Forensic civil engineer

HKA is a global leader in risk mitigation, dispute resolution, and expert witness services. We tackle complex challenges with our multi-disciplinary expertise. As trusted consultants and advisors, we deliver solutions in uncertain and disputed situations, ensuring the best outcomes for clients worldwide. Our experts have testified globally on major cases spanning across a wide range of industries and sectors.

As part of the HKA team you can expect:

• A strong collaborative culture with a mutual pursuit of your success alongside the success of our teams.
• The opportunity to solve problems creatively, contribute to our innovative direction, and be valued as an individual.
• The ability to leverage HKA’s strong network and presence in various industries and reputation for exceptional expert witnesses to accelerate career development and connections.

The Opportunity

HKA is seeking a highly experienced Forensic Civil Engineer with a strong foundation in civil design and a proven track record of expert witness testimony in actual court proceedings. This role focuses exclusively on civil and municipal infrastructure, including transportation systems, utilities, stormwater, water/wastewater facilities, grading, site development, and public works—not structural building failures. You will lead forensic investigations, determine causation, and provide independent opinions for litigation, insurance claims, and dispute resolution. Ideal candidates bring deep civil design experience and significant courtroom testimony, ensuring they can credibly evaluate design intent, standards of care, and construction performance.

Responsibilities

Forensic & Litigation Consulting

• Lead forensic investigations involving horizontal civil infrastructure, including:
• Transportation/roadways and pavement systems
• Stormwater, drainage, and hydrologic/hydraulic systems
• Water/wastewater treatment, pump stations, distribution/collection systems
• Utilities (water, sewer, gas, telecom)
• Site development, grading, earthwork, erosion/sediment control

Conduct site inspections and civil‐focused root cause analyses following failures, flooding events, pavement distress, service disruptions, and construction or design disputes. Prepare clear, defensible forensic reports for use in litigation and arbitration. Provide expert witness testimony in court (depositions, mediations, arbitration, and trial), including experiences as the engineer of record for courtroom proceedings. Collaborate with attorneys, insurers, municipal agencies, owners, and multidisciplinary experts to develop integrated evaluations. Advise clients on remediation strategies, design issues, standards of care, and civil system performance.

Civil Engineering Expertise

Apply extensive experience in civil design, including:

• Roadway and transportation design
• Stormwater system and drainage design (H&H, SWM, E&S)
• Utility design (water, sewer, dry utilities)
• Grading, land development, and municipal/public works projects
• Pavement design and evaluation
• Water/wastewater facility or system design

Review design plans, specifications, calculations, permitting documents, and construction records for compliance and standard of care. Perform or direct field diagnostics such as flow testing, drainage investigations, pavement assessments, and civil system evaluations. Develop remediation and repair recommendations tailored to civil infrastructure failures.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or above in Civil Engineering.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required; NCEES record preferred.
• 15+ years of civil engineering experience, with substantial civil design background (transportation, stormwater, utilities, municipal engineering, water/wastewater, or site development).
• 2+ years of Forensic Engineering experience.
• 1+ years documented experience providing expert witness testimony in court, including depositions and trial testimony.
• Strong analytical capabilities in forensic evaluation, hydrology/hydraulics, civil system diagnostics, and failure analysis.
• Exceptional communication skills for technical reporting and courtroom testimony.
• Willingness to travel for site investigations and client engagements.
• Physical ability to perform field assessments.

Preferred but not required:

• Multi‑state PE licensure.
• PTOE or transportation/traffic engineering expertise.
• Municipal/public agency plan review experience.
• Stormwater/NPDES permitting experience.
• Design or forensic experience involving drainage failures, pavement performance issues, flooding events, erosion/sediment issues, utility failures, or land‑development infrastructure performance.

What we offer:

At HKA we recognize that our people are critical to our ongoing success. Our priority is to provide an inclusive and collaborative culture aimed at providing the best opportunities for our people to thrive and develop in their chosen career path. Our Global Recruitment team is committed to providing an authentic candidate experience for all those who take the time to apply to HKA. We are committed to providing an efficient and insightful recruitment process giving candidates a true reflection of life at HKA.

Fairness and Equality at HKA:

HKA works hard to provide a welcoming environment for all of our employees. We are committed as a business on the continued improvement of our fairness and equality strategy. Please visit our careers page for further information or feel free to ask our recruitment team for further information. All HKA employment decisions shall be made in accordance with controlling laws and based on merit.

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