Geotechnical Engineer
Job Description and Duties
The Division of Engineering Services (DES), Geotechnical Services (GS) is looking to hire Transportation Engineers Civil (TE Civil) in the Office of Geotechnical Design Policy and Practice (OGDPP).
Under the direction of a Senior Transportation Engineer, the TE Civil is expected to:
- Perform quality review and provide technical support to Geotechnical Design offices.
- Develop and update geotechnical design related standards, and guidelines for the Geotechnical Manual.
- Develop geotechnical design and analysis tools.
- Perform geotechnical investigation and engineering for projects.
- Work on projects, including planning, design, construction, and operation phases of the State Transportation System, which may require traveling to the Districts and job sites for periods of several days to weeks.
- Participate in Geotechnical Services (GS) technical teams and Division of Engineering Service’s technical committees.
Eligibility for hire may be determined by your score on the Transportation Engineer (Civil) exam. For those who do not have current eligibility (e.g., transfer, permissive reinstatement, or voluntary demotions) and/or who will be new to state civil services employment, you must be on the state examination list to be eligible for these positions. To apply for the exam, please click here and search by typing in the classification title.
Candidates are required to review the Minimum Qualifications (MQs) for this classification. If you meet MQs under Pattern II and require the TE Civil in-person written hurdle exam, DO NOT TAKE the TE Civil online exam prior to passing the written hurdle. Candidates who take the TE Civil online exam prior to passing the written hurdle may negatively impact their hiring eligibility. Please contact the exam unit at askexams@dot.ca.gov for additional information prior to taking the online examination.
For clarification on the education requirement of the minimum qualifications, please reach out to the Human Resources Contact prior to taking the online Training and Experience Evaluation. For a list of ABET accredited schools, please refer to this link: Find Programs | ABET.
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Working Conditions
The Caltrans Transportation Engineer (Civil) Rotation Program is a mandatory 24 month to 33 months rotation assignment for all permanent, full‑time Transportation Engineer (Civil) employees that have completed their probationary period hired by Caltrans Districts after June 22, 2018, or an earlier date as determined by the Districts. The purpose of the Rotation Program is to provide opportunities for employees and Caltrans to benefit by participating in a standardized process that systematically engages newly hired engineers. Participants will develop well‑rounded project delivery knowledge, skills, and abilities by rotating through diverse project delivery functional units. The Rotation Program includes mandatory core assignments in Design and Construction units, as well as a mandatory elective assignment. Each rotation assignment is typically between 6 to 12 months and will be based on workload needs and the employee’s goals. Assignments may involve long term travel and can be located throughout the state.
In addition to the Caltrans Transportation Engineer (Civil) Rotation Program, an incumbent may be required to go on loan to another project delivery function when there are temporary or peak staffing needs in those areas.
This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the Department and based on Caltrans’s evolving telework policy. Caltrans supports telework, recognizing that in‑person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksites with minimum notification if an urgent need arises. The selected candidate will be required to commute to the headquartered location as needed to meet operational needs. Business travel may be required.
Special Requirements
- Appointment to Range D requires a valid Professional Engineering License (Civil) issued by the California Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. For all other ranges, a PE license is not required.
- A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ), resume and application are required.
The SOQ must include education, training, and experience that qualify the candidate for this position. The SOQ serves as documentation of each candidate’s ability to present information clearly and concisely in writing. SOQ must be typed and no more than 2 pages, single‑spaced, using 12‑point font. Resumes do not take the place of the SOQ.
- Demonstrated course work in the mechanics of materials, including stress‑strain behavior, elasticity, and plasticity of materials. (Attach transcript in SOQ.)
- Demonstrated course work in advanced soil mechanics, including laboratory test, effective stress, stress path, and consolidation. (Attach transcript in SOQ.)
- Demonstrated course work in geotechnical engineering, including retaining wall design, slope stability analysis, deep foundation design. (Attach transcript in SOQ.)
- Demonstrated experience in geotechnical engineering, including geotechnical investigation, laboratory test, retaining wall design, and preparing geotechnical report.
Possession of Minimum Qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment. Unofficial, original, or official sealed transcripts will be accepted and may be required upon appointment. Applicants with foreign transcripts/degrees must provide a transcript/degree U.S. equivalency report evaluation. For evaluation agencies see https://www.naces.org/members or https://aice-eval.org.
Desirable Qualifications
Knowledge of soil mechanics principles; soil and rock classification; laboratory and in‑situ soil and rock test principles, and methods; geotechnical investigation. Experience of geotechnical engineering, including deep and shallow foundations, earth retaining systems, slope stability, ground movement and settlement, geosynthetics, ground modification, and tunneling. Experience of performing geotechnical analysis and design in an effective and efficient manner; diagnose potential geotechnical problems and evaluate their probable effects on design options and constructability, and provide viable geotechnical recommendations.
Knowledge of earthwork and geotechnical construction methods, specifications, and quality assurance and quality control practices.
Advanced course work on geotechnical engineering and soil mechanics.
Knowledge of Caltrans project development process, design and construction standards, and maintenance practices.
The ability to acquire additional and new knowledge of geotechnical engineering through additional course work or self‑study; produce concise, organized, logical, and effective reports and presentations; communicate effectively, both in written and oral form; and work in teams and interact with individuals and groups from the Department, governmental agencies, and private consulting firms.
Benefits
Click HERE to view the Benefits Summary for Civil Service Employees in the State of California.
