Structural Engineer

Thornton Tomasetti • Chicago, IL

9d • $75,000 - $90,000

About The Position

As a Structural Engineer in Thornton Tomasetti’s Protective Design & Security practice, you will support risk-based engineering and physical security design that strengthens the safety, resilience, and security of buildings and infrastructure. You will apply threat-informed engineering to structural hardening, blast effects, and progressive collapse, connecting protective measures with architecture, site design, electronic security, and operations across buildings, campuses, and mixed-use environments. With support from the team, you will work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment while developing technical, analytical, and project coordination skills.

The role offers opportunities to develop knowledge of risk-based design, including how security planning, physical security, and electronic security combine to create layered protection strategies. You will support performance-based solutions ranging from secure site planning to physical hardening, access control, surveillance, and detection, and learn how these measures integrate with security operations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in structural or civil engineering, or a closely related field.
• Interest in protective design, security, resilience, and hazard-resistant engineering.
• Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. security clearance.

Nice To Haves

• A master’s degree.
• Familiarity with design, visualization, documentation, and computational tools such as Revit, AutoCAD, Rhino/Grasshopper, Adobe Creative Suite, Bluebeam, SAP2000, ETABS, or similar platforms.

Responsibilities

• Support protective design concepts and design studies involving blast effects, progressive collapse, structural hardening, and risk-informed design.
• Assist with analysis, modeling, and calculation tasks and integrate structural and physical security measures into project designs.
• Help prepare diagrams, calculations, technical narratives, presentations, and design documentation that clearly communicate protection measures.
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, planners, and security specialists in a multidisciplinary team environment.
• Participate in on-site assessments, field surveys, and construction-phase activities.
• Build familiarity with Thornton Tomasetti’s culture, services, and collaborative working style while developing technical and professional skills.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability, and other voluntary benefits.
• Flexible Spending Accounts for medical and childcare.
• Paid Time Off, family leave for new parents, and volunteer time.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Commuter transit benefits where available.
• 401(k) retirement savings with company matching on employee contributions and/or qualified student loan repayments.
• Fitness reimbursement.
• Wellness, diversity/inclusion, and employee resource programs and initiatives.

What This Job Offers

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