Development Communications Associate Jobs in Columbia, SC

Staff Associate | Geostructures

Report To: Department Manager

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

At Bunnell-Lammons Engineering (BLE), our core principles shape everything we do. We put people first, prioritizing our clients, employees, and community in every decision. We believe trust is earned through honesty, dependability, and delivering on our promises. Clear, timely communication keeps our clients and partners informed, while a commitment to excellence drives us to produce work that consistently sets the standard in our industry. Most importantly, we honor every commitment we make and believe that no challenge is too complex when the right people work together. These values define who we are, how we operate, and the kind of team we continue to build.

Notice to applicants:

Background checks are carried out as part of any conditional offer made, including (but not limited to & role dependent) education, professional registration, employment, references and global watchlist screening.

To be a considered applicant:

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship and able to interview on site where the position is located.

BLE’s Geostructures team is growing. We are seeking a staff associate to support the delivery of Geostructural services with typical day-to-day activities consisting primarily of preliminary Geostructural design including but not limited to: MSE walls, Aggregate Piers, Deep foundations, Ground anchor systems, Soldier Pier Piles, Lagging Design and Soil Nail Walls. Geostructural plan development, and limited construction oversight. The ideal candidate is a proactive engineer who communicates well, collaborates effectively, and is eager to grow within a dynamic, multidisciplinary team.

• Associate’s degree in Civil Engineering Geotechnical / Structural emphasis preferred or a closely related field of study from an ABET-accredited institution.
• 0-2 years of progressively responsible professional experience in relevant fields
• Currently in progress towards obtaining Engineer-in-Training (EIT)
• Required to travel regularly to local and regional project sites (typically within South Carolina and surrounding states) , potentially including overnight stays and perform extensive fieldwork under varying environmental conditions, including adverse weather, uneven terrain, and potentially hazardous environments, while adhering strictly to health and safety protocols.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Attention to detail in drawings and calculations.
• Eagerness to learn Geostructural design principles and software tools (e.g., LPile, GROUP, RSPile, SNAP-2, DeepEx, GEO5).
• Professional, dependable, and curious.
• Highly organized with a commitment to meeting deadlines and delivering value.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a drive to take initiative, identify opportunities, and help grow a specialized service line within a dynamic, multidisciplinary firm.

• Observe and participate in team discussions to understand project workflows.
• Receive mentoring from senior engineers on design, drafting, and field procedures.
• Develop foundational skills in collaborative engineering environments.

• Support project managers in preparing client communications and deliverables.
• Attend client meetings with supervision to build communication awareness.
• Maintain professionalism in all correspondence and interactions.

• Incorporate redlines and edits from senior reviewers.
• Learn BLE’s QA/QC process through internal document review exercises.
• Support basic document checks and calculation verifications.

• Track personal task progress and provide status updates to team leads.
• Learn how project milestones are defined and monitored.
• Assist in organizing drawing packages and file systems.

• Learn applicable design codes and construction safety standards.
• Identify obvious risks during site visits and escalate to supervisors.

• Coordinate with drafters and geotechnical staff under guidance.
• Attend internal coordination meetings to understand multidisciplinary roles.
• Help integrate boring logs and testing data into design files.

• Observe interactions with specialty contractors and design team clients.
• Assist in organizing documentation from specialty contractors and design team clients.
• Learn standard contract and submittal procedures.

• Contribute to resumes and team qualifications packets.
• Maintain organized records of relevant project experience for future pursuits.
• Support proposal formatting and simple data entry.

• Log time accurately in the project tracking system.
• Understand basic metrics like billable rate and utilization.
• Participate in debriefs to learn from completed projects.

At our firm, we are committed to fostering the growth of our Staff Professionals. This role provides an excellent platform to expand your technical knowledge, refine your project management abilities, and develop essential client-facing skills. You will receive mentorship from experienced professionals, have opportunities for professional development and training, and gain exposure to a wide range of challenging and rewarding projects. We are invested in helping you achieve your EIT/GIT certification and beyond, laying the groundwork for a successful and fulfilling career in consulting

This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and is not a comprehensive list of all duties, functions, or procedures that may be required. The organization reserves the right to modify this description and may, from time to time, reassign employees to alternate positions based on business needs. Such changes may occur without prior notice and are aimed at ensuring operational efficiency.

• Industry-leading reputation with a diverse and growing project portfolio.
• Collaborative, supportive work environment where your leadership makes a visible impact.
• Opportunities for professional growth and advancement within a dynamic, expanding organization.

• Medical/Vision/Dental
• 401(K) with partial company matching
• Life Insurance
• Short/long term disability
• Paid vacation
• Paid sick leave
• Eight (8) paid holidays
• Educational re-imbursement programs (conditions apply)
• Vehicle allowance (conditions apply)