In Office Location: Charlotte, North Carolina

Reports To: Geotechnical Department Manager or Charlotte Branch Manager

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Overview of Bunnell-Lammons Engineering, Inc.

Bunnell-Lammons Engineering (BLE) is an employee-owned engineering consulting firm committed to technical excellence, ethical leadership, and outstanding client service. Our C.R.E.S.T. values -Clients, Respect, Excellence, Safety, and Trust - guide how we work together and serve our clients. As BLE expands its geographic footprint and technical capabilities, we are seeking leaders who want to build strong teams, grow professionally, and help shape the future of our firm.

Position Overview

The Project Manager is responsible for managing the delivery of geotechnical engineering projects within the Charlotte metropolitan area, from subsurface exploration through analysis, reporting, and construction support. This role coordinates clients, contractors, field technicians, laboratory personnel, and technical reviewers to ensure projects are properly scoped, staffed, scheduled, executed, documented, and billed.

The Project Manager serves as the primary day-to-day contact for assigned clients and supports the Department Manager or Branch Manager in maintaining responsive field coverage, technical quality, operational consistency, and profitable project performance. This role offers an experienced geotechnical professional the opportunity to lead meaningful projects, develop trusted client relationships, contribute to the growth of BLE’s Charlotte operations, and advance within an employee-owned firm.

Success in this role requires balancing client responsiveness, project financial performance, technical quality, staff coordination, and timely delivery across multiple active geotechnical engineering projects.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering required; master’s degree with a geotechnical emphasis preferred.

• Current Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification with the ability and commitment to obtain Professional Engineer (PE) licensure, or current PE licensure. PE applicants must hold a North Carolina license or be able to obtain one through comity.

• Typically 5+ years of progressive experience in geotechnical or geostructural engineering consulting.

• At least 2 years of direct project-management experience in an engineering consulting or construction environment.

• Demonstrated experience managing multiple geotechnical engineering projects, including project scopes, budgets, schedules, project-team coordination, documentation, and client communication.

• Experience coordinating subsurface exploration programs, drilling, sampling, laboratory testing, field personnel, subcontractors, and engineering staff.

• Strong working knowledge of subsurface exploration, geotechnical analysis, design recommendations, construction support, and geotechnical risk management.

• Experience monitoring project financial performance, including budgets, profitability, billing, and scope changes.

• Proficiency with project-management and reporting tools such as Excel; familiarity with relevant geotechnical analysis software.

• Demonstrated ability to develop trusted client relationships, provide responsive service, resolve project issues, and contribute technical expertise to proposals and project pursuits.

• Existing relationships within the Charlotte metropolitan area or surrounding markets are beneficial but not required.

• Participation in BLE’s Senior Professional Program will be required to qualify as a final reviewer, execute contracts, or manage technical risk on behalf of the firm.

• Excellent communication, organizational, leadership, and decision-making skills.

Primary Responsibilities

Project Management & Technical Delivery

• Manage assigned geotechnical projects from scoping through subsurface exploration, analysis, reporting, and construction support, with responsibility for schedules, budgets, staffing, and client communication.

• Plan and coordinate exploration programs, including drilling, sampling, field personnel, laboratory testing, subcontractors, and schedules.

• Direct and support project engineers and field staff in evaluating subsurface conditions, developing geotechnical analyses and design recommendations, and addressing issues that arise during design and construction.

• Review proposals, exploration data, analyses, reports, and other technical deliverables for quality and consistency with the project scope; serve as final reviewer where authorized.

• Coordinate with technical reviewers and other BLE resources to resolve geotechnical challenges and deliver timely, practical recommendations to clients and project teams.

Client & Financial Management

• Serve as the primary day-to-day point of contact for clients, contractors, and design professionals on assigned projects.

• Prepare and manage project scopes, fees, budgets, schedules, staffing plans, and contract requirements.

• Monitor project financial performance, including budget, profitability, billing, work in progress, and accounts receivable; identify concerns and implement corrective actions when needed.

• Recognize changes in scope, communicate potential impacts, and prepare additional-service requests or change-order documentation when appropriate.

• Develop trusted client relationships through responsive communication, reliable delivery, technical credibility, and proactive problem-solving.

• Identify project opportunities with existing and prospective clients; partner with the Department Manager, Branch Manager, and business development team on proposals, interviews, and pursuits; and introduce complementary BLE services where appropriate.

Team Coordination & Operational Support

• Provide clear day-to-day direction and technical support to project engineers, field staff, and laboratory personnel.

• Communicate project requirements, exploration plans, schedules, documentation expectations, and client priorities to assigned personnel.

• Mentor junior staff supporting geotechnical projects while supporting employee training, certification, cross-training, and professional-development efforts.

• Conduct site visits and attend project meetings as needed to support staff, monitor performance, address field conditions, and maintain strong client relationships.

• Support the Department Manager and/or Branch Manager with workload planning, personnel scheduling, resource allocation, operational workflows, and QA/QC.

• Promote field and laboratory safety, professionalism, accountability, and consistent compliance with BLE policies and project requirements.

What Success Looks Like

First 90 Days | Establish

• Learn BLE’s standards, systems, technical resources, and Charlotte strategy while establishing strong working relationships across the firm.

• Become familiar with assigned clients and projects, field, drilling, and laboratory resources, geotechnical reporting requirements, and project-management procedures; begin assuming responsibility for active projects.

First 6 Months | Build

• Independently manage assigned geotechnical engineering projects with well-planned subsurface explorations, coordinated analysis and technical review, timely reporting, responsive construction support, and consistent client communication.

• Demonstrate effective management of project scopes, schedules, budgets, billing, staffing, and technical risks while supporting proposals and awarded-work handoffs.

First 12 Months | Deliver

• Maintain a dependable portfolio of well-managed projects that meet client expectations, technical requirements, schedules, and financial objectives.

• Develop trusted client relationships, identify opportunities for repeat work, mentor junior geotechnical staff, and, if not already licensed, demonstrate meaningful progress toward Professional Engineer licensure.

Long-Term | Grow

• Become a trusted project and technical leader who consistently delivers profitable work, develops client relationships, and supports the continued growth of BLE’s geotechnical engineering practice.

• Develop increasingly complex project-management and technical responsibilities while contributing to staff development, operational improvement, and broader BLE collaboration.

Work Environment

This position primarily operates in a professional office environment and requires regular in-person work. Occasional travel to client sites, project locations, company offices, industry events, and business development activities is also expected.

Why Join Us?

Join BLE to manage meaningful geotechnical engineering projects while helping grow a geotechnical practice in one of the Southeast’s fastest-growing regions. This role combines hands-on project responsibility with the technical resources and support of an established, multidisciplinary, employee-owned firm and offers meaningful opportunities for professional growth, technical advancement, leadership, and potential ownership.

Benefits

• Medical, vision, dental, life, and short- and long-term disability insurance

• 401(K) with partial company matching.

• Paid vacation, sick leave, and eight holidays

• Vehicle allowance (conditions apply)

• Educational reimbursement programs (conditions apply)