WSP — one of the world’s leading professional services firms and global engineering consultancies — is seeking a skilled Geological / Geotechnical Engineer to join their Abu Dhabi team, supporting the delivery of major transportation, road, utilities, and infrastructure projects across the UAE. This is a full-time consulting engineering role requiring 5–10 years of geotechnical engineering experience, proficiency in PLAXIS, GeoStudio, gINT, or WALLAP, and strong knowledge of foundation engineering, soil mechanics, retaining structures, slope stability, and ground improvement in the context of large-scale UAE infrastructure. A genuine opportunity to work on landmark projects — and do the best work of your career.
About WSP — Delivering a Better Future Through Engineering
Global Reach: One of the world’s leading engineering and professional services consulting firms
Mission: Work on landmark projects around the world and create a legacy that matters
Abu Dhabi Team: Delivering major transportation, roads, utilities, and infrastructure projects across the UAE
Culture: Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all — impact in communities you care about
Collaboration: Multidisciplinary engineering teams — Civil, Structural, Roads, Utilities, Drainage
Required Geotechnical Software & Standards
PLAXIS: Finite element analysis for geotechnical design — deep excavations, embankments, retaining structures
GeoStudio: Slope stability, seepage, and stress analysis for embankments and earthworks
gINT: Geotechnical data management and borehole log preparation and reporting
WALLAP: Retaining wall and embedded wall analysis for excavation support design
Standards: Eurocodes · AASHTO · British Standards · UAE and Abu Dhabi local authority standards
Position Overview
The Geological / Geotechnical Engineer at WSP Abu Dhabi is a senior consultant-side engineering role responsible for delivering the full scope of geotechnical investigation, analysis, design, and technical reporting across WSP’s major UAE infrastructure portfolio. You will perform geotechnical analyses for shallow and deep foundations, retaining structures, excavations, embankments, and slope stability — developing design recommendations and technical reports that guide the safe and cost-effective delivery of transportation, highway, utility, and infrastructure projects throughout Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE.
This role requires both the technical depth to analyse complex ground conditions and produce rigorous geotechnical designs, and the collaborative ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams — coordinating with Civil, Structural, Roads, Utilities, and Drainage specialists to deliver fully integrated design solutions. Knowledge of Abu Dhabi and UAE ground conditions is highly desirable, and previous experience with leading engineering consultancies on major GCC infrastructure projects is strongly preferred. If you want to do the best geotechnical engineering work of your career, WSP’s Abu Dhabi team is where that happens.
Why This Role Matters: Every road, bridge, building, and utility network in Abu Dhabi stands on ground that a geotechnical engineer assessed, designed for, and specified appropriate foundations to suit. In the UAE’s unique ground conditions — with the challenges of sabkha deposits, loose sandy soils, gypsiferous ground, and corrosive groundwater that characterise much of the region’s geology — the geotechnical engineer’s recommendations directly determine whether infrastructure assets remain safe, serviceable, and long-lasting or become expensive maintenance liabilities. At WSP Abu Dhabi, your geological engineering expertise is not supporting infrastructure — it is the foundation on which infrastructure is built.
Key Responsibilities
Geotechnical Investigations & Ground Data Interpretation
- Perform geotechnical investigations and assessments for roads, highways, transportation, utilities, and infrastructure projects — planning and managing ground investigation programmes, reviewing borehole logs, laboratory test results, and field investigation data to develop a sound understanding of site ground conditions
- Interpret ground investigation data and develop geotechnical design recommendations — applying soil mechanics knowledge and UAE ground condition experience to translate investigation findings into practical, project-appropriate geotechnical design parameters and design approaches
- Review borehole logs, laboratory test results, and field investigation data — assessing data quality, identifying anomalies, and extracting the relevant geotechnical parameters that underpin foundation design, earthworks specifications, and ground improvement recommendations
Geotechnical Analysis & Design
- Carry out geotechnical analyses for shallow and deep foundations — designing appropriate foundation systems for road structures, bridges, culverts, utility chambers, and buildings based on ground conditions, loading requirements, and project-specific performance criteria
- Perform analysis and design of retaining structures and excavations — using PLAXIS, WALLAP, and equivalent software to analyse embedded and gravity retaining walls, sheet pile walls, and propped excavation systems for utilities, roads, and underground infrastructure
- Conduct embankment and slope stability analyses — using GeoStudio and equivalent tools to assess the stability of proposed and existing embankments, cuttings, and natural slopes, and develop appropriate design solutions or remediation recommendations
- Assist with value engineering exercises and development of practical geotechnical solutions — contributing engineering judgement and cost awareness to the identification of efficient, buildable alternatives that reduce cost or programme risk without compromising safety or performance
Technical Reporting & Documentation
- Prepare geotechnical design reports, factual investigation reports, specifications, and technical submissions — producing clear, well-structured, technically rigorous documents that accurately communicate design recommendations, analysis results, and ground conditions to project teams, clients, and approval authorities
- Prepare technical calculations, design documentation, and engineering reports — maintaining the calculation records and supporting documentation that demonstrate the basis of geotechnical design decisions and satisfy project quality management and client contractual requirements
