Senior Geotechnical Engineer (Infrastructure / Soil Improvement)

What the work is

Parsons is looking for an amazingly talented Senior Geotechnical Engineer to join our team in Qatar! In this role, you will support the supervision of geotechnical, earthworks and soil-improvement activities on a major roads, infrastructure and drainage programme. The works include road and utility infrastructure, deep drainage networks, microtunnelling, pump stations, attenuation tanks, deep structures and associated ground-improvement works. What You’ll Be Doing: Supervise and witness geotechnical construction activities on behalf of the Engineer, including ground investigations, boreholes, trial pits, sampling, in-situ testing, laboratory testing, groundwater investigations and geophysical surveys. Review existing and supplementary geotechnical information and assess the Contractor’s proposals for verifying ground conditions across the works. Review and comment on the Contractor’s geotechnical submissions, including Geotechnical Factual Reports, Geotechnical Interpretative Reports, method statements, Inspection and Test Plans, material submittals, risk assessments, monitoring plans and specialist designs. Supervise ground-improvement works for poor-bearing soils, including sabkha and marine sand, and verify that the Contractor’s proposed treatment methods achieve the specified bearing-capacity, settlement-control and performance requirements. Review the design, trials and execution of ground-improvement techniques, including cut and replacement, rapid impact compaction, dynamic replacement and other approved specialist methods. Witness and evaluate pre-treatment, post-treatment and verification testing, including CPTU, plate-load tests, zone-load tests, CBR tests, strength and stiffness testing, compaction-control testing and settlement monitoring. Review geotechnical and foundation requirements for roads, pavements, embankments, deep manholes, microtunnelling shafts, attenuation tanks, pump stations and other buried or above-ground structures. Monitor groundwater conditions and review the Contractor’s groundwater-monitoring and temporary-dewatering proposals, including instrumentation, settlement monitoring, discharge arrangements and corrective-action procedures. Review changes in encountered ground conditions, assess their effect on the works and provide timely technical recommendations to the Resident Engineer and wider supervision team. Inspect earthworks, grading, engineered fill placement and compaction, and verify compliance with approved materials, procedures, test frequencies and acceptance criteria. Coordinate geotechnical requirements with the roads, drainage, structural, utilities, materials, environmental, quality and health and safety teams. Liaise with the Contractor, specialist subcontractors, laboratories, designers and relevant authorities to resolve geotechnical issues and secure required technical approvals. Raise and track site observations and Non-Conformance Reports, review proposed corrective actions and verify the satisfactory close-out of geotechnical non-conformances. Maintain accurate inspection records, testing registers, technical correspondence and geotechnical documentation to support progress reporting, quality records and project handover. Support the review of as-built information and handover records for completed ground-improvement, earthworks, foundation and geotechnical activities. What Required Skills You’ll Bring: Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Engineering Geology or an equivalent relevant engineering discipline. Minimum 20 years of post-graduate professional experience, including at least 10 years of experience in a similar geotechnical or soil-improvement role. Relevant professional experience in the Middle East is required. Substantial experience working for an engineering consultant or Engineer’s Representative, providing construction supervision of major roads, infrastructure and drainage projects. Demonstrable experience supervising geotechnical investigations, ground improvement, earthworks, engineered fill, groundwater monitoring, dewatering and foundation-related works. Experience with deep drainage infrastructure, microtunnelling shafts, deep excavations, pump stations, attenuation tanks or comparable underground structures is strongly preferred. Thorough knowledge of geotechnical investigation methods and interpretation of borehole logs, trial-pit records, laboratory results, CPT/CPTU data, groundwater information and geophysical survey findings. Experience reviewing Geotechnical Factual Reports, Geotechnical Interpretative Reports, method statements, Inspection and Test Plans, monitoring plans and specialist geotechnical designs. Working knowledge of the Qatar Construction Specifications, Qatar Highway Design Manual and other applicable project standards. Understanding of ground-improvement techniques suitable for sabkha, marine sand and other weak or variable ground conditions. Ability to manage and coordinate specialised geotechnical activities and independently undertake complex professional assignments requiring the application of specialist principles. Professional registration or chartered status is preferred. MME engineering certification is required for personnel deployed under the contract. An overseas recruit who does not hold the certification at mobilisation must obtain it within six months of mobilisation. Fluent written and spoken English, with strong technical reporting, correspondence and presentation skills. Full computer literacy and the ability to use relevant engineering, reporting, document-control and project-information systems.