Civil / Geotechnical Design Engineer
DirtSavers, LLC · Aledo, TX · In-person to start, then remote · Full-time
About DirtSavers
DirtSavers, LLC is a specialized engineering firm focused on retaining wall design, global stability analysis, hardscape engineering, and earthwork consulting. Our clients include contractors, developers, architects, and engineering firms throughout Texas. We do focused, high-quality work without the overhead of a big firm — you'll work directly with the owner, see projects end to end, and own your designs.
The role
We're hiring our first dedicated design engineer to take retaining wall, hardscape, and earthwork projects from grading plan to design package. Most of the work is repeatable and well-defined: you'll size stone gravity and segmental retaining walls, review grading plans and geotechnical reports to flag where global (slope) stability needs a closer look, run those checks when warranted, and produce clean design packages. You'll also handle screen-wall and hardscape design — including foundations, piers, and reinforced concrete — and support contractors during construction. We value an engineer who understands grading, soils, and how retaining walls behave more than advanced structural specialization.
To start, you and the owner will work in person for roughly the first 6–12 months so you can pick up our methods and standards quickly, then transition to remote. The exact office arrangement is flexible and we'll sort it out together.
What you'll do
- Design stone gravity retaining walls, segmental retaining walls, screen walls, and hardscape structures.
- Perform local stability analyses — sliding, overturning, bearing, and eccentricity — using Coulomb earth pressure.
- Review grading plans and determine when global (slope) stability analysis is required.
- Perform slope stability analyses using Slide, GSTABL, or similar software, and document the results.
- Review geotechnical reports and develop design recommendations.
- Assist with earthwork modeling and quantity/cut-fill reviews using AGTEK.
- Design foundations, piers, and reinforced concrete elements for site structures, including wind loading per ASCE 7.
- Respond to contractor questions and support construction activities.
- Produce organized, checkable calculation packages and manage your own project workload and deadlines independently once trained.
What you need (required)
- Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering (geotechnical or land-development emphasis a plus).
- 4–10 years of relevant design experience (we're targeting the 5–10 year range).
- Strong understanding of soil mechanics and earth pressures (active and passive).
- Working knowledge of retaining wall stability design and global / slope stability — able to recognize when it matters and run a check.
- Experience reading grading plans and geotechnical reports.
- Comfort designing foundations, piers, and reinforced concrete elements (ACI 318).
- Ability to manage multiple projects independently and communicate with contractors.
Nice to have (preferred)
- EIT / FE passed, or a PE license (Texas, or able to obtain by comity).
- Background as a Geotechnical, Land Development, or Civil Site Design Engineer — or a Structural Engineer with strong foundation and soil experience.
- Hands-on experience with the tools we use: AGTEK, Slide, GSTABL, Civil 3D, and/or Enercalc.
- Experience with segmental / gravity retaining wall systems and hardscape products.
- Site-development experience and structural concrete design.
- Located in the Dallas–Fort Worth / North Texas area (for the initial in-person period).
Pay: $90,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Aledo, TX 76008
