Geotechnical Engineer
What the work is
Plans, directs and conducts survey work to analyse the mechanics of soil and rock, and its applications to engineering problems to support the safe and efficient design and construction of infrastructure projects.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Assesses construction plans to determine its feasibility based on the understanding of the construction site gathered from geological maps, aerial photographs, project data, collected historical information and other sources
- Collects and tests soil and rock samples to determine their properties and assist in the assessment of geotechnical parameters used in design
- Assesses the impact of soil and rock mechanical properties on the stability of existing structures
- Performs geotechnical calculations and modelling to evaluate the characteristics of the site under study, and use the results from their analysis to design foundations and other geotechnical structures
- Investigates, identifies and analyses geological risks and hazards related to the site, such as landslides, liquefaction or soil erosion
- Develops strategies to minimise risks and recommend appropriate safety measures, such as drainage systems, soil improvement techniques and slope stabilisation methods, to incorporate in the project design
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in a civil engineering consultancy designing roads, bridges, drains and flood works for towns. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A road or drain you designed opens and people just use it without noticing the thinking behind it
- A heavy rain arrives and the stormwater system you designed does its job
- You solve a tricky site problem with a design that saves months and a lot of digging
Hard days
- Soil on site turns out to be nothing like the report and the design has to change
- A community meeting about a project that will disrupt people's streets
- A client wants the cheapest option and you know it will cost more in the end
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 243232, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.