Design Engineer
A design-build ground improvement contractor is hiring a Geotechnical Design Engineer for its Washington, DC team. This is a design-forward role where your analyses and drawings directly influence real-world construction-ideal for engineers who want to see their work built, validated, and refined through close collaboration with field teams.
Why this role
- Design-build environment: Tight integration between design and construction means faster feedback, practical solutions, and real ownership from concept through execution.
- Specialist ground improvement focus: Work on projects where ground engineering is mission-critical and alternatives to deep foundations deliver major value.
- Technical growth curve: Exposure to complex soil-structure interaction, performance-based design, and advanced modeling-plus lessons learned from the field.
- Safety-first culture: Strong standards and accountability across design and field operations.
- Hybrid schedule: A flexible, office-based hybrid routine with regular coordination across project and field teams (not fully remote).
What You'll Do (Technical Responsibilities)
- Review and interpret geotechnical reports, project specs, and civil/structural plans to inform design development.
- Evaluate multiple ground improvement options and select the best-fit solution to meet performance criteria.
- Develop cross sections, build soil profiles, and select soil parameters for design.
- Perform finite element modeling as needed to assess soil-structure interaction, stress distribution, and deformation.
- Complete design calculations and analyses including global stability, settlement, bearing capacity, and geotechnical + structural capacity of rigid inclusions/CMCs.
- Prepare and/or coordinate final design deliverables (calculation packages and drawings).
- Review field QA/QC information and respond quickly to site questions or deviations from design intent.
- Communicate continuously with internal project stakeholders to keep design and execution aligned.
What We're Looking For
- Solid understanding of geotechnical design fundamentals; comfortable completing core calculations.
- Proficiency with slope stability analysis and finite element modeling.
- Strong MS Office skills (Word/Excel/Outlook); working familiarity with AutoCAD.
- Strong written and verbal communication; collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset.
- Able to manage multiple tasks, deadlines, and shifting priorities.
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