STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING LEAD – MODULAR AND LIGHT-GAUGE STEEL
Consultancy-to-in-house opportunity
ORCA Solutions Ltd.
Black Creek, Vancouver Island, BC
Compensation: $120,000–$145,000 per year, or an equivalent transitional consultancy arrangement
Engagement: Full-time permanent employment or an initial consultancy engagement transitioning to an in-house leadership role
Location: Black Creek, BC. Ideally a hybrid arrangement with periodic attendance at ORCA’s design office and manufacturing facility.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN ESTABLISHED BC STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
ORCA are looking for an experienced BC structural engineer—ideally an established sole practitioner or small-practice principal—who is interested in bringing their expertise into a growing modular-construction business.
This opportunity may particularly suit an engineer who already operates through an Engineers and Geoscientists BC-registered firm, holds appropriate professional liability insurance and has the qualifications and systems required to take professional responsibility for structural work in British Columbia.
Initially, the successful candidate may provide ORCA’s engineering services through their existing practice, with ORCA becoming their principal or full-time client.
The longer-term objective is for the engineer to transition into ORCA, lead the establishment of our in-house engineering function and act as ORCA’s Responsible Registrant as we obtain our own EGBC Permit to Practice.
The precise structure and timing of this transition would be agreed with the successful candidate.
ABOUT ORCA
ORCA design and manufactures high-quality, light-gauge steel modular homes from our facility in Black Creek on Vancouver Island.
ORCA have grown rapidly and are moving toward approximately 24 residential projects per year. Alongside our current modular product range, we are developing larger buildings using multiple connected modules, with future applications encompassing both single- and multi-storey construction.
Until now, ORCA has primarily engaged external structural consultants. Our project volume and product-development plans now justify bringing structural engineering much closer to our design, manufacturing and delivery teams.
This is an opportunity to move beyond conventional project-by-project consulting and build an integrated structural-engineering system for a growing modular manufacturer.
THE ROLE
As Structural Engineering Lead, you will take responsibility for the structural engineering of ORCA’s modular residential products and their application across different project locations in British Columbia.
You will initially deliver engineering through your existing registered practice or another mutually agreed arrangement. During this period, you will work closely with ORCA to establish the technical standards, quality-management systems and professional-practice procedures required to transition engineering in-house.
Once ORCA has secured its own EGBC Permit to Practice, the intention is for you to lead the in-house engineering function and, subject to mutual agreement, serve as ORCA’s Responsible Registrant.
This is both a senior technical role and an opportunity to shape a new engineering department.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Structural engineering:
- Take professional responsibility for structural engineering completed within your area of competency
- Complete structural analysis and design for light-gauge steel modular buildings
- Engineer floor, wall and roof assemblies, connections, openings, diaphragms, bracing and complete structural load paths
- Assess gravity, snow, wind and seismic loading for project locations throughout British Columbia
- Engineer modular buildings for permanent conditions as well as transportation, lifting, craning and installation
- Design and review module-to-module connections and interfaces between modular units and site foundations
- Prepare and seal calculations, drawings, details, specifications and professional assurance documentation
- Complete or coordinate required field reviews
- Respond to structural questions from building officials, consultants, contractors, production personnel and ORCA’s project teams
- Coordinate structural requirements with architectural, mechanical, electrical and manufacturing information
Product engineering and standardization:
- Develop a standardized structural system for ORCA’s modular product range
- Establish defined engineering parameters for different snow, wind and seismic regions of British Columbia
- Develop standard calculations, design tables, connection details and configurable structural solutions
- Reduce unnecessary project-by-project engineering through repeatable and professionally controlled systems
- Optimize light-gauge steel member sizes, spacing, assemblies and connections
- Improve material efficiency, manufacturability, production speed and installation quality
- Work directly with ORCA’s design and production teams to resolve recurring fabrication challenges
- Support the development of connected multi-module buildings
- Lead the structural development of future single- and multi-storey modular products
- Support prototype development, testing and new-product introduction
- Align structural documentation with ORCA’s CSA A277-certified manufacturing process
TRANSITIONING ENGINEERING IN-HOUSE
A central part of the role will be helping ORCA establish a compliant and effective internal professional-engineering function.
