The candidate must have 4–8+ years of structural engineering experience in a consultancy setting.
A PE license is required.
A B.S. or M.S. in Civil / Structural Engineering is required.
The candidate must have seismic design experience.
The candidate must demonstrate the ability to manage projects and lead or mentor a team.
The candidate must be proficient in ETABS, SAP2000, or RISA.
Responsibilities
Lead structural engineering projects from concept through construction administration across commercial, multi-family, education, civic, or mixed-use building types.
Own client relationships by managing scope, schedule, budget, and expectations.
Develop technically rigorous structural solutions across concrete, steel, wood, and masonry.
Direct, mentor, and develop a team of engineers and designers.
Drive quality control and technical reviews on projects.
Contribute to business development through strong client relationships and repeat work.
Collaborate across Holmes practice areas and, when needed, across international offices.
Desired Qualifications
An SE license is preferred or may be actively in pursuit.
You want to run projects. Not just work on them - actually own them, lead the team, build the client relationship, and put your name on the outcome.
Our Structures Practice is looking for a Structural Engineer with the technical chops and the people skills to do exactly that. If you've spent the last few years building your craft and you're ready to step into a project leadership role across commercial, multi-family, education, civic, or mixed-use work - let's talk.
Who We Are
Holmes US is an international structural engineering firm with offices up and down the West Coast and a home base that goes back over 65 years to New Zealand. We're part of the Holmes Group - 500+ people worldwide - which means you get the resources and technical depth of a global firm alongside the culture and relationships of a West Coast practice where people actually know each other.
Our Structures Practice takes on the kind of work that shapes how people experience their city: university buildings, multi-family housing, civic projects, commercial developments, and seismic retrofits of the buildings already standing. The variety is intentional - it keeps the work interesting and the skill set broad.
What You'll Actually Do
Lead structural engineering projects from concept through construction administration across commercial, multi-family, education, civic, or mixed-use building types
Own client relationships - managing scope, schedule, budget, and expectations with clarity and consistency
Develop technically rigorous structural solutions across concrete, steel, wood, and masonry
Direct, mentor, and develop a team of engineers and designers
Drive quality control and technical reviews on your projects
Contribute to business development through strong client relationships and repeat work
Collaborate across Holmes practice areas - and, when a project calls for it, across our international offices
What We're Looking For
4-8+ years of structural engineering experience in a consultancy setting
PE license required; SE license preferred or in active pursuit
B.S. or M.S. in Civil / Structural Engineering
Seismic design experience - this is core to our practice, not a bonus
Demonstrated ability to manage projects and lead or mentor a team
Strong communication skills - you're as comfortable presenting to a client as you are reviewing calcs
Proficiency in ETABS, SAP2000, or RISA
Depending on your experience, this role will be placed at our Project Engineer or Senior Engineer level. What we're looking for in either case is someone ready to lead projects, not just contribute to them.
Why Holmes?
The breadth of our portfolio is a genuine advantage for your career. You're not going to spend five years on the same building type. You'll tackle seismic retrofits, new high-rises, school campuses, and mixed-use developments - often in the same year. That variety means you build a skill set that holds up over a long career.
We invest in our people seriously. Holmes University is our internal learning platform, giving you access to technical training and leadership development throughout your career. Senior engineers and principals here are genuinely available - mentorship isn't a line item in a brochure, it's how we actually operate. And when you need it, you have access to the technical depth of the Holmes network across New Zealand and Australia.
We also believe you follow your interests. There's a clear path to leadership and ownership at Holmes - and we'll be straight with you about what it looks like from where you're standing.
Work-Life Balance, and We Mean It
Our hybrid model is three days in the office - the rest is yours. We offer biannual profit share so you participate in the success you help create. And we've worked hard to build a culture where overtime is the exception, not the expectation. You'll do better work when you're not running on empty, and we structure the practice accordingly.
Benefits Offered:
Depending on your employment status, benefits may include:
Hybrid work model
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, Short-term and Long-term Disability and other voluntary plans
Flexible Spending Accounts for Medical & Childcare
Health Savings Account
Pet Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
Paid Time off - Vacation, Sick, Personal Leave, Family Leave for new parents, and Community Service time
Paid Holidays
Pre-Tax Commuter Transit
401(k) retirement savings with Company contribution
Company sponsored events
Diversity / Inclusion programs and initiatives
Compensation
$87,000 - $141,000+ depending on experience level and location, plus biannual profit share bonus potential. Salary is commensurate with experience, skills, and office location.
Our Commitment
At Holmes, we believe in building teams as diverse as the communities we serve. We provide equal support and opportunities for all our people to thrive, grow, and develop. Dream big - we'll help you get there.