Senior Geotechnical Engineer

Shape your career at Alcoa and become an essential part of our purpose: to turn raw potential into real progress. As a Senior Geotechnical Engineer in the Transformation group, you will provide strategic technical leadership for impoundment operations, maintenance, and closure while ensuring adherence to the Global Industry Standard for Tailings Management (GISTM) and Alcoa’s Impoundment Management System (IMS).

About the role

You will deliver geotechnical expertise to Transformation sites for impoundment operations, closure planning, and program oversight. This role also serves as the Geotechnical Engineering Lead for the Integrated Closure Committee, driving enhancements in global site closure planning and Asset Retirement Obligation cost estimating.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic technical input into the development of global policies, standards, and guidelines to ensure cost-effective closure solutions that meet regulatory and Alcoa requirements.
• Perform technical gap assessments of site closure plans and cost estimates, and support the development of gap closure plans.
• Lead geotechnical contributions to global closure planning and cost estimating initiatives.
• Review geotechnical studies, investigation reports, seepage analyses, closure designs, monitoring data, QA/QC protocols, and related technical documents.
• Provide technical guidance to sites on geotechnical investigations, stability analyses, closure works, maintenance, monitoring activities, and risk assessments.
• Interpret monitoring data and recommend modifications to optimize operations and maintenance programs.
• Support the oversight of GISTM and Alcoa IMS programs, including coordinating internal assurance reviews, external audits, and identifying opportunities for program efficiency and risk reduction.
• Update technical standards, guidelines, and procedures based on lessons learned, site data, and industry best practices.
• Conduct site visits to support closure plan development, optimize O&M programs, and provide technical support during construction projects.
• Perform risk assessments and readiness reviews for closure execution.
• Coordinate the collection of relevant site data to support internal reporting requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Geology, Civil Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline.
• Master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering, Geological Engineering, or a similar field is preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years’ progressive geotechnical engineering experience in an industrial, mining, process, manufacturing, or similar environment.
• Sound knowledge of internationally recognized tailings management standards and industry guidelines such as ICMM, ANCOLD, MAC/CDA, and GISTM.
• Demonstrated experience in geotechnical aspects of tailings dam closure planning, execution, and monitoring.
• Experience performing geotechnical investigations, slope stability analyses, consolidation modeling, and geotechnical risk assessments.
• Strong verbal and written communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills with the ability to challenge effectively and drive outcomes.
• Strong organizational and time management skills to manage multiple initiatives and aggressive implementation schedules.
• Commitment to safe work practices and risk awareness in field assessments, design reviews, and site visits.
• PE or PG license is preferred.
• Travel requirements up to 15%.