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Geotechnical Engineering Practice Leader

HNTB · Milwaukee, WI · Full time

Posted Jul 13, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

How would you grow the geotechnical department in Milwaukee over the next few years?

What they are checking: Whether they have a real plan for hiring, winning work and building capability.

How do you mentor a young geotechnical engineer to become a confident designer?

What they are checking: Whether they invest in developing staff, which is central to this role.

Tell me about a time a project ran over budget on geotechnical work. What did you do?

What they are checking: Whether they manage scope and budget, not just technical quality.

What would you do

Two projects need your best geotechnical engineer the same week. How do you decide?

What they are checking: Whether they can balance staffing across projects based on risk and client needs.

What role would you play in marketing and winning new work?

What they are checking: Whether they see business development as part of a practice leader's job.

How do you recruit good geotechnical engineers in a tight market?

What they are checking: Whether they have practical ideas for attracting talent to grow the team.

A project team wants to cut the boring program to save money. How do you respond?

What they are checking: Whether they can explain risk clearly and stand firm when cutting corners is unsafe.

About the work

HNTB is a top design partner with WisDOT. What experience do you have with WisDOT geotechnical standards and processes?

What they are checking: Whether they know the client's requirements well enough to lead work for them right away.

Tell me about a complex geotechnical problem you solved, like poor soils under a bridge foundation.

What they are checking: Whether they have deep technical judgment the team can rely on for unusual problems.

How do you decide on foundation types for a bridge when the boring data is limited?

What they are checking: Whether they can make sound calls with uncertainty and know when to get more data.

How do you do an independent technical review of someone else's geotechnical report?

What they are checking: Whether they have a disciplined review approach that catches risk before it reaches construction.

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The full job description

As published by HNTB.

What We're Looking For As a key member of our growing Wisconsin team, you will have the opportunity to work on challenging projects and collaborate with top experts in the state. With over 80 years of experience in Wisconsin and a reputation as a top design partner with WisDOT, we offer unparalleled career growth and technical development opportunities. This opportunity entails being for responsible leading a geotechnical engineering department in the design, development and delivery of project tasks while managing scope, budget, quality control and client satisfaction. This position coordinates project priorities, staffing schedules, and staff assignments to ensure clients and projects are provided the proper resources at the appropriate time. Responsible for technical coaching and mentoring and efficient, productive utilization of staff in providing high-quality service. A successful candidate will also help grow the geotechnical department by recruiting, hiring and training geotechnical engineers for our team. What You'll Do: • Performs independent technical reviews, makes recommendations, and provides technical guidance as requested on complex or unusual engineering projects. Provides direction to resolve technical issues as requested. • Provides technical expertise and advice to project leadership, and mentoring/support to production staff. • Assists in marketing responsibilities, including proposal generation on complex or unusual projects within discipline. • Coordinates technical aspects with client counterpart and teaming partners at local leadership level for work within and across disciplines on complex or unusual projects. • Develops and advises on technical consistency within and across disciplines on processes and projects. Ensures same standard and practices are being applied. • Recruits, hires, develops and retains staff of discipline-specific team, including development of plan for staff reporting, performance and compensation reviews, and succession. Coordinates schedules and approves timecards. Collaborates with Sections and Departments within the office on work-sharing needs and opportunities. • Performs other duties as assigned. What You'll Need: • Bachelor’s degree in relevant field and 12 years of relevant experience, or • Master’s degree in relevant field and 11 years of relevant experience, or • PhD in relevant field and 10 years of relevant experience What We Prefer: • Master’s degree in Engineering degree specializing in geotechnical engineering • 15 years relevant experience • 5 years supervisory experience • Professional Engineer (PE) certification Additional Information Click here for benefits information: HNTB Total Rewards Click here to learn more about Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. #RN . Locations: Green Bay, WI, Madison, WI, Milwaukee, WI (East Wisconsin Avenue) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NOTICE TO THIRD-PARTY AGENCIES: HNTB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or agencies. Any staffing/employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of HNTB. HNTB will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting staffing/employment agency, person or entity. Staffing/employment agencies who have fee agreements with HNTB must submit applicants to the designated HNTB recruiter to be eligible for placement fees.

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