Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Underground Project Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking an experienced Underground Project Specialist to lead and coordinate the planning, design review, permitting, construction oversight, and closeout of underground utility and civil infrastructure projects. The ideal candidate brings a blend of technical civil/utility engineering knowledge, hands-on construction experience (trenching, HDD, microtunneling, manhole/structure installation), strong stakeholder and contractor management skills, and a rigorous approach to safety and regulatory compliance. This role is responsible for minimizing utility interference, ensuring project deliverables meet schedule and budget, and delivering high-quality as-built documentation and GIS updates.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Field Engineer, Utilities or Underground Construction
Civil Designer / CAD Technician specializing in utilities
Construction Foreman or Site Superintendent (underground focus)

Advancement To:

Senior Project Manager, Underground/Utilities
Utilities Program Manager or Construction Manager
Director of Underground Infrastructure / Asset Manager

Lateral Moves:

Geotechnical Project Engineer
Trenchless Technology Specialist / HDD Manager
Permit and Stakeholder Relations Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the end-to-end delivery of underground utility projects, including scoping, budget development, schedule management, construction oversight, commissioning, and final closeout while ensuring alignment with contract terms, client expectations, and regulatory requirements.
Develop, manage and maintain master schedules and resource plans for multiple concurrent underground projects using MS Project or Primavera, proactively identifying critical path risks and mitigation strategies to keep projects on time.
Coordinate comprehensive pre-construction planning, including utility conflict analysis, potholing/locating plans, subsurface investigation reviews, and coordination with design teams to optimize alignment and reduce construction impacts.
Perform technical review and approval of shop drawings, trenching plans, HDD bore plans, microtunneling submittals, conduit and ductbank layouts, and manhole/structure details to ensure compliance with specifications and constructability.
Serve as the primary on-site owner/client representative during construction, conducting daily or periodic inspections, verifying work conforms to drawings and specifications, and documenting non-conformance issues and corrective actions.
Manage and coordinate with utility owners, municipalities, permitting agencies, traffic control authorities, and third-party stakeholders to secure permits, clarify utility conflicts, and sequence work to minimize public and service disruption.
Oversee contractor selection support, pre-qualification reviews, and procurement of subcontractors and specialized vendors (directional drillers, CCTV teams, traffic control providers), ensuring they meet safety and quality standards.
Enforce and audit project safety plans, traffic control plans, emergency response procedures, and environmental protection measures (SWPPP, erosion control), conducting toolbox talks and safety audits in accordance with OSHA/industry standards.
Implement quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) programs including inspection checklists, materials verification, field testing coordination (compaction, concrete, grout, welds), and independent verification to ensure durable underground installations.
Manage change orders, field directives, and claims from initiation through negotiation and incorporation into project controls, including evaluating cost impacts, schedule effects, and contract risk.
Conduct geotechnical coordination — review soil reports, groundwater conditions, shoring and dewatering plans — and adjust construction methods or design recommendations to mitigate ground stability risks.
Supervise or coordinate utility locating and clearance activities (GPR, vacuum excavation, potholing), confirm utility tolerances, and document location data for risk reduction during excavation and drilling operations.
Design and review traffic staging and temporary roadway reinstatement plans required for trenching and utility installations in urban environments, coordinating lane closures and pedestrian access with local agencies.
Maintain rigorous project documentation: daily field reports, progress photos, RFI logs, as-built markups, submittals, test reports, and final deliverables packaged for client acceptance and asset management systems.
Prepare cost estimates, bid analyses, and budget forecasts for underground works; monitor expenditure versus forecast, approve invoices in line with contract terms, and recommend corrective financial actions as required.
Provide technical troubleshooting and field engineering solutions for unforeseen subsurface conditions, installation conflicts, or equipment failures, delivering rapid, documented decisions that minimize schedule impacts.
Set and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for project safety, quality, budget, and schedule; prepare executive summaries and performance briefings for clients and internal leadership.
Coordinate utility commissioning, energization, and turnover activities including testing, inspection, functional verification, and formal acceptance criteria with utility owners and operations teams.
Oversee data collection and as-built deliverable production, ensuring accurate CAD/Civil 3D and GIS integration of installed assets, including attribute population, spatial accuracy checks, and final submission to client asset databases.
Champion sustainability and environmental compliance: ensure contamination controls, proper handling of excavated materials, dust suppression, and adherence to local environmental permits and mitigation measures.
Provide mentorship and on-the-job training to junior engineers, field inspectors, and construction staff on underground construction techniques, safety practices, and project reporting expectations.
Facilitate stakeholder communication plans, public notifications and community liaison activities for projects with public impact, responding to inquiries and coordinating mitigation measures.
Lead incident investigations and non-conformance reviews, develop corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), and ensure timely closure and documentation of lessons learned for continuous improvement.