- Ensure compliance with project requirements, international standards (Eurocodes, AASHTO, British Standards), and local UAE and Abu Dhabi authority regulations — confirming that all geotechnical design outputs meet the applicable technical standards and authority submission requirements
Multidisciplinary Coordination & Client Engagement
- Support multidisciplinary project teams with geotechnical input throughout planning and design stages — providing timely, accurate, and well-communicated geotechnical advice and design information to Civil, Structural, Roads, Utilities, and Drainage colleagues working on integrated project designs
- Coordinate with Civil, Structural, Roads, Utilities, and Drainage teams to deliver fully integrated design solutions — managing the interfaces between geotechnical recommendations and other discipline designs to ensure that foundation systems, earthworks, and retaining structures are properly coordinated with all other project elements
- Participate in technical meetings with clients, stakeholders, and project teams — representing WSP’s geotechnical expertise professionally, presenting design recommendations clearly, responding to technical queries, and contributing to collaborative problem-solving on complex ground-related project challenges
- Provide construction-phase support and respond to geotechnical queries as required — assisting construction teams with interpretation of geotechnical design intent, reviewing contractor submittals, and assessing ground conditions encountered during excavation and foundation construction
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering with specialisation in Geotechnical Engineering — mandatory; candidates must have a recognised civil engineering degree as the minimum qualification for this role
- Master’s Degree in Geotechnical Engineering is strongly preferred — demonstrating advanced academic preparation for the level of analytical and design complexity that WSP’s major UAE infrastructure projects require from their geotechnical team members
Experience Requirements
- 5–10 years of relevant geotechnical engineering experience — with a strong consulting engineering background and direct experience on large-scale transportation, roads, highways, utilities, and infrastructure projects; this is a consultant-side role and contractor-side experience alone is insufficient
- Previous experience with leading engineering consultancies is strongly preferred — with the project delivery discipline, technical reporting standards, and client communication skills that major international consultancy environments develop
- Experience within the UAE or GCC region on major infrastructure projects is preferred — and specific knowledge of Abu Dhabi and UAE ground conditions, including sabkha, loose sands, gypsum deposits, and corrosive groundwater environments, is highly desirable
- Proficiency in geotechnical software including PLAXIS, GeoStudio, gINT, WALLAP, or equivalent — with demonstrated capability to apply these tools to real project design problems and produce results that can be reviewed, checked, and defended technically
Technical Knowledge
- Strong knowledge of foundation engineering, soil mechanics, earthworks, retaining structures, and ground improvement techniques — with the engineering depth to make technically sound and commercially practical geotechnical recommendations on complex projects
- Familiarity with Eurocodes, AASHTO, British Standards, and relevant UAE and Abu Dhabi standards — able to apply the appropriate design code framework correctly and consistently across different project types and client requirements
- Excellent technical report writing and communication skills — able to produce clear, accurate, and well-structured geotechnical reports and communicate design recommendations effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences
Why Geological Engineer Roles at WSP Abu Dhabi Are Exceptional in 2026
WSP is consistently ranked among the world’s leading professional services and engineering consultancies — and its Abu Dhabi team is actively delivering some of the UAE’s most significant transportation, highway, utilities, and infrastructure projects. For a geotechnical engineer who wants to work on landmark projects, apply advanced numerical modelling, and contribute to multi-billion-dollar infrastructure programmes that shape Abu Dhabi’s built environment for decades to come, there are very few organisations in the region that match what WSP offers professionally.
The UAE’s infrastructure development agenda — including ongoing road network expansion, utility upgrades, transit system development, and Abu Dhabi’s ambitious urban growth plans — creates a sustained demand for geotechnical engineering expertise at the highest level. At WSP, you will work alongside some of the region’s most experienced geotechnical and civil engineering professionals, within a global firm that genuinely invests in its people and their careers. Apply today and start working on the best geotechnical engineering projects of your career.
Who Should Apply?
- Consultant-Side Geotechnical Engineers with 5–10 Years Experience: With a strong consulting background on major transportation, roads, highways, and infrastructure projects — specifically on the client or consultant side rather than contractor or construction management roles
- UAE/GCC Geotechnical Specialists: With direct experience of Abu Dhabi and UAE ground conditions — familiar with the geotechnical challenges of sabkha, loose sands, gypsiferous ground, and corrosive groundwater that characterise the region’s unique geological environment
- PLAXIS and GeoStudio Proficient Engineers: With hands-on software capability across the key geotechnical analysis platforms — able to set up, run, and critically review numerical models for foundation design, slope stability, and retaining structure analysis on real projects
- MSc Geotechnical Engineers from Major Consultancies: With postgraduate geotechnical education, strong technical report writing skills, and experience delivering integrated multidisciplinary infrastructure projects at a leading international engineering consultancy
- Abu Dhabi-Based or Relocating Geotechnical Professionals: Seeking a full-time consultant-side role at one of the world’s leading engineering firms — contributing to landmark UAE infrastructure projects with the professional prestige, global resources, and career development opportunities that WSP uniquely provides
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