Tunnel Engineer – Underground Construction & Risk Design
You are a Tunnel Engineer who thrives in underground environments where geology, mechanics, and innovation intersect. Your mastery of tunnel design, ground behavior, and risk mitigation will drive safe, efficient transit and utility corridors across the United States. From selecting a TBM to drafting Geotechnical Baseline Reports, you will guide multidisciplinary teams and contractors through every phase—concept, excavation, lining, and close-out—while leveraging advanced numerical modeling and real-time data.
About the Role
- Lead the geotechnical and structural design of rock, soft-ground, and mixed-face tunnels for rail, highway, and water projects.
- Define excavation methods (TBM, NATM, SEM) and specify ground support, waterproofing, and ventilation systems.
- Prepare and review Geotechnical Baseline Reports, ground settlement predictions, and instrumentation plans.
- Model complex soil–structure interaction using PLAXIS 3D, FLAC3D, Phase2, and specialized TBM software.
- Coordinate portal, shaft, and cross-passage design, ensuring constructability and resilience.
- Oversee field investigations, laboratory testing, and on-site monitoring—occasionally in person, often remotely via connected IoT instruments.
- Evaluate contractor submittals, change orders, and risk registers; recommend cost-effective mitigations.
- Mentor junior engineers and interface with owners, legal counsel, and insurers on underground risk.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s in Civil, Geotechnical, or Structural Engineering; Master’s preferred.
- 7+ years designing or constructing tunnels in urban or mountainous terrain.
- Proficiency with PLAXIS 3D, FLAC3D, Phase2, MicroStation (or comparable CAD/BIM).
- Deep knowledge of rock mechanics, soil classification, and ground-support interaction.
- Demonstrated experience with Geotechnical Baseline Reports and claims avoidance.
- Familiarity with NFPA 130 ventilation/fire life-safety criteria.
- U.S. Professional Engineer (PE) license or ability to obtain within 12 months.
- Clear, persuasive technical writing and confident verbal briefings to non-engineers.
- Authorization to work in the United States; ability to travel to project sites up to 20%.
Preferred Skills
- Hands-on TBM data analysis and disk cutter wear prediction.
- Risk modeling with Monte Carlo simulations.
- BIM integration for underground asset management.
- Spanish or French technical proficiency for multinational JV teams.
Why This Project Matters
You will fortify aging infrastructure, unlock congested corridors, and protect communities from surface disruption. Your design decisions will outlast generations—creating resilient underground spaces that carry people, power, and water safely beneath our cities. Join a forward-leaning team that values remote collaboration, constant learning, and evidence-based engineering.