technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Detail-oriented with a commitment to technical excellence.
Highly motivated, proactive, collaborative team player.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
Sound engineering judgment and decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

Serve as Project Manager for forensic engineering assignments from proposal through project completion.
Manage project scope, schedules, budgets, staffing, and deliverables.
Act as the primary point of contact for condition assessment projects
Develop and maintain strong client relationships through exceptional service and technical expertise.
Participate in business development initiatives, proposal preparation, fee development, and client presentations.
Identify opportunities for repeat business and expansion of client relationships.
Assist in forensic investigations involving structural failures, construction defects, building distress, settlement, vibration concerns, material deterioration, and code-related issues.
Conduct and oversee on-site forensic assessments and investigations, including surveying and documenting observations, photography, sketching, non-destructive testing, measurements, and data collection.
Conduct engineering analysis, field observations, and research.
Organize and evaluate field data to facilitate engineering analysis and problem solving.
Conduct condition assessments and damage evaluations of commercial, residential, institutional, industrial, and mixed-use structures.
Evaluate damage resulting from hurricanes, floods, fires, explosions, vehicle impacts, construction incidents, and other catastrophic events.
Research historical backgrounds of structures, building materials, construction methods, technical specifications, and applicable building code requirements.
Perform and oversee engineering calculations, structural modeling, and structural analysis for existing and new structures.
Develop repair, rehabilitation, retrofit, and remediation solutions for damaged or deficient structural systems.
Review and approve engineering analyses, calculations, drawings, and reports prepared by project team members.
Prepare and review feasibility studies, repair recommendations, specifications, and cost opinions.
Work with building departments, owners, and stakeholders to determine repair directives and code compliance requirements.
Provide engineering support for litigation and insurance claims.
Review construction documents, contracts, specifications, expert reports, technical records, and claims documentation.
Prepare clear, concise, and defensible technical and investigative reports detailing observations, testing results, analyses, research findings, opinions, and recommendations.
Assist with expert witness preparation, depositions, mediation support, and trial preparation.
Develop toward serving as an expert witness for forensic engineering matters.
Present technical findings to attorneys, insurance representatives, clients, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders.
Mentor and develop junior engineers and technical staff.
Perform technical peer reviews and quality assurance reviews.
Conduct research and develop technical topics for publication, presentations, and industry conferences.
Present at professional organizations, client seminars, and industry events.
Remain current with emerging forensic methodologies, building technologies, and applicable codes and standards.