MATERIAL ENGINEER – STRUCTURAL, EARTHWORKS & SOIL
Position | Material Engineer – Structural, Earthworks & Soil |
Employment Category | Permanent |
Project Type | Road / Highway Construction Project |
Location | South Sudan |
Position Summary
The Material Engineer will be responsible for the investigation, assessment, testing, approval, and quality control of construction materials used throughout the road project, with particular focus on soil, earthworks, subgrade, embankment, concrete, structural materials, and related infrastructure works. The position will ensure that all materials and associated construction activities comply with approved project specifications, quality standards, drawings, method statements, and applicable requirements. The Material Engineer will work closely with the Highway Engineer, Structural Engineer, Site Engineer, Laboratory Team, Contractor, and Consultant.
Major Duties & Responsibilities
- Soil Investigation and Material Assessment
- Review and assess soil and material sources along the road alignment, borrow areas, embankment sources, and other approved material sources.
- Assess soil classification, engineering properties, moisture characteristics, subgrade conditions, and suitability for road construction.
- Review field investigation and laboratory test results and provide recommendations on material suitability.
- Identify unsuitable, weak, expansive, or problematic soils and recommend treatment, stabilization, replacement, or other appropriate corrective measures.
- Review material source submissions and recommend approval or rejection based on technical requirements.
- Earthworks, Embankment & Subgrade Quality Control
- Monitor excavation, filling, embankment construction, selected materials, and subgrade preparation.
- Verify layer thickness, moisture conditioning, placement procedures, and compaction requirements.
- Monitor field density and compaction results to ensure compliance with project specifications.
- Review CBR, particle size distribution, Atterberg limits, moisture content, compaction, and other relevant test results.
- Ensure the subgrade and formation are properly prepared and suitable before commencement of pavement works.
- Investigate settlement, instability, weak subgrade, and other earthwork-related problems and recommend corrective actions.
- Structural & Concrete Material Control
- Assess and monitor materials used for bridges, culverts, retaining walls, headwalls, drainage structures, and other road-related structures.
- Review the quality and suitability of cement, aggregates, reinforcement steel, admixtures, concrete materials, masonry materials, and other structural materials.
- Review concrete mix designs, trial mixes, batching requirements, and concrete production procedures.
- Coordinate sampling and testing of concrete, aggregates, cement, reinforcement, and other structural materials.
- Monitor concrete production, transportation, placement, vibration, finishing, and curing.
- Monitor reinforcement, formwork, embedded items, joints, and other material-related structural works.
- Identify non-conforming materials or structural works and recommend appropriate corrective measures.
- Support investigations into concrete defects, strength failures, material failures, and other structural quality problems.
- Laboratory & Field Testing
- Coordinate soil, aggregate, concrete, and other construction material sampling and testing.
- Review laboratory and field test results and verify compliance with approved specifications.
- Ensure testing is conducted according to approved procedures and project requirements.
- Maintain accurate records of material tests, approvals, inspections, non-conformities, and corrective actions.
- Monitor laboratory quality control activities and coordinate with laboratory personnel regarding testing requirements.
- Material Approval & Quality Assurance
- Review material certificates, technical data, source information, laboratory results, and other supporting documentation.
- Ensure materials are properly approved before being incorporated into permanent works.
- Monitor compliance of construction materials and related works with approved specifications and quality requirements.
- Identify non-conforming materials and recommend rejection, replacement, treatment, or corrective action.
- Participate in inspections and material approval processes with the Contractor and Consultant.
- Technical Coordination
- Coordinate with the Highway Engineer, Structural Engineer, Site Engineer, Laboratory Team, Contractor, Consultant, and Project Management Team.
- Provide technical recommendations regarding soil, earthworks, concrete, structural materials, and material-related construction issues.
- Review material-related method statements, technical submissions, inspection requests, and quality documentation.
- Support the project team in resolving material and construction quality issues.
- Reporting & Documentation
- Prepare material investigation, material approval, laboratory testing, quality control, and technical assessment reports.
- Maintain records of material sources, approvals, test results, inspections, and non-conformities.
- Prepare recommendations for unsuitable or non-compliant materials.
- Support preparation of as-built documentation and final project quality records.
- Provide regular updates to Project Management on material quality and earthworks/structural material performance.