Sr Geotechnical Engineer

Stantec • Denver, CO

6d

About The Position

Your Opportunity At Stantec, our geotechnical engineers are shaping the future of responsible resource development—delivering the critical minerals needed to support global infrastructure while setting new standards for safety, stewardship, and sustainability. We are seeking a Senior‑Level Civil or Geotechnical Engineer to join our U.S. Energy and Resources Geotechnical Team and play a key role in some of the most important mining projects in the industry. In this role, you will work across the full mining lifecycle, from early‑stage concept development through operations and closure, with a primary focus on tailings storage facilities, heap leach facilities, and waste rock management systems. You will be trusted with technically challenging assignments where sound judgment, defensible engineering, and risk‑informed decision‑making are central. Beyond mining, you will also have opportunities to contribute to water dams, pumped storage, and hydropower projects, offering technical variety and long‑term career flexibility. You will join a highly collaborative national team of approximately 100 geotechnical professionals, working alongside recognized industry leaders and subject matter experts. The role is well‑suited for an engineer who enjoys combining technical depth with leadership—developing client relationships, leading and reviewing complex geotechnical work from investigation through detailed design, preparing scopes, budgets, and schedules, and mentoring junior and intermediate engineers. This position offers a clear pathway to serve as Deputy Engineer of Record (DEoR) or Engineer of Record (EoR) for active or inactive tailings facilities, with strong institutional support and alignment with best‑practice governance frameworks. You will regularly engage with clients, regulators, and third‑party review bodies, contributing to technically rigorous and defensible outcomes on high‑profile projects. Stantec actively supports professional growth. You will be encouraged to publish technical work, present at leading national and international conferences, and contribute to advancing industry practice, with backing from senior technical and business leadership. The ideal candidate brings strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams across planning, design, and construction phases. Domestic and international travel may be required for site inspections and oversight of field activities.

Requirements

• Exceptional technical writing skills, organizational skills, technical leadership abilities, oral communication skills, and attention to detail.
• Experience with water dam and/or mine waste/tailings management design or mine closure/reclamation designs.
• Demonstrated experience applying GISTM-aligned design, performance monitoring, and risk-based decision-making frameworks throughout the TSF lifecycle (design, operations, and closure).
• Strong understanding of tailings risk management, including failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), trigger action response plans (TARPs), and integration of monitoring data into operational decision-making.
• Experience supporting or interfacing with Independent Tailings Review Boards (ITRBs), regulators, and external stakeholders throughout permitting, design review, and operational phases.
• Proven ability to integrate monitoring technologies (piezometers, inclinometers, remote sensing, survey, InSAR, data dashboards) into performance evaluation and dam safety stewardship programs.
• Practical experience with closure and post-closure strategies for TSFs and mine waste facilities, including long-term performance objectives, landform design, and risk reduction measures.
• Knowledge of filtered tailings, thickened tailings, and alternative tailings deposition technologies, including constructability considerations and operational risk trade-offs.
• Experience working under Engineer of Record (EoR) / Deputy EoR frameworks, with a clear understanding of accountability, documentation, and ongoing stewardship responsibilities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively within multidisciplinary and global teams, integrating geotechnical, hydrological, environmental, and operational inputs into defensible engineering outcomes.
• Ability to lead and mentor younger professionals.
• Minimum of a M.S. in Civil Engineering with preference given to advanced degrees.
• 15+ years of experience working on civil and/or geotechnical engineering projects, focusing on design, site investigation, reporting and business development on tailings and mine waste projects.
• Existing professional registration (P.E.) or ability to obtain within 3-6 months of starting work.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to a highly collaborative, innovative team environment, supporting technically rigorous and defensible engineering solutions across complex mining and dam safety projects.
• Lead and review geotechnical projects across the full project lifecycle—from site investigation and concept development through detailed design, construction support, operations, and closure—ensuring work is delivered on time and on budget.
• Perform and review advanced geotechnical analyses, including numerical modeling using industry‑standard tools such as GeoStudio, Rocscience, and FLAC, with a focus on tailings, mine waste, and water retention structures.
• Lead the development of high‑quality technical deliverables, including reports, memoranda, construction specifications, and design drawings, consistent with industry best practice and regulatory expectations.
• Serve as a technical lead in engagements with Independent Tailings Review Boards (ITRBs), regulators, and external reviewers, including preparation and delivery of clear, defensible technical presentations.
• Develop and maintain client relationships, supporting proposal development, scope definition, budgeting, and broader business development activities for mining and dam‑related projects.
• Mentor and supervise junior and intermediate engineers, supporting technical growth, quality control, and team development, and contributing to hiring and talent development initiatives.
• Serve as Deputy Engineer of Record (DEoR) or Engineer of Record (EoR) for active or inactive tailings storage facilities, with a willingness to assume EoR responsibilities in the near future.
• Promote and adhere to safe work practices, ensuring compliance with company, client, and regulatory requirements when planning and executing work, including field activities.

What This Job Offers

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