Secondary Functions

Maintain and update standardized project templates, inspection checklists, and estimating libraries to improve consistency across underground projects.
Support procurement and vendor evaluations for long-lead or specialty equipment (directional drills, slurry systems, microtunneling rigs), providing technical bid clarifications.
Develop client-ready technical reports, scope-of-work memoranda, and design change recommendations that support decision-making and scope refinement.
Participate in business development activities by providing technical proposals, scope development, and constructability assessments for underground opportunities.
Support internal knowledge transfer sessions and record best practices for HDD, microtunneling, and trenching methodologies to improve company-wide technical capability.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Project management for underground and utility infrastructure projects, including schedule and budget control (MS Project, Primavera P6).
Trenchless technology expertise: horizontal directional drilling (HDD), microtunneling, slip-lining, and push/pull methods.
Utility coordination and conflict resolution, including U.S. One-Call familiarity and vacuum excavation/potholing procedures.
Construction plan review and shop drawing approval for ductbanks, conduits, manholes, vaults, and pipeline installations.
Geotechnical interpretation (soil reports, groundwater, shoring/dewatering) and application of ground stabilization techniques.
QA/QC and materials testing knowledge: compaction testing, concrete testing, pipe welding inspection, and NDT familiarity.
Permit acquisition and regulatory compliance: municipal permits, environmental permits (SWPPP, NPDES), traffic permits, and utility permits.
CAD and GIS proficiency for as-built documentation and spatial asset management (AutoCAD Civil 3D, ArcGIS).
Contract administration and change order management, including understanding of standard construction contract forms and claims mitigation.
Health and safety certifications and compliance (OSHA 30, confined space entry, trench safety and shoring procedures).
Cost estimating and bill-of-materials preparation for underground works and unit-rate analysis.
Field inspection and reporting tools (mobile inspection apps, digital photo logs, RFI and NCR systems).

Soft Skills

Strong written and verbal communication for clear reporting to clients, stakeholders, and field crews.
Stakeholder management and negotiation, including diplomacy with municipal authorities and utility owners.
Problem solving and decisive field engineering judgment under schedule pressure.
Leadership and team development with the ability to mentor junior staff and lead multi-disciplinary field teams.
Attention to detail for compliance, safety, testing, and as-built accuracy.
Time management and ability to prioritize competing project demands.
Conflict resolution and contractor performance management.
Client-focused attitude with a service orientation toward successful project outcomes.
Adaptability to changing site conditions and evolving project scope.
Analytical mindset to interpret technical reports, testing results, and risk assessments.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a closely related engineering discipline.

Preferred Education:

Professional Engineer (PE) license or eligibility.
Certifications or coursework in trenchless technologies, geotechnical engineering, or construction management (e.g., CDT, PMP).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Civil Engineering
Construction Management
Geotechnical Engineering
Infrastructure/Utilities Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–12 years of progressive experience in underground utility design, construction, or field engineering.

Preferred: 7+ years with demonstrated hands-on experience in trenchless construction (HDD, microtunneling), utility coordination for municipal or energy projects, and prior roles with responsibility for project budgets, permits, and client communications. Proven track record of delivering medium- to large-scale underground infrastructure projects on schedule and within budget.