Senior Geotechnical Engineer in Fort St. John

Location: Fort St. John, BC or Dawson Creek, BC

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Work Arrangement: On-site preferred; hybrid or remote considered for the right candidate

Industry: Engineering, Geotechnical Consulting, Land Surveying

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and oversee subsurface investigations, including borehole drilling, test pits, in-situ testing, laboratory testing, and interpretation of geotechnical data.
• Develop foundation recommendations for buildings and industrial facilities, including shallow foundations, slab-on-grade systems, driven piles, helical piles, and bored cast-in-place piles.
• Provide recommendations for subgrade preparation, frost protection, settlement, and seasonal ground movement in challenging soil conditions.
• Conduct slope stability assessments for natural slopes, embankments, and river valley terrain.
• Design and assess retaining walls, mechanically stabilized earth walls, shoring systems, and riverbank protection measures.
• Prepare pavement designs for municipal roads, residential streets, parking areas, and heavy-haul industrial access roads.
• Develop earthworks, fill placement, compaction, and construction specifications.
• Review and seal geotechnical reports, engineering recommendations, letters of assurance, and field review documentation, as applicable.
• Coordinate with internal civil, structural, surveying, and materials testing teams to ensure integrated project delivery.

Technical Leadership and Mentorship

• Establish and maintain standards for geotechnical investigations, borehole logging, laboratory testing, engineering analysis, reporting, and quality assurance.
• Provide technical guidance, independent reviews, and mentorship to intermediate engineers, engineers-in-training, and field technicians.
• Review engineering deliverables and resolve technical issues arising during design, investigation, and construction.
• Promote sound engineering judgment, consistent technical practices, and professional development across the team.

Project Management and Client Relations

• Develop investigation scopes, fee proposals, project schedules, and technical deliverables.
• Manage project budgets, timelines, resources, and quality requirements.
• Communicate directly with clients, contractors, designers, regulators, and other project stakeholders.
• Conduct site visits and construction reviews for foundations, earthworks, subgrades, and pile installations.
• Prepare field review reports and supporting technical documentation.
• Support business development, proposal preparation, and the continued growth of geotechnical services.

Required Qualifications

• Registration as a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) with Engineers and Geoscientists BC (EGBC), or immediate eligibility for registration through a Canadian reciprocal agreement.
• A bachelor's degree in civil engineering, geological engineering, or an equivalent accredited qualification with a geotechnical focus.
• At least eight years of geotechnical engineering experience in a consulting environment, including a minimum of three years with independent authority to seal geotechnical engineering work.
• Demonstrated experience in subsurface investigations and foundation recommendations for buildings and industrial facilities.
• Experience with slope stability assessments and geotechnical engineering analysis.
• Working knowledge of the British Columbia Building Code, the National Building Code of Canada, seismic site classification, the Canadian Foundation Engineering Manual, and applicable EGBC practice guidelines.
• Proficiency with geotechnical analysis software for slope stability, settlement, and pile capacity, as well as borehole logging software and AutoCAD or Civil 3D.
• Experience preparing and sealing geotechnical reports and recommendations, issuing applicable letters of assurance, and conducting construction field reviews.
• Strong technical writing, analytical, communication, and project management skills.
• A valid Class 5 driver's licence and willingness to travel to project sites within the region.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading, mentoring, or developing a geotechnical engineering team.
• Experience working in northern or cold-climate environments with high-plasticity clays, frost-susceptible soils, organic terrain, and seasonal construction challenges.
• Industrial geotechnical experience involving wellsites, processing plants, industrial facilities, and heavy-haul access roads.
• Experience with landslide assessments, river valley slope stability, and riverbank protection.
• Experience designing pavements for municipal or provincial road authorities.
• A master's degree in geotechnical engineering.
• Relevant ground disturbance training or certifications.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a technically strong, practical engineer who is comfortable making independent decisions and taking responsibility for recommendations. You understand the importance of planning investigations that are proportionate to project risks, communicating limitations in available data, and providing clear, actionable engineering advice. You can communicate effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders, manage competing priorities, and deliver projects on schedule. You are also interested in building a practice, developing people, and maintaining involvement throughout the project lifecycle, from initial investigation and design through construction and field verification.

Compensation And Benefits

• Competitive compensation based on experience, qualifications, and demonstrated leadership.
• Eligibility to participate in the company's bonus plan.
• Group benefits, including health coverage.
• Vacation benefits in accordance with applicable British Columbia employment standards, with increased vacation entitlement based on length of service.
• Payment of applicable professional registration fees, continuing professional development, and approved training costs, including associated travel.
• Company cell phone or a monthly allowance for the use of a personal device.
• Flexible scheduling to accommodate family commitments.
• Potential future opportunity to participate in company ownership, at the discretion of the Directors.