Principal / Senior Associate Geotechnical Engineer – New South Wales

Principal / Senior Associate Geotechnical Engineer – New South Wales

The Company

Kleinfelder Australia is an environmental consulting firm providing professional and technical services for geotechnical engineering, land contamination and remediation, environmental planning and approvals, ecology, land management and rehabilitation.

With almost 100 staff operating across Australia, we deliver our projects with local and international experience. We are part of the global Kleinfelder Group, an environmental, engineering and science-based consulting firm, allowing us to utilise the experience of over 3,000 employees.

The Opportunity

Kleinfelder continues to grow across Australia, and we are seeking a driven and experienced Principal or Senior Associate Geotechnical Engineer to play a key role in leading and expanding our New South Wales geotechnical service line.

Based in Sydney, we are looking for someone who will lead the small but growing NSW geotechnical team, lead geotechnical projects and proposals, provide technical geotechnical leadership, strengthen and grow client relationships and play a key role in supporting business development initiatives. You will work closely with our teams in Sydney, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide as part of a national, collaborative consultancy with strong growth ambitions.

This is an exciting leadership opportunity for a motivated, hands-on individual who thrives on writing and winning tenders, delivering technical excellence, developing client networks and mentoring the next generation of geotechnical professionals.

Your Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage geotechnical projects from investigation through to design and construction, ensuring high-quality delivery, coordination, budget management, and client satisfaction.
• Provide technical leadership for proposals, investigations, design, and reporting—including peer review of complex deliverables.
• Mentor, support and develop geotechnical staff, contributing to strong technical depth and leadership capability in NSW.
• Lead local geotechnical business development in collaboration with Kleinfelder market leads, actively building and strengthening client relationships and contributing to pipeline growth.
• Coordinate delivery with and support the wider geotechnical team nationally, when necessary.

About You

We are looking for a proactive and commercially minded geotechnical professional with strong technical capability and a passion for client engagement. You enjoy winning work, building long-term relationships, and delivering projects that meet the highest technical standards. You inspire confidence, lead by example, and have a strong commitment to safety, quality, and collaborative working.

What We’re Looking For

• A strong desire to grow, develop, and sustain a geotechnical team in NSW.
• Bachelor’s degree in Geotechnical, Civil, or related Engineering (postgraduate qualifications will be highly regarded).
• Significant experience (typically 12+ years) in geotechnical consulting with strong technical and project management capability.
• Proven success in supporting business development initiatives with market leads, client relationship building, and securing work through tenders and proposals.
• People leadership experience, including mentoring and developing technical staff.
• Significant experience in pricing, planning and managing geotechnical investigations and associated reporting.
• Strong technical expertise in geotechnical design relating to slopes, retaining walls, soil nails, foundations, etc. Experience in Solar Farm/BESS/Wind Farm would be highly regarded.
• Experience with integrated geotechnical and contaminated land investigations is advantageous.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including report writing and peer review.
• Chartered professional engineer (CPEng) or equivalent.

 If you are an experienced Associate-level engineer ready to step up, or a strong Principal-level engineer looking for greater influence and autonomy, we encourage you to apply. If you are close to the criteria and feel you can add value, we’d still love to hear from you

What Kleinfelder can offer

We offer a range of benefits to support your development and well-being:

• Competitive salary and extra leave options (e.g. purchased leave, paid parental leave, public holiday swap).
• Flexible work arrangements, including hybrid working.
• Access to health and wellness programs.
• Career development support and study assistance.
• Recognition and reward programs.

Kleinfelder is an equal opportunity employer where we value and celebrate diversity and inclusion. We encourage individuals from all backgrounds including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be part of our organisation and apply.

If this opportunity sounds like something you have been looking for, we encourage you to submit your application including your CV and Cover Letter together, outlining your suitability for the role.

Please complete your application by 19 December 2025. We will be reviewing applications as they are received, and the role may be filled prior to the closing date.

If require any further information regarding this role, please email our friendly HR team: HR_SupportAU@kleinfelder.com.

To be eligible for this position you must have unrestricted legal work rights to work in Australia.

Kleinfelder will be managing this recruitment process and applications from third party recruiters will not be accepted.