For over 40 years, GTA has been delivering innovative and practical solutions to clients across a wide range of industries. That range of work is possible because GTA operates across four core service areas: geotechnical, construction consulting, environmental consulting, and drilling and in-situ testing. 

Each one is built around its own mix of roles. Some positions call for years of specialized experience, while others are a great starting point for someone entering the field for the first time. And because these services often send teams to different types of sites, the work looks different depending on which group you’re in.

Take a look at all four services below and see what roles are available for each.

Geotechnical Services and Roles Available

The geotechnical group investigates subsurface conditions and turns that data into design recommendations that help shape how a project gets built. That work covers a wide range: feasibility studies, subsurface exploration, foundation analysis and design, retaining wall recommendations, slope stability analysis, ground improvement, seismic analysis, and geologic hazard mapping, including karst geology. 

For someone working in this area, the job can involve a combination of field investigation, engineering analysis, laboratory data, and technical reporting.

A Geotechnical Engineer may manage subsurface investigations, perform engineering calculations, and carry out field and lab work related to earthwork, foundations, and construction materials testing. Engineer in Training (EIT) or Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) certification is strongly preferred for the role, and a PE license is a plus.

If you’re a Field Engineer deciding where to transition, the Geotechnical Design Engineer might be a good option. A Geotechnical Design Engineer focuses more heavily on turning site information and engineering analysis into practical design recommendations. That can mean working with calculations, performing geotechnical analyses, and assisting with designs. An Engineer in Training (EIT) or Geoscientist in Training (GIT) certification is required.

For those who prefer spending more time in the field, a Field Geotechnical Professional can be a different experience. Field professionals collect information directly from construction sites and investigations, prepare geotechnical reports, and perform observation and testing services that engineers later use in their analysis.

Construction Services and Roles Available

GTA’s construction consulting group handles construction observation and construction materials testing across commercial, industrial, and residential projects. The scope here is broad. Day-to-day, the construction group is testing structural fill, subgrade soil, and utility backfill on active job sites. They inspect and certify retaining walls, test bituminous concrete, sample concrete pours, and evaluate the soil-bearing capacity of footings before a foundation goes in. This is the group most responsible for making sure that what gets built on-site matches what was designed on paper.

Because construction consulting spans so many testing disciplines, it is also the group with the most open roles at any given time. Many of these roles are field-based. 

A Concrete Field Technician, for example, collects fresh samples of concrete and performs quality control testing. They document activities and prepare field reports and test summaries. For the entry-level position of Concrete Field Technician, GTA provides in-house and on-the-job training that can help you become certified by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), which is also paid for by GTA.

A Construction Materials Testing Technician tests soil, asphalt, concrete, and other construction materials and documents the results. No degree is required, but an ACI certification is strongly preferred.

A Geotechnical Field Technician can spend time on active construction sites performing testing and observations related to soils and site work. A high school diploma or GED is accepted, as long as you have at least one year of relevant experience.

A Geotechnical Construction Technician supports construction activities by observing and documenting construction activities to ensure compliance with technical specifications and that work is completed according to project requirements. A high school diploma or equivalent is acceptable, with National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) or ACI certifications preferred but not required.

Then there are roles of Construction Inspector, where inspectors observe construction activities, document what they see, and prepare field reports and testing summaries. This position is available for those with a high school diploma or GED and requires a NICET, ACI, or equivalent certification.

A Certified Special Inspector brings an additional level of expertise to specialized construction inspections. They are responsible for carrying out inspections, sampling, and testing, and verifying that construction is being completed in accordance with all plans and specifications.

For someone starting out, construction testing can be an entry point into the broader engineering industry. Field roles provide hands-on experience that, over time, can open doors to additional certifications and other career paths.

Environmental Services and Roles Available

As one of the trusted environmental consulting firms, our environmental team provides innovative strategies to manage complex environmental issues in various regulatory arenas.

GTA’s environmental group works on a different set of problems. This team manages Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, subsurface evaluations, groundwater monitoring, and remedial design for contaminated soil and groundwater. They also handle vapor mitigation system design, storage tank closures, and PFAS testing and consulting.

Environmental professionals may spend time outdoors conducting fieldwork and then return to the office to analyze information and prepare reports. There is no single “environmental career” at GTA. Roles in this group include:

A Staff Natural Resources Scientist, for example, works in a variety of field and office tasks. They support fieldwork and assessments, data and reporting, and regulatory coordination. A B.S. in Environmental Science, Biology, Ecology, Natural Resources, or a related field is required for this position.

A Property Condition Assessment Manager may be responsible for evaluating properties and identifying conditions that could affect a project. They conduct and manage Property Condition Assessments (PCAs) and Property Condition Needs Assessments (PCNAs) and evaluate structural systems by identifying deficiencies and developing recommendations. Bachelor’s degrees in Architecture, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Building Science, or a related field are accepted, with different Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) certifications preferred.

Drilling and In-Situ Testing Consulting and Roles Available

GTA’s drilling and in-situ testing team performs the physical subsurface exploration that geotechnical and environmental reports are built on, including standard penetration test borings, auger and mud-rotary drilling, rock coring, and Shelby tube sampling. They also handle monitoring well installation, well rehabilitation, and well abandonment, along with concrete and asphalt coring for pavement and structural evaluations.

This group also runs GTA’s in-situ testing services, which include electronic cone penetrometer testing, seismic cone penetrometer testing, dilatometer testing, pressure meter testing, and borehole shear testing, along with rock and soil permeability testing and infiltration testing. These are specialized field techniques that require real skill to run correctly, since the quality of the data collected here determines how reliable every downstream design recommendation will be.

A position available in this service area is Geotechnical Driller, a hands-on role that involves operating and maintaining drilling equipment while supporting subsurface investigations and collecting soil and rock samples.

For someone who enjoys equipment and fieldwork, drilling can offer a career path that is different from a traditional office-based engineering role.

Find Where You Could Fit at GTA

Employees at GTA can see how their work connects to the larger project. A driller knows the samples they collect will help shape an engineer’s design, while an engineer knows the people and fieldwork behind the data informing their recommendations. The work is connected and employees can see the impact of what they do. That connection also creates room to grow in different directions. You might begin in environmental consulting and find yourself drawn to construction testing. And even when those paths seem far apart, there are opportunities to explore a new direction at GTA.

If any of the work described here sounds like something you would want to be part of, whether you are looking for your first job in the field or bringing years of experience to a specialized role, take a look at our open positions and see where you fit!