Geotechnical Senior Staff Engineer

General Responsibilities:

Role: Geotechnical Senior Staff Engineer

Location: Lombard, IL or Glendale Heights, IL or Chicago, IL

Onsite

Full-Time

$84,920.00 - $108,240.00

Overview:

Terracon's Lombard office has an active geotechnical practice serving transportation, infrastructure, commercial, energy, and private-sector clients across Illinois. We are looking for a Senior Geotechnical Staff Engineer who wants to do more than process data. This role is for an engineer ready to take ownership of technical work, support project delivery, and grow toward broader project management and client-facing responsibilities.

The primary focus will be geotechnical transportation and public works projects, including roadways, bridge foundations, retaining structures, pavements, drainage structures, utility corridors, and related infrastructure. The position will also include selected commercial, industrial, energy, and site-development projects.

This role offers exposure to the full life cycle of geotechnical consulting: scoping, field investigation, laboratory testing, engineering analysis, report preparation, construction support, and client coordination. You will work with experienced project managers, senior engineers, field staff, and technical reviewers while building the judgment needed to manage increasingly complex work.

Hybrid schedule flexibility is available when compatible with project needs, field assignments, training, and team coordination. Relocation assistance and/or a signing bonus may be considered. Terracon also offers a comprehensive benefits package, professional development opportunities, and support for continued technical and career growth.

Essential Roles and Responsibilities:

You will help move geotechnical projects from investigation through recommendations, reporting, and construction support. Typical responsibilities include:

• Planning and coordinating subsurface exploration programs, drilling, field testing, and laboratory testing.
• Reviewing boring logs, laboratory data, plans, specifications, and project requirements.
• Performing geotechnical analyses for foundations, pavements, earthwork, retaining structures, slopes, groundwater conditions, and related design issues.
• Preparing geotechnical reports, technical memoranda, proposals, scopes of work, and cost estimates.
• Supporting construction-phase services, including field observation review, test data review, submittal review, and responses to construction questions.
• Communicating with clients, design teams, contractors, drilling crews, laboratories, and internal project teams.
• Coordinating with and mentoring junior engineers, field engineers, technicians, laboratory staff, and exploration teams.
• Following Terracon's safety, quality, and risk-management practices.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Geological Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or a related engineering field.
• Engineer-in-Training certification required.
• 3 to 5+ years of geotechnical engineering experience.
• Strong technical writing and communication skills.
• Ability to work in both office and field settings.
• Valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.

Preferred qualifications:

• Master's degree in geotechnical engineering or a related field.
• Experience with transportation, public works, bridge, roadway, pavement, retaining wall, utility, or infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with Illinois transportation agencies and public-sector design teams.
• Interest in developing project management, client communication, and technical leadership skills.