Location
Oakland, CA
Description
At Slate, we believe in one guiding principle: Do Good Work.
As a Staff Engineer, you'll join a team of engineers, geologists, and earthquake scientists focused on solving challenging geotechnical and earthquake engineering problems throughout California. Our projects span the fields of critical infrastructure, energy, transportation, commercial development, and public works, providing opportunities to work on a wide variety of technically demanding assignments early in your career.
This position is ideal for an engineer who enjoys being in the field, working on active construction sites, and gaining firsthand experience with the geologic and geotechnical conditions that drive engineering decisions. The majority of your time will be spent supporting field investigations, construction observation, and project execution across California, with office-based engineering analyses and reporting supporting those efforts.
Unlike many entry-level consulting positions, you'll be given meaningful responsibilities and exposure to all phases of a project. We believe the best engineers develop by seeing projects firsthand, understanding how data are collected, and learning how engineering recommendations are implemented in the field.
Primary Responsibilities
Field Assignments (Majority of Work)
- Support and oversee subsurface investigations including drilling, sampling, and in-situ testing programs
- Observe and document earthwork, grading, foundation construction, and other geotechnical construction activities
- Perform site inspections and condition assessments
- Install, monitor, and collect data from geotechnical instrumentation
- Coordinate with contractors, drillers, laboratories, and project teams
- Travel throughout Northern California to support active projects, including occasional overnight travel
- Support field activities associated with Part 12 Dam Safety Program investigations and evaluations, as applicable
- Field assignments may be local or may require travel outside of the San Francisco Bay Area, including occasional overnight travel. This position is field-oriented and is expected to include time in the field; field assignments may occur intermittently throughout the year or in concentrated periods depending on project demands and construction schedules
Office Assignments
- Analyze field and laboratory data
- Perform engineering calculations and evaluations
- Support geotechnical and seismic hazard analyses
- Prepare technical reports, figures, and engineering recommendations
- Assist with project planning, logistics, and proposal preparation
Technical Exposure
Depending on project needs, Staff Engineers may gain experience with:
- Geotechnical site investigations
- Slope stability evaluations
- Liquefaction hazard assessments
- Seismic hazard analyses (PSHA and DSHA) and time history development
- Seismic site response analyses
- Settlement evaluations
- Shallow and deep foundation design support
- Lateral earth pressure analyses
- Groundwater and seepage evaluations
- Construction observation and quality assurance activities