Geotechnical Engineer, Dams and Hydraulic

Kiewit • Oakville, ON

2d • CA$95,000 - CA$100,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Kiewit is seeking a Geotechnical Engineer to support the analysis, design, and delivery of hydropower, dam, and hydraulic structure projects across North America. This hands-on technical role focuses on engineering analyses and calculations, interpretation of geotechnical data, and preparation of practical designs, drawings, specifications, technical memoranda, and reports. You will join Kiewit’s strong, experienced geotechnical team and work alongside multidisciplinary engineering teams, construction partners, and clients. Our geotechnical professionals are ready to mentor and support an eager engineer who wants to learn and grow, build sound technical judgment, and progressively take on greater technical, coordination, and leadership responsibilities.

Why Join Kiewit’s Hydropower & Dams Team?

* Work on large and/or complex hydropower and dam projects across Canada and the U.S.
* Gain hands-on experience performing analyses and preparing practical designs that are built by Kiewit, with direct and continuous feedback from construction teams
* Learn from a strong and supportive geotechnical team through active mentoring, technical reviews, field exposure, and knowledge sharing
* Build experience across the project life cycle, from site investigation and design through construction support and multidisciplinary delivery
* Develop technical and project leadership skills through progressively greater responsibility and support of the team’s technical and project leads

At Kiewit, we deliver some of the most challenging and meaningful infrastructure projects in North America. Our integrated design‑construction approach allows engineers to see their work built and to collaborate directly with construction teams to deliver innovative, practical solutions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Geological, Geotechnical, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Two to five years of relevant geotechnical engineering experience.
• Registration, or eligibility for registration, with the engineering regulator in the province of employment, with a commitment to work toward professional licensure.
• Experience performing or contributing to geotechnical analyses and calculations and preparing technical memoranda, reports, drawings, specifications, or other design deliverables.
• Ability to interpret geotechnical investigation information, laboratory test results, field observations, and instrumentation or monitoring data.
• Strong analytical, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently on clearly defined assignments while seeking guidance when appropriate and collaborating effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
• Willingness to travel periodically to project offices and job sites.
• Regular, reliable attendance
• Work productively and meet deadlines timely
• Communicate and interact effectively and professionally with supervisors, employees, and others individually or in a team environment
• Perform work safely and effectively. Understand and follow oral and written instructions, including warning signs, equipment use, and other policies.
• Work during normal operating hours to organize and complete work within given deadlines. Work overtime and weekends as required.
• May work at various different locations and conditions may vary
• Openings are to fill both existing vacancies and newly created positions

Nice To Haves

• Exposure to hydropower, dams, hydraulic structures, or other major water, energy, mining, transportation, or heavy civil infrastructure projects.
• Master’s degree or PhD in a geotechnical or geological-related field.
• Fluent in French and English (written and spoken).
• Familiarity with relevant geotechnical analysis or numerical modelling software, data-analysis tools, CAD-based design workflows, or design automation.
• Experience supporting site investigations, construction observations, instrumentation programs, or construction-phase activities.
• Exposure to integrated or contractor-led delivery models such as Design-Build, EPC, or Progressive Design-Build.
• Interest in constructability, AI-aided work-flows, design innovation, digital tools, professional development, and continuous improvement.
• Interest in supporting other water or infrastructure markets part time as project needs and individual development interests align.

Responsibilities

• Review and interpret geological and geotechnical information, including borehole logs, field observations, laboratory test results, instrumentation data, design criteria, and previous studies.
• Perform geotechnical and/or geological analyses and engineering calculations under the guidance of experienced engineers for foundations, embankments, slopes, underground works, and appurtenant structures.
• Support evaluations of bearing capacity, settlement, slope and embankment stability, seepage, deformation, earth pressures, and seismic or liquefaction response, as applicable to each project.
• Develop geotechnical parameters, assumptions, models, design criteria, and recommendations, clearly documenting their basis and limitations.
• Prepare and organize calculation packages, design notes, technical memoranda, geotechnical reports, specifications, sketches, drawings, and other design deliverables.
• Evaluate design alternatives and help develop safe, practical, and constructible solutions that meet project requirements and applicable codes and standards.
• Coordinate with designers and multidisciplinary engineers to incorporate geotechnical analyses and recommendations into project drawings, models, and specifications.
• Maintain clear and traceable design documentation, address technical review comments, and help improve design quality and efficiency through new tools and workflows, including responsible use of AI-enabled solutions.
• Assist with geotechnical investigations, field data collection, sample and laboratory testing coordination, and documentation of site conditions.
• Support instrumentation or monitoring programs, construction observations, and the organization and interpretation of field information.
• Help evaluate differences between anticipated and encountered ground conditions and communicate relevant findings to the project team.
• Assist project teams with requests for information, submittals, non-conformities, constructability concerns, and other technical issues under appropriate senior review.
• Collaborate with civil, structural, hydraulic, mechanical, electrical, construction, and project controls personnel, as well as external design partners.
• Support project and discipline leads with technical coordination, task planning, risk identification, schedule tracking, design reviews, and preparation for client, contractor, regulator, and stakeholder meetings.
• As experience develops, coordinate defined technical tasks or small work packages, provide peer support to interns or less-experienced team members with senior guidance, and contribute to proposals, lessons learned, and practice-improvement initiatives.
• Complete work in accordance with Kiewit’s design quality management program, applicable professional standards, and project-specific requirements; perform self-checks and support independent reviews of calculations, drawings, specifications, and reports.
• Actively support a collaborative culture focused on safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• top-tier medical, dental and vision plans covering eligible employees and dependents
• voluntary wellness and employee assistance programs
• life insurance
• disability
• retirement plans with matching
• generous paid time off

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level