This is expected to include:
- Reviewing ORCA’s current engineering, design and document-control processes
- Developing an appropriate transition plan from external consultancy to in-house practice
- Supporting ORCA’s application for its own EGBC Permit to Practice
- Acting as ORCA’s Responsible Registrant once the appropriate systems and agreements are in place
- Helping develop ORCA’s Professional Practice Management Plan
- Establishing policies for competency, documented checks, independent review, field reviews, record retention and use of professional seals
- Establishing clear scopes of practice and escalation procedures for work requiring additional specialist expertise
- Supporting the appointment and development of future engineers, EITs, technologists and structural designers
- Working with ORCA’s leadership and insurance advisors to establish suitable professional liability coverage
- Preparing ORCA for EGBC compliance audits and ongoing Permit to Practice obligations
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
This opportunity is intended for a professionally established engineer capable of working with a high degree of independence.
The ideal candidate may already operate a sole-practitioner structural-engineering business but is interested in:
- Securing a substantial and dependable long-term workload
- Reducing the administrative and business-development demands of independent consulting
- Working more closely with one manufacturer and product platform
- Influencing design, manufacturing and construction outcomes directly
- Building standardized products instead of approaching every assignment as a one-off project
- Transitioning into a senior long-term role within a growing company
- Building and eventually leading an internal engineering team
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree in civil or structural engineering
- Current registration as a Professional Engineer in good standing with Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia
- Demonstrated competency to take professional responsibility for structural building design in BC
- Significant experience in residential, modular, prefabricated, cold-formed steel or related structural engineering
- Strong knowledge of the BC Building Code and applicable Canadian structural-design standards
- Experience preparing and sealing structural calculations, drawings and Letters of Assurance
- Experience completing or supervising structural field reviews
- Strong understanding of gravity and lateral load paths, connections, diaphragms and building movement
- Ability to communicate effectively with designers, fabricators, contractors, clients and authorities having jurisdiction
FOR THE INITIAL CONSULTANCY ROUTE, THE IDEAL CANDIDATE WILL ALSO HAVE
- An existing EGBC Permit to Practice for their current firm
- Appropriate primary professional liability insurance
- An established Professional Practice Management Plan
- Experience acting as a Responsible Registrant
- Systems for documented checks, record retention, seal management and quality control
- The capacity and interest to make ORCA their principal or full-time client
PREFERRED TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE
- Direct experience with cold-formed or light-gauge structural steel framing
- Detailed knowledge of CSA S136 and applicable cold-formed steel design requirements
- Experience with modular or off-site construction
- Experience engineering structures for transportation, lifting and craning
- Familiarity with CSA A277 factory certification
- Experience developing standardized or configurable product-engineering systems
- Familiarity with structural analysis, BIM and light-gauge steel detailing software
- Experience with connected modules, volumetric construction or multi-storey modular buildings
- Experience designing structural interfaces between manufactured buildings and site-specific foundations
WHY JOIN ORCA?
- A substantial and growing pipeline of modular engineering work
- The opportunity to transition from independent consultancy into a senior in-house leadership position
- Direct involvement in product design, manufacturing and construction
- The opportunity to create repeatable systems rather than deliver isolated consulting assignments
- Significant influence over ORCA’s products and future technical direction
- The opportunity to build and lead an engineering team
- A varied role combining structural design, product development, manufacturing and professional governance
- Flexible transition arrangements for the right candidate
- Competitive compensation reflecting the seniority and professional responsibility of the position
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit your résumé or professional profile together with a short introduction covering:
- Your current engineering practice and EGBC registration status
- Your experience with structural steel, cold-formed steel, modular or residential construction
- Whether your current firm holds an EGBC Permit to Practice
- Your experience acting as a Responsible Registrant
- Your current professional liability insurance arrangements
- Your interest in either an immediate employment arrangement or a staged consultancy-to-in-house transition
All discussions will be handled confidentially.
We recognize that an established sole practitioner may need to manage existing clients and commitments. ORCA is open to discussing a practical transition period with the right candidate.
Pay: $120,000.00-$145,000.00 per year
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Campbell River, BC V9H 1E3
