Geotechnical Senior Engineer - Dams & Levee

General Responsibilities:

Terracon is seeking a Senior Geotechnical Engineer with demonstrated experience supporting dams, levees, flood control, and related water resources infrastructure in Northern and Central California. This role is intended for a seller-doer and technical leader who can help grow and deliver geotechnical services for embankment dams, levee systems, floodwalls, pump stations, spillways, canals, reservoirs, and other critical civil infrastructure. This position can be based out of our Sacramento, Lodi, Concord, or San Jose offices!

The ideal candidate will understand the technical, regulatory, and construction challenges associated with flood protection and water resources projects in California, including work for public agencies, reclamation and flood control districts, water districts, transportation agencies, and infrastructure owners. Experience coordinating with or preparing work products for agencies such as the California Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), Central Valley Flood Protection Board (CVFPB), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, or local flood control agencies is strongly preferred.

In this role, you will provide engineering and consulting services for existing and proposed dam, levee, and flood risk reduction projects. Responsibilities may include leading geotechnical field investigations, developing subsurface exploration programs, interpreting geologic and geotechnical data, performing engineering analyses, preparing design recommendations, developing plans and specifications, supporting construction observation and materials testing, and preparing or reviewing technical reports. The position also includes client development, proposal preparation, cost estimating, project management, mentoring, and senior technical review.

Essential Roles and Responsibilities:

• Lead safety efforts for project teams and ensure field and office work follows Terracon safety rules, procedures, and expectations.
• Serve as senior technical lead or project manager for geotechnical investigations and design support .
• Develop and implement subsurface exploration programs and construction-phase observation programs.
• Conceptualize investigation and design approaches for major phases of large projects or retain overall responsibility for the geotechnical work on moderate-scope projects.
• Plan, schedule, conduct, and coordinate engineering work involving conventional and complex geotechnical practices, including projects with difficult ground conditions, seepage concerns, seismic hazards, phasing constraints, or constructability challenges.
• Prepare, review, and sign/seal geotechnical reports, memoranda, calculations, specifications, and construction recommendations.
• Provide senior technical review for analyses, calculations, reports, plans, specifications, and construction submittals related to dams, levees, and flood infrastructure.
• Support business development by maintaining client relationships, identifying opportunities, preparing scopes and fees, supporting interviews, and coordinating with Terracon offices across Northern and Central California.
• Mentor and train staff engineers, geologists, and project managers in geotechnical investigation, analysis, design, quality, risk identification, and client communication.
• Communicate complex engineering issues clearly to technical and non-technical clients, regulators, project teams, contractors, and internal stakeholders.

Examples of the Work Required

• Develop site characterization reports that summarize geologic and geotechnical conditions, identify difficult ground conditions, and document risks that could affect design, permitting, construction cost, or schedule.
• Prepare geotechnical design recommendations for levee improvements, embankment raises, seepage berms, cutoff walls, relief wells, filters, drains, stability improvements, and seepage mitigation measures.
• Provide geotechnical recommendations for dam and reservoir facilities, including embankment slopes, outlet works, spillway improvements, access roads, retaining structures, foundations, and earthwork.
• Evaluate borrow areas and earthwork materials, including suitability of onsite soils, compaction criteria, moisture conditioning, filter compatibility, and construction quality requirements.
• Develop design recommendations and supporting documentation for shallow and deep foundations, retaining walls, floodwalls, pipe penetrations, pump stations, bridge approaches, and appurtenant structures associated with flood protection systems.
• Support alternatives evaluation, constructability reviews, risk registers, cost estimating, and phasing strategies for dam, levee, and flood risk reduction projects.
• Provide construction-phase engineering support, including review of submittals, response to RFIs, evaluation of changed conditions, field observation, instrumentation review, and recommendations for corrective actions.

Required Analyses May Include

• Seepage and underseepage evaluation, including exit gradients, uplift, piping risk, seepage berms, cutoff walls, filters, drains, and relief wells.
• Static, seismic, and rapid drawdown slope stability analyses for embankment dams, levees, canals, and flood protection features.
• Settlement analyses, including short-term, long-term, consolidation, differential settlement, and performance of embankments and structures.
• Liquefaction triggering and consequence evaluation, including strength loss, lateral spreading, seismic settlement, and deformation screening.
• Foundation bearing, sliding, overturning, eccentricity, global stability, and retaining/floodwall analyses.
• Earthwork, borrow, and material suitability evaluations, including compaction, moisture conditioning, shrink/swell, corrosion, erodibility, dispersivity, and filter compatibility considerations.
• Evaluation of geotechnical risks that could adversely affect project design, permitting, construction cost, schedule, long-term performance, or operations.

Requirements:

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 8 to 11 years experience.
• California Professional Engineer (PE) registration required; California GE registration strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with dam, levee, flood control, water resources, or similar public infrastructure projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex geotechnical issues to clients, regulators, contractors, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Valid driver's license with acceptable violation history.

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Minimum Salary: $114600.00

Maximum Salary: $177700.00

The salary range for this position is provided in compliance with all local/state regulations. Terracon considers factors including, but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate work experience, work location, education/training, key skills, as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer.

About Us

Terracon is a 100 percent employee-owned multidiscipline consulting firm comprised of more than 8,000 curious minds focused on solving engineering and technical challenges from more than 200 locations nationwide. Since 1965, Terracon has evolved into a successful multi-discipline firm specializing in environmental, facilities, geotechnical, and materials services. Terracon's growth is due to our talented employee-owners exceeding expectations in client service and growing their careers with new and exciting opportunities in the marketplace. Terracon was recognized as the #1 firm in Asbestos and Lead Abatement.

Terracon's vision of "Together, we are best at people" is demonstrated through our excellent compensation and benefits package. Based on eligibility, role and job status, we offer many programs including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) plan, paid time off and holidays, education reimbursement, and various bonus programs.

About the Team

Innovation and hands-on practice come together in our geotechnical consulting services. We provide geotechnical services nationwide for a wide range of projects, drawing on six decades of historical geotechnical data, a fleet of more than 200 drill rigs, 140 accredited laboratories, and thousands of employees to quickly organize or capture site data wherever projects are located. From AI-supported solutions and predictive technologies to geophysics and traditional exploration, we deliver precision, value-added subsurface information and engineering and scientific expertise to solving our clients' challenges and achieve their goals for project sustainability, quality, and efficiency.

EEO Statement Terracon is an EEO employer. We encourage qualified minority, female, veteran and disabled candidates to apply and be considered for open positions. We do not discriminate against any applicant for employment, or any employee because of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, disability, age, or military status.

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