Geotechnical Project Manager

Kleinfelder Inc•Riverside, CA

5d•$116,792 - $197,357•Hybrid

About The Position

Kleinfelder, a Forbes' Top Employer for Engineers in North America, is committed to a people-first culture, technical excellence, and creating opportunities where employees can thrive! Our delivery management professionals are involved in project delivery from initiation and planning to execution, monitoring, and closeout. Each phase requires strong attention to detail while communicating with internal and external stakeholders. The Los Angeles Area is seeking to fill a position of a Project Manager with a technical background in Geology or Geotechnical Engineering. This position will be based in Kleinfelder’s Riverside office. The role will be hybrid with remote, in-office, and field work opportunities. This is a great opportunity for someone looking for a role where they can manage challenging projects, partner with other junior and senior geologists and geotechnical engineers, and provide quality service to our multidisciplinary teams and clients. The successful applicant will have a career as a Senior Engineering Geologist or Senior Geotechnical Engineer with progressive experience in project management, engineering geology or geotechnical engineering, soil logging and testing, landslide investigation, and construction on specialty and heavy civil projects and a minimum of 7+ years’ experience managing complex projects. The successful applicant will have demonstrated experience working with Clients, delivering quality services, and serving as a point of contact. Our team works on challenging and interesting projects within a design center that includes bridge, structural, civil, and water resources engineers, environmental professionals, and laboratory and construction oversight personnel. We work on a large variety of both public and private infrastructure systems ranging from small to large-scale bridges, transit systems, roadways, water and storm water systems, tunnels and HDD installations, dams, commercial structures, deep excavations, and more, all while managing complexities of dense urban sites or difficult mountainous terrain.

Requirements

BS degree in Geology, Geological Engineering, or Civil Engineering is required.
Registered Professional Geologist (PG), Certified Engineering Geologist (CEG), Professional Engineer (PE, Civil), or Geotechnical Engineer (GE) in California.
Minimum of 7+ years of experience managing complex projects.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Comfort and willingness to interface with Clients.
Extensive soil logging experience is required.
Demonstrated ability to work with multidisciplinary teams, manage project deliverables, schedules, budgets, and mentor junior staff.
Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record and ability to pass a drug test required.
Physical ability to perform fieldwork, carry equipment, and conduct testing and sampling for extended periods.
Ability to commute to the office, client meetings, and project sites in and around Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, and Ventura Counties.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and experience using project tracking or collaboration tools.
Candidate must be willing to work in addition to a standard 40-hour work week when needed.

Nice To Haves

MS degree preferred and PhD a plus.
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred.
Extensive experience in fault studies, faulting interpretation, and landslide mapping and evaluation a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead development of scopes for field and office tasks (technical and non-technical), perform independent analysis, and review analysis of others.
Safely conduct field exploration, sampling, inspection, analysis, and technical support without supervision.
Coordinate tasks and small to major projects with junior operations/technical staff.
Prepare designs, reports, and assessments on complex projects.
Possess an understanding of how geology and geotechnical engineering fits within a civil engineering project and context.
Demonstrate project management capabilities including planning, coordination, risk management, stakeholder communication, and team leadership.
Provide quality project management and technical support on commercial, municipal, transportation, energy, and water projects.
Apply advanced experience with geologic and engineering projects, including data interpretation and development of technical conclusions.
Plan, implement, and manage geotechnical and geologic exploration programs, including scope development, resource allocation, and schedule oversight.
Guide staff geologists and engineers in material and site characterization, faulting analysis, landslide evaluation, and related tasks.
Manage all aspects of projects, including safety, quality, schedule, budget, risk mitigation, and client communication.
Develop scopes of work, project budgets, work breakdown structures, and schedules, ensuring alignment with client expectations and internal standards.
Manage project teams, monitor budgets and schedules, delegate tasks effectively, and mentor junior staff to support their technical and professional growth.
Prepare technical reports, geologic analyses, and documentation that meet regulatory and client requirements.
Coordinate and provide quality control for data collection, field activities, and review of project results.
Prepare and deliver technical presentations to clients, agencies, and technical review boards.
Supervise field observation, testing, and conduct site visits to ensure compliance with project plans and safety protocols.
Perform and manage engineering services during construction and coordinate technician and field staff.
Actively participate in and lead business development activities, including proposal preparation and client relationship management.
Proactively troubleshoot and problem-solve with practical, client-focused solutions.
Lead multidisciplinary teams, mentor staff at all levels, and support professional development.
Organize priorities, manage multiple concurrent projects, and maintain clear communication with internal and external stakeholders.
Apply structured project management practices such as progress tracking, documentation control, and change management.