About SMEC

For 75 years, SMEC has built a reputation as a trusted partner on major transport and energy infrastructure projects around the world. Our design leaders and specialist teams draw on deep expertise and experience delivering projects across a range of diverse environments, from some of the world’s most remote locations to some of the densest urban surroundings.

We understand the value of relationships to ensure that we comprehensively address all requirements at each stage in a project’s development. By closely collaborating with our clients, contractors, subcontractors and asset operators, we deliver commercially informed design thinking through local specialists who understand on-the-ground context and industry expectations.

We stand apart through our historically diverse, globally connected workforce, operating out of more than 40 countries with strong local relationships.

Our diverse workforce of professionals are highly respected experts who bring talent, experience and passion to their fields. Challenging boundaries, we look beyond the project scope to ensure we leave a positive impact in the communities we live and work in and allow present and future generations to thrive.

About the Role

To provide senior-level technical expertise, engineering oversight, quality assurance and coordination for dam engineering activities at the Pakil OE PSP project. The role is responsible for ensuring the construction of the dam and the associated structures are constructed according to the approved documents and the associate quality assurance.  He/she will assist in the  reviewing and approving dam construction documents that include method statements, ITPs, temporary works design, plans, procedures, construction program deliverables to ensure compliance with project requirements, applicable standards and dam safety principles. The Senior Dam Engineer will supervise and manage the project inspection team. He/she will coordinate with the contractor, client, designers, and other technical specialists to resolve engineering issues, manage technical risks, and support the successful delivery of the project in accordance with quality, safety, schedule, and contract requirements.

Responsibilities:

• Review the Contractor’s dam construction documents, including method statements, inspection and test plans, temporary works designs, drawings, procedures, work plans, and construction program.

• Assess proposed construction methods and sequencing for foundation and abutment preparation, zoned earth fill placement, filters, transitions, drainage, seepage control, geomembrane facing, protection layers, anchorage, terminations, penetrations, and interfaces with concrete structures.

• Review borrow-source development, material processing, trial fills, moisture conditioning, lift thickness, compaction plant and procedures, field and laboratory testing, and acceptance criteria for each dam zone.

• Review geomembrane panel layouts, installation procedures, welding qualifications, trial seams, seam testing, repair procedures, wrinkle and thermal management, leak detection or integrity testing, and installation traceability.

• Verify compliance with approved design documents, project specifications, applicable standards, quality requirements, and dam safety principles.

• Identify constructability issues, omissions, inconsistencies, and technical risks, and recommend actions to the Resident Dam Engineer.
• Track review comments and verify that revised submissions adequately address identified concerns before recommending acceptance or further action.
• Monitor GFRD construction for conditions or practices that could affect slope stability, foundation performance, settlement and differential deformation, internal erosion, seepage control, geomembrane integrity, hydraulic performance, or long-term dam safety.

• Review construction-stage hazards and potential failure modes associated with earth fill zoning, filter incompatibility or segregation, inadequate compaction, uncontrolled moisture, damage to the geomembrane or protection layers, defective seams, uplift, leakage, and vulnerable penetrations or terminations.

• Escalate significant dam safety concerns, adverse ground conditions, excessive settlement or deformation, anomalous seepage or monitoring results, departures from approved documents, and emerging risks promptly to the Resident Dam Engineer.
• Review relevant risk assessments, instrumentation and monitoring information, hold-point records, geomembrane integrity evidence, and technical recommendations.
• Coordinate dam engineering matters with the Resident Dam Engineer, the Contractor, the Client, designers, site supervision personnel, and discipline specialists.

• Participate in technical, construction, quality, interface, and progress meetings, and provide clear records of decisions and required actions.

• Review and respond to requests for information, technical queries, site instructions, non-conformance matters, and proposed design or construction changes within delegated authority.

• Coordinate resolution of interfaces between dam works and adjoining civil, hydraulic, mechanical, electrical, and temporary works.

• Maintain an action-oriented register of technical comments, queries, interfaces, and outstanding issues, and report status to the Resident Dam Engineer.
• Supervise and coordinate the dam inspection team, including allocation of inspection coverage, priorities, hold points, witness points, and reporting requirements for earth fill and geomembrane works.

• Verify foundation and abutment preparation, dam zoning, material suitability, gradation, moisture conditioning, lift thickness, compaction effort, field density and moisture testing, survey control, and protection of filters and transitions from segregation or contamination.

• Verify preparation of the geomembrane support surface; installation of geotextile cushion and protection layers; geomembrane storage, handling, deployment, welding, seam testing, repairs, anchorage, penetrations, terminations, and interfaces with concrete structures.

• Review material certificates, trial seam and welder qualification records, destructive and non-destructive seam test results, panel and seam logs, leak detection or integrity testing, earthworks test results, non-conformance reports, corrective actions, as-built information, and quality dossiers.

• Identify defective or non-compliant work, including damage to the geomembrane or adjacent layers, recommend appropriate action, and verify effective close-out with objective evidence.
• Maintain complete, accurate, and traceable records for earth fill lots, material sources, test locations, geomembrane panels, seams, repairs, inspections, technical reviews, decisions, and accepted works.
• Provide day-to-day technical leadership, supervision, and guidance to dam engineers, inspectors, and other assigned site personnel.

• Support the Resident Dam Engineer in planning, prioritizing, and monitoring inspections, reviews, technical deliverables, construction interfaces, and site resources.

• Monitor progress and identify technical or construction constraints affecting safety, quality, schedule, cost, scope, or commissioning readiness.

• Prepare concise inputs to daily, weekly, and monthly reports, including progress, quality status, technical risks, key decisions, and outstanding actions.

• Recommend practical engineering solutions that balance dam safety, design intent, quality, constructability, program, and whole-of-life performance.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or a closely related discipline. 

• Postgraduate qualification in geotechnical, structural, construction, or dam engineering is advantageous. 

• Professional engineering registration or chartered status is desirable and must meet applicable local requirements. 

• Relevant training in dam safety, construction quality, inspection and testing, temporary works, or risk management is advantageous. 
• Typically at least 10 years of relevant civil engineering experience, including substantial site-based experience in construction or rehabilitation of embankment dams and associated hydropower infrastructure. 

• Demonstrated experience with zoned earth fill placement, borrow materials, trial fills, moisture and compaction control, filters, transitions, drainage, seepage control, foundations, abutments, grouting, and instrumentation. 

• Direct experience with geomembrane or geosynthetic lining systems for dams, reservoirs, canals, or comparable hydraulic structures is strongly preferred. 

• Experience supervising geomembrane installation, welding qualification, destructive and non-destructive seam testing, repairs, protection layers, anchorage, penetrations, terminations, and interfaces with concrete structures. 

• Demonstrated experience reviewing construction drawings, method statements, inspection and test plans, temporary work, work procedures, construction program, and specialist quality documentation. 

• Experience supervising inspections, field and laboratory testing, quality records, non-conformances, corrective actions, and construction traceability. 

• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary designers, specialist installers, contractors, clients, laboratories, quality teams, and site supervision personnel. 

• Owner’s Engineer, Engineer, construction supervision, or equivalent major infrastructure experience is strongly preferred.

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