Sr. Geotechnical Engineer

Harris County•Houston, TX

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Geotechnical Engineer / Specifications & Standards Coordinator will serve as a senior technical resource for geotechnical engineering and the development, review, and implementation of Harris County design standards, specifications, and technical guidelines. The position will provide geotechnical support for roadway, bridge, drainage, foundation, and other infrastructure projects while coordinating with County staff, consultants, contractors, and other agencies. The position will also lead the continuous improvement of County standards and specifications to reflect current industry practices and lessons learned. The position will lead the Standards and Specifications committee in an ongoing review and revision cycle in order to keep the County's standards and specifications on par with those used by peer organizations.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Engineering Technology, Construction Management, or an equivalent related field needed to meet Licensing requirements of this position.
Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible professional engineering experience, including significant geotechnical engineering experience.
Experience with roadway, bridge, drainage, foundation, pavement, earthwork, or other heavy civil infrastructure projects.
Experience developing, reviewing, and applying engineering standards, specifications, design manuals, and PS&E packages.
Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.
Exceptional personal organizational skills, ability to identify and prioritize assigned tasks independently with minimal oversight.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to undertake public speaking roles with ease.
Exceptional interpersonal and conflict resolution skills, and the ability to deal tactfully with a diverse group of people in a professional manner in a complex organization.
Ability to exercise flexibility in accommodating shifting priorities, demands, and schedules
Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite of applications.
Experience with eBuilder, Microsoft Power BI, and other similar software packages.
Valid Texas Driver's License upon hire.
Ability to drive a county vehicle to various job sites as needed to accomplish tasks and projects.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering or a related field.
Ten (10) years of professional geotechnical engineering experience.
Experience with TxDOT, Harris County, HCTRA, Harris County Flood Control District, or other public-sector infrastructure agencies.
Experience with bridge foundations, drilled shafts, deep foundations, settlement, slope stability, pavement/subgrade, and earthwork.
Experience developing or revising public-sector engineering standards and specifications.
Experience managing consultants and multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Responsibilities

Serve as a senior technical resource for geotechnical engineering, design standards, and construction specifications for Harris County projects.
Lead and/or review geotechnical investigations, analyses, reports, foundation recommendations, earthwork, settlement, slope stability, pavement/subgrade, retaining systems, and other geotechnical work.
Review consultant plans, calculations, specifications, geotechnical reports, and PS&E packages for technical quality and compliance with applicable standards.
Lead the development, review, and continuous improvement of Harris County standards, construction specifications, special specifications, design manuals, guidelines, and standard details.
Research and evaluate new engineering practices, construction materials, technologies, and industry standards and recommend appropriate updates to County standards.
Lead, in conjunction with other technical staff, the development of Special Specifications and revisions to standards as required in response to lessons learned in Harris County projects and changes in industry standards and practices.
Provide technical support during design, bidding, and construction, including investigation and resolution of geotechnical and construction-related issues.
Coordinate with County departments, Precincts, consultants, contractors, TxDOT, HCTRA, and other agencies on geotechnical, specifications, and standards-related matters.
Manage and provide technical oversight of geotechnical and standards-related consultant services, including scope, schedule, budget, and deliverables.
Provide technical guidance and mentoring to engineering and technical staff and conduct training on changes to standards and specifications.
Prepare and present information sessions to HCED and Precinct staff to bring awareness of changes to standard specifications, design standards, and other relevant documentation.
Perform other duties as assigned, including emergency or disaster response support.