Geotechnical Engineer
Career information and advice on being a Geotechnical Engineer

A Geotechnical Engineer applies the sciences of soil and rock mechanics, engineering geology and other disciplines to civil engineering design and construction, whilst working to preserve and protect the physical environment.

Geotechnical Engineers work in areas such as site investigation, foundation engineering and tunneling. Activities may include:

• gathering data
• using specialist computer software
• creating analytical two and three-dimensional models
• making complex calculations in planning or assessing structures

Geotechnical engineers use the skills of analysis to provide highly accurate calculations. Working in a team alongside Geological Engineers and Hydrogeologists, they focus on providing information for, and solutions to, a specific client's project.

For example, when planning the London Underground Jubilee Line extension, water table data and soil conditions in the Westminster area were considered to ensure that, during and after tunnelling and construction, structures such as Big Ben would remain upright and intact.

Your Functions May include

As a pivotal member of a multi-discipline engineering team your decisions have an impact on the entire project team’s actions and as such your functions are varied. Depending on the particular task at hand your duties may be carried out onsite, offshore or in an office:

• interpret design drawings and specifications
• supervise field verification of materials
• provide technical direction to Construction Engineers and Superintendents
• ground investigation activities
• liaising with the lead Geotechnical Engineer and design consultants
• providing technical guidance to the individual consultants on geotechnical issues that cannot be resolved by field engineering and liaising with the lead Geotechnical Engineer as required
• technical inputs on key interfaces between engineering and construction activities related to geotechnical and underground issues, including adjacent construction packages
• review geotechnical designs, method statements and submissions by contractors to ensure that geotechnical issues are accounted for
• liaise with engineering and provide geotechnical support to resolve ground related construction issues
• responsible for quantity take-off, control, reporting and forecasting
• assist in the design of temporary construction facilities as required
• co-ordinate contractor activities to ensure materials and quality comply with design plans and specifications
• consulting geological maps and aerial photographs to advise on site selection
• undertaking desk studies and assessing sources of site information prior to field investigations
• assessing findings for construction engineers
• undertaking additional project management duties
• planning detailed field investigations by drilling and analysing samples of deposits/bedrock
• supervising site/ground investigations
• maintaining technical control of a site
• making recommendations on the proposed use of a site
• advising on problems such as subsidence, water-flood areas, etc
• ensuring that a site investigation progresses to budget
• managing staff, including other Engineering Geologists, Geotechnical Engineers, Consultants and contractors
• attending  conferences and representing the company