Senior Manager: Technical Geotech

Overview

Job Description

• Client Representation & Governance

• Act as the primary focal point for all geotechnical and ground engineering matters across the transportation/rail program.
• Represent the client in technical, design, and risk workshops with consultants, contractors, independent reviewers, and authorities.
• Interpret and communicate client requirements, design criteria, and geotechnical standards; ensure they are embedded in all relevant contracts and deliverables.
• Provide independent, objective advice and recommendations to client leadership on geotechnical issues, risks, and impacts on scope, time, cost, and safety.

• Ground Investigation Strategy & Management

• Lead development and review of project‑wide ground investigation strategies tailored to rail and transportation infrastructure.
• Review scopes for site investigations, including borehole locations, in‑situ testing, sampling, laboratory testing, and monitoring requirements.
• Oversee execution and reporting of investigations by consultants and contractors; ensure data quality, coverage, and relevance to design and risk assessment.
• Maintain an up‑to‑date understanding and documentation of baseline ground conditions, uncertainties, and allowances for unforeseen conditions.

• Geotechnical Design Management & Technical Assurance

• Manage and oversee geotechnical design across all stages for assets such as:
• + Rail embankments, cuttings, formation and subgrade
• + Foundations for bridges, viaducts, stations, depots, masts, and noise barriers
• + Tunnels, shafts, cut‑and‑cover structures, deep excavations, retaining walls
• + Ground improvement works, slope stabilization, and ground‑structure interaction
• Review and challenge geotechnical design reports, analyses, models, calculations, and drawings for compliance with:
• + Employer’s requirements and project design criteria
• + Local codes, rail requirements, and authority regulations
• + Relevant international standards
• Chair or participate in geotechnical design reviews, peer reviews, and value engineering workshops, promoting safe, robust, and cost‑effective solutions.
• Ensure requirements management and traceability for geotechnical and earthworks requirements from capture through verification and close‑out.
• Oversee implementation of technical assurance processes for geotechnical deliverables, including independent checkers and verification activities.
• Interfaces with Civil, Structural, Track & Systems
• Coordinate geotechnical interfaces with:
• + Civil and structural design (foundations, abutments, retaining structures, tunnels)
• + Track design (alignment, formation level, trackbed design, track–ground interaction, settlement criteria)
• + Stations, depots, buildings, and ancillary structures
• + Drainage, utilities, highways, and adjacent developments
• Maintain and manage interface registers for geotechnical‑related issues, ensuring early identification and resolution.
• Support integrated multi‑discipline coordination to ensure that geotechnical constraints and risks are fully accounted for in broader engineering decisions.

• Safety, Risk & Engineering Assurance (Non‑Operational)

• Embed safety by design principles in all geotechnical solutions, covering both temporary (construction) and permanent conditions.
• Review and monitor geotechnical contributions to RAMS, hazard identification, risk assessments, and mitigation measures (slope instability, settlement, groundwater, seismic effects, ground collapse).
• Coordinate with safety, risk, and assurance teams, as well as independent safety assessors (ISA) where geotechnical risks influence railway safety or regulatory approvals.
• Ensure geotechnical risks are captured in project risk registers with clear ownership, mitigation plans, and monitoring strategies.

• Construction Support & Design–Build Coordination

• From a PMC perspective, oversee how geotechnical designs are translated into construction methodologies and sequencing; identify constructability issues early.
• Review and comment on contractors’ temporary works designs, excavation support, dewatering, and ground improvement methods with respect to safety, ground movements, and impact on third‑party assets.
• Support the client in assessing and agreeing geotechnical design changes, technical deviations, and value engineering proposals.
• Provide senior geotechnical input on RFIs, non‑conformance reports, and unexpected ground conditions; drive timely and safe resolutions that protect client interests.
• Monitor performance of critical geotechnical works through review of monitoring data (e.g., settlement markers, inclinometers, piezometers) and contractors’ reports.

• Program, Cost & Geotechnical Risk Management

• Monitor progress of ground investigations, geotechnical design, and key geotechnical construction activities against the integrated master schedule.
• Identify schedule‑critical geotechnical activities and dependencies (e.g., investigations for tunnels, major foundations, or critical rail sections).
• Support project controls and commercial teams with technical assessment of claims and variations related to ground conditions and geotechnical scope.
• Maintain and update geotechnical risk registers, quantifying potential impacts on time and cost and tracking mitigation effectiveness.
• Prepare regular technical, risk, and progress reports and presentations for client governance forums.

• Stakeholder, Authority & Third‑Party Coordination

• Coordinate with internal client stakeholders (Engineering, Safety, Operations, Maintenance, Environmental, Legal, Commercial) on geotechnical implications for asset performance and maintainability.
• Interface with regulators, building and rail authorities, utility owners, highway agencies, and adjacent property owners where ground movements or geotechnical works may affect third‑party assets.
• Support communication and engagement activities where geotechnical risks, construction methods, or monitoring may be of public or stakeholder concern.

• Leadership, Team & Quality Management

• Lead and mentor geotechnical engineers and related specialists within the PMC; provide technical guidance to broader engineering teams.
• Promote a culture of safety, technical excellence, and proactive risk management in all geotechnical activities.
• Ensure robust QA/QC processes are applied to investigations, laboratory testing, geotechnical analyses, and reporting.
• Capture, document, and disseminate lessons learned on ground investigation, design, and construction performance for continuous improvement across the program.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Civil Engineering (with geotechnical specialization), or closely related discipline.
• Master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Soil Mechanics, Rock Mechanics, or related field is strongly preferred.
• Professional registration/chartership (CEng, PE, P.Eng., equivalent) is highly desirable.
• Project management certification (PMP, PRINCE2) is an advantage.

Experience

• Minimum 15 years of geotechnical engineering experience on major transportation and rail projects (heavy rail, metro, light rail, high‑speed, or similar).
• Significant experience in a PMC, client, or major consultancy environment managing geotechnical elements of design and build contracts.
• Proven track record leading ground investigations and design for tunnels, deep excavations, bridges/viaducts, embankments, cuttings, and complex foundations.
• Demonstrable experience in geotechnical risk management, safety by design, and working with rail or transport regulators/authorities.
• Experience in challenging ground conditions (e.g., soft soils, karst, high groundwater, seismic environments, brownfield/contaminated sites) is highly advantageous.

Skills & Competencies

• Deep technical knowledge of soil and rock mechanics, ground investigation techniques, geotechnical analysis and design, and rail‑specific geotechnical criteria (settlement, track formation, slope stability).
• Strong understanding of engineering governance, risk management, and safety.
• Excellent project management, planning, and coordination skills in multi‑discipline, multi‑contractor environments.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with the ability to identify, quantify, and mitigate geotechnical risks.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills; able to explain complex geotechnical issues to non‑technical stakeholders and senior management.
• High level of professionalism, integrity, and client‑service orientation.
• Proficiency with geotechnical and numerical analysis tools and familiarity with BIM/CDE and document control systems.
• Fluency in English (written and spoken); Arabic preferred
• Parsons equally employs representation at all job levels no matter the race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability or genetic information.
• We truly invest and care about our employee’s wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars!
• Imagine next and join the Parsons quest—APPLY TODAY!
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