INTERMEDIATE/SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER - GEOTECHNICAL DAM SAFETY ENGINEER
Hours: Office Hours (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Mon.-Fri.); Field Hours – Varies
Full or Part Time: Full Time
Location: Office – Calgary, AB; Field – Varies
Wages: Salary will be commensurate with experience
Seeking the next valued team member!
Journey Engineering is looking for a Geotechnical Dam Safety Review Engineer to support our growing dam safety, geotechnical, and water infrastructure practice.
This role is intended for a geotechnical engineer with experience in dam safety, embankment performance, geotechnical design, field investigations, construction monitoring, geotechnical instrumentation, and practical problem-solving. The successful candidate will support Dam Safety Reviews, Dam Safety Inspections, annual performance reviews, geotechnical evaluations, risk assessments, remediation designs, and construction support for dams, reservoirs, dykes, containment ponds, spillways, retaining structures, foundations, and related water-retaining infrastructure.
At Journey, we focus on practical engineering that works in the field. We value sound technical judgement, clear communication, safety, teamwork, mentorship, and solutions that are constructible, maintainable, and aligned with owner needs.
Key Responsibilities
As a Geotechnical Dam Safety Review Engineer, you will have the opportunity to:
- Support the assessment, analysis, design, remediation, and construction of dams, reservoirs, dykes, spillways, containment ponds, retaining structures, foundations, and related water-retaining infrastructure.
- Manage small and medium multidisciplinary projects, including scope, budget, schedule, deliverables, quality control, client communication, and coordination with internal teams, subconsultants, contractors, and regulators.
- Conduct Dam Safety Reviews, Dam Safety Inspections, Annual Performance Reviews, surveillance reviews, condition assessments, and geotechnical evaluations in accordance with Canadian Dam Association guidance and applicable provincial dam safety requirements.
- Plan, supervise, and interpret geotechnical investigations, field testing, laboratory testing, monitoring programs, construction QA/QC activities, and field reviews, including the review and interpretation of geotechnical instrumentation such as piezometers, water level monitoring data, inclinometers, settlement monuments, seepage measurements, and survey monitoring records.
- Complete or review geotechnical assessments related to dam performance, seepage, slope stability, settlement, deformation, seismic performance, erosion, piping, internal erosion, foundations, and embankment behaviour.
- Participate in risk assessments, Potential Failure Mode Analyses, consequence classification, emergency preparedness planning, and risk-informed dam safety management.
- Prepare and review proposals, technical reports, design memoranda, regulatory submissions, tender documents, construction documentation, monitoring summaries, and client presentations.
- Mentor junior and intermediate staff, support business development activities, participate in proposals and industry events, and complete work in accordance with Journey’s quality, professional practice, and health and safety requirements.
Education/Experience Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, geological engineering, geotechnical engineering, or a related discipline. A master’s degree in geotechnical engineering, dam engineering, or a related discipline will be considered an asset.
- Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation in Alberta and/or British Columbia, or eligibility for registration with APEGA and/or EGBC.
- Must be legally entitled to work in Canada.
- Approximately 8 -15 years of relevant experience in geotechnical engineering, dam safety, dam engineering, embankment dam assessment, dam rehabilitation, dam construction, or related water-retaining infrastructure.
- Experience supporting Dam Safety Reviews, Dam Safety Inspections, Annual Performance Reviews, dam safety evaluations, geotechnical engineering assessments, and risk-informed dam safety management.
- Working knowledge of Canadian Dam Association guidance, BC Dam Safety Regulation, Alberta dam safety requirements, and applicable dam safety or geotechnical engineering standards.
- Experience with earthfill dams, rockfill dams, embankment dams, reservoirs, containment ponds, dykes, spillways, outlet works, foundations, retaining structures, and related water-retaining infrastructure.
- Technical experience with seepage, slope stability, settlement, seismic assessment, internal erosion, piping, filters, foundations, embankment performance, consequence classification, emergency preparedness planning, and interpretation of geotechnical instrumentation, including piezometers and water level monitoring data.
- Experience with GeoStudio, SLOPE/W, SEEP/W, AutoCAD, Microsoft Office, and related engineering software.
- Strong technical writing, proposal writing, client communication, time management, and teamwork skills, with a valid Class 5 driver’s license and ability to travel for inspections, field investigations, construction support, audits, and client meetings.
Additional Experience Considered an Asset
- Water resources, hydrotechnical, hydrologic, or hydraulic analysis experience.
- Experience with inflow design flood, spillway capacity, freeboard, flood routing, erosion protection, reservoir operations, dam breach analysis, or inundation mapping.
- Experience with the design, operation, and inspection of mining tailings dams.
- Experience with surface water grading, stormwater design, and wastewater treatment.
- Experience analyzing monitoring and instrumentation data, including piezometers, water levels, inclinometers, settlement monuments, seepage measurements, and visual surveillance observations.
- Experience with mining dams, tailings dams, industrial ponds, or water supply reservoirs.
- Experience with Rocscience, Leapfrog, LPile, Civil 3D, ArcGIS, or similar software.
- Experience mentoring staff, developing technical standards, supporting proposals, contributing to business development, or helping grow a technical practice.
The right person for this role will be a geotechnical engineer who enjoys field-based engineering, growing a team, technical assessment, and practical problem solving. They will be able to connect geotechnical analysis with dam safety risks, communicate findings clearly, and support owners in developing practical remedial actions. They will value safety, integrity, accountability, teamwork, mentorship, technical excellence, and practical engineering solutions.
We sincerely appreciate all applications, but only potential candidates will be contacted.
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Dental care
- Life insurance
- On-site gym
- Paid time off
- Profit sharing
- Vision care
Education:
- Bachelor's Degree (required)
Experience:
- civil/geotechnical engineering: 8 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- Class 5 AB driver's license (or equivalent) & clean abstract (required)
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: In person
