Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Are you an experienced Geotechnical Engineer or Engineering Geologist with strong technical depth across both earthworks and foundations?

Do you have a mix of design, delivery and site experience?

Salary: £65,854 to £77,474 inclusive of 20% Flex Fund
Location: Birmingham, hybrid working with 3 days per week in the office

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a Senior Geotechnical Engineer to join a specialist Ground Engineering team supporting one of the UK's largest infrastructure programmes.

This is a broad technical role covering the main works civils contracts between London and Birmingham. Rather than focusing on one narrow area of geotechnics, you will provide specialist support across earthworks, foundations, retaining structures, contaminated land, ground conditions and construction materials.

Working within a small and highly experienced technical team, you will support engineers embedded across the programme, providing expertise where additional geotechnical knowledge is required. You will review technical information, challenge proposals, advise on standards and specifications, and help teams navigate complex ground engineering issues.

The team is particularly interested in someone with both breadth and depth of experience, ideally combining design and site exposure. You will need to understand the theory behind the engineering while also appreciating how designs translate into construction and the practical challenges encountered on site.

A key part of the role is engineering judgement. You will need to critically evaluate information, understand where your own knowledge ends and when specialist input is required, and help project teams and contractors reach pragmatic, technically robust solutions.

The work is also helping to drive innovation across the industry, including trials involving stabilised materials and maximising the reuse of excavated material. The team contributes to technical standards, industry publications, ICE proceedings and conferences, giving the role a strong external and industry-facing element alongside project delivery.

Essential requirements

• Significant experience as a Geotechnical Engineer or Engineering Geologist within civil engineering.
• Strong technical knowledge across both earthworks and foundations.
• Broad ground engineering experience, ideally also covering retaining structures, ground conditions, contaminated land and construction materials.
• Experience across geotechnical design and site-based delivery, with the ability to understand both design intent and practical construction challenges.
• Strong ability to critically review and evaluate technical designs, reports, specifications and engineering proposals.
• Ability to apply pragmatic engineering judgement to complex technical problems rather than relying solely on standards or established processes.
• Good understanding of geotechnical risk and the implications of ground conditions on design and construction.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary engineering teams, contractors and technical specialists.
• Strong communication skills and the confidence to challenge technical proposals constructively.
• Ability to recognise when additional specialist expertise is required and coordinate the appropriate technical input.

Nice to have

• Chartered Engineer or Chartered Geologist status, or working towards chartership.
• Experience gained across a combination of consultancy, design, site, contractor or client-side environments.
• Experience on major infrastructure projects, although this is not essential where candidates can demonstrate strong civil engineering experience.
• Knowledge of geotechnical baseline reports and their application within major contracts.
• Awareness of NEC contracts, compensation events and contractual issues associated with unforeseen ground or physical conditions.
• Experience developing or working with technical specifications, engineering standards and departures.
• Knowledge of sustainable earthworks, materials reuse and ground stabilisation.
• Experience contributing to technical papers, industry guidance, professional publications or conferences.
• Familiarity with geotechnical data systems or specialist geotechnical software.

This is an excellent opportunity for a well-rounded Geotechnical Engineer or Engineering Geologist who enjoys variety and wants to work across some of the most technically challenging aspects of a major infrastructure programme.

You will join a supportive specialist team with the opportunity to influence technical decisions across multiple major civils contracts, while contributing to innovative ground engineering work that has the potential to influence future industry practice.

If you are interested in discussing the position and how your experience could fit the team, please get in touch to find out more: emily.atkins@carringtonwest.com