Geotechnical Engineer – Highway Drainage (Papua New Guinea)

About the role

SMEC is looking for an experienced Geotechnical Engineer to join its Road and Highway Infrastructure team in Papua New Guinea. The successful candidate will provide specialist drainage expertise across planning, investigation, design, construction supervision and risk management for challenging terrain and geological conditions.

Key responsibilities

• Design and analyse highway drainage systems, including roadside drains, culverts, channels and storm‑water networks.
• Conduct hydraulic and drainage assessments for roads, bridges and related infrastructure.
• Prepare drainage reports, hydraulic calculations, design drawings and technical specifications.
• Design cross‑drainage structures such as culverts, causeways and flood‑relief works.
• Develop erosion and sediment control measures for road construction and operation.
• Evaluate climate‑change impacts on drainage infrastructure and propose resilient solutions.
• Ensure compliance with project standards, local regulations and international design guidelines.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in civil or environmental engineering (Master’s preferred).
• Minimum 5 years of experience in hydraulic analysis and drainage design for road/highway projects, preferably funded by multilateral development banks.
• Strong English communication skills.

Required skills

• Hydraulic analysis
• Drainage system design
• Hydraulic calculations
• Erosion and sediment control
• Climate‑change impact assessment

What we offer

• Opportunity to work on high‑impact infrastructure projects in a challenging environment.
• Collaboration with a global network of engineering specialists.
• Professional development within a leading international engineering firm.