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Earthwork Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Work closely with the Project Manager and Project Engineer to review progress, production, manpower ... earthwork and site development. * Proven experience supervising and coordinating multiple ...

... large earthwork and site development projects from startup through closeout, with a on-site ... Develop and support project engineers and field engineers through mentoring, delegation, and ...

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... engineers and field engineers through mentoring, delegation, and accountability for results ... on earthwork and site development scopes. • Proven ability to create and manage schedules ...

... large earthwork and site development projects from startup through closeout, with a on-site ... engineers and field engineers through mentoring, delegation, and accountability for results.

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OH, WV, PA JOB PURPOSE The Earthwork Superintendent is responsible for the safety, quality ... Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or related field preferred

Civil Engineer

Aberdeen, MD · On-site

$90K - $130K/yr

The Civil Engineer may support site development, utilities, foundations, pavements, drainage, earthwork, geotechnical coordination, and construction-phase engineering while working closely with ...

Showing results 41-60

Earthwork Engineer information

See salary details

$38K

$115.9K

$191.5K

How much do earthwork engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for earthwork engineer in the United States is $115,864.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,000.00 and $151,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an earthwork engineer do?

An Earthwork Engineer is a civil engineering professional who specializes in the planning, design, and supervision of earth-moving operations such as excavation, grading, and soil stabilization. Their work is crucial in preparing sites for construction projects like roads, dams, and buildings by analyzing soil conditions, managing slopes, and ensuring stability and safety. They collaborate closely with construction teams to implement efficient and cost-effective earthwork solutions while adhering to environmental and regulatory standards.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an earthwork engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Earthwork Engineer, you need a solid background in civil engineering principles, geotechnical analysis, and construction methods, usually supported by a relevant engineering degree and professional licensure. Familiarity with CAD software, geotechnical modeling tools, and project management systems is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help engineers coordinate with project teams and address site-specific challenges. These competencies are vital to ensure projects are designed, managed, and executed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with environmental and regulatory standards.

What are some common challenges an earthwork engineer faces during large-scale construction projects?

Earthwork Engineers often encounter challenges such as unexpected soil conditions, adverse weather impacting excavation schedules, and coordinating with multiple teams to ensure site safety and efficiency. Managing these issues requires strong problem-solving skills, adaptability, and effective communication with contractors, surveyors, and project managers. Staying proactive and leveraging technology like GPS-guided machinery can help mitigate delays and maintain project timelines.

What is the difference between Earthwork Engineer vs Civil Engineer?

AspectEarthwork EngineerCivil Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Civil Engineering or related field, certifications in earthwork or construction managementBachelor's in Civil Engineering, often with licensure or PE certification
Work EnvironmentConstruction sites, excavation projects, earthmoving operationsDesign offices, construction sites, infrastructure projects
Industry UsageSpecializes in earthmoving, grading, excavation, and site preparationBroader scope including structural design, transportation, and infrastructure

Earthwork Engineers focus specifically on excavation, grading, and site preparation, working closely on earthmoving projects. Civil Engineers have a broader role, encompassing design, planning, and oversight of various infrastructure projects. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds and certifications but differ in scope and daily tasks.

More about Earthwork Engineer jobs

What are popular job titles related to Earthwork Engineer jobs?

For Earthwork Engineer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Earthwork Engineer job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 89% Full Time, 7% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $115,864 per year, or $55.7 per hour.

Senior Superintendent- Earthwork & Grading

Phoenix, AZ • On-site

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Construction • 1 - 5K employees

Full-time

Posted 2 days ago

New


McCarthy Building Companies rating

7.4

Company rating: 7.4 out of 10

Based on 29 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Superintendent – Earthwork & Grading is a critical field leadership position and is foundational to our projects’ success and safety. The Senior Superintendent will oversee field construction for complex civil projects with significant earthwork, mass grading, subgrade, excavation, underground utility, and site-development scopes. This leader will provide direction to field foremen, manage McCarthy self-perform and trade-partner work, and ensure the safe, timely, and quality completion of construction activities. The Senior Superintendent will work closely with the Senior Project Manager and project leadership to plan, coordinate, and deliver the work.


RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Be the Project Safety Leader
  • Create and maintain a safe work environment and culture.
  • Ensure all aspects of safety are adhered to in performing the work.
  • Take ownership and responsibility for addressing safety issues and incidents.
  • Lead safety planning, daily huddles, inspections, excavation controls, dust control, and corrective actions.
  • Lead Execution of Earthwork, Subgrade, and Underground Utility Work
  • Take ownership of and responsibility for planning and executing assigned activities; prepare and maintain three-week schedules for those activities.
  • Monitor production rates and consistently communicate the plan to craft workers to support successful project execution.
  • Coordinate with third-party inspectors for testing and inspection of responsible activities.
  • Schedule and order materials for assigned scopes, including borrow material, aggregates, base, and precast structures.
  • Coordinate work sequencing with civil trades, survey, testing, project management, and trade partners to meet milestones and minimize interference.
  • Apply Technical Expertise and Execute Self-Perform Work
  • Maintain a strong understanding of earthwork, subgrade, and underground utility activities.
  • Assist with the work-plan process, including equipment plans and crew sizing needed to achieve required production rates.
  • Apply thorough knowledge of earthwork, subgrade, and underground utility means, methods, and typical specifications.
  • Plan and coordinate equipment fleets, including dozers, excavators, scrapers, graders, compactors, loaders, water trucks, haul units, and survey or machine-control support.
  • Work with the Project Superintendent or Project Manager to recruit, hire, and develop the craft labor workforce.
  • Assist Project Engineers and Foremen with production quantities, labor task coding, and material-yield tracking.
  • Ensure equipment is maintained through inspection processes and required preventive maintenance.
  • Maintain a Thorough Understanding of Contract Documents
  • Understand and apply project plans, specifications, geotechnical reports, grading plans, contract documents, and owner requirements.
  • Identify constraints, constructability issues, quantity risks, and field conflicts early; develop practical solutions with project leadership.
  • Develop, communicate, monitor, and update the earthwork plan as needed to progress efficiently and maximize equipment and crew utilization.
  • Develop and maintain project logistics plans, including site access, haul routes, laydown areas, equipment staging, material movement, and traffic control.
  • Ensure all earthwork and related activities are accurately documented throughout project execution.
  • Maintain daily reports, manpower and equipment logs, quantity and production tracking, delivery records, photos, inspections, and as-built information.
  • Support Overall Project Delivery
  • Assist Estimating and Preconstruction with bidding opportunities, constructability reviews, means and methods, production assumptions, equipment and crew plans, and logistics.
  • Review earthwork GMP assumptions with the Preconstruction team; develop work plans that support accurate, competitive estimates and executable field operations.
  • Assist the Project Manager and project leadership with development of the Chart of Accounts, labor and equipment budgets, production units, and cost-control plans.
  • Assist in developing and maintaining detailed CPM schedules, short-term schedules, phasing plans, and recovery plans.
  • Assist in developing detailed scopes of work for subcontractors and major purchase orders; coordinate work boundaries and interfaces among civil trades.
  • Review material and equipment budgets, negotiate purchase orders and rental rates, and manage utilization.
  • Monitor project costs, quantities, production, equipment utilization, and labor efficiency; identify improvement opportunities and communicate risks and recovery plans.
  • Lead quality processes, including inspection planning, compaction and testing coordination, survey verification, and correction of deficient work.
  • Chair weekly subcontractor coordination meetings and lead daily coordination with foremen and project partners.
  • Establish and maintain productive relationships with owners, design teams, subcontractors, inspectors, and community stakeholders.
  • Assist Project Engineers with shop drawings, submittals, RFIs, and procurement processes.
  • Lead, mentor, and develop superintendents, assistant superintendents, general foremen, foremen, and craft personnel; foster a developmental mindset and hold field leaders accountable for best practices and follow-through.
  • Support regional Earthwork Operations objectives by sharing lessons learned, quality incidents, and effective work practices across project teams.
  • Partner with Project Directors and regional leadership on staffing needs, recruiting, training, and development of earthwork craft and field-management talent.
  • Understand McCarthy’s core values and demonstrate them in all interactions with internal and external stakeholders.
  •      
QUALIFICATIONS
  • 15+ years of commercial construction, heavy civil, or site-development experience required, including significant earthwork and grading responsibility.
  • Extensive, direct experience leading mass grading, excavation, cut/fill balancing, earthmoving fleets, subgrade preparation, and underground utility operations.
  • Self-perform experience is strongly desired.
  • Previous experience directing and coordinating multiple trades, crews, equipment spreads, subcontractors, and field interfaces.
  • Strong knowledge of construction principles and practices, including civil drawings, specifications, grading plans, compaction requirements, soil conditions, survey/layout, and site logistics.
  • Previous experience working with a Project Management team through successful project completion.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead a safety-first culture, manage schedule and cost performance, and resolve field issues proactively.
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills with craft personnel, project teams, designers, owners, agencies, and inspectors.
  • OSHA 30-hour certification and applicable excavation competent-person training are preferred.
  • Ability to work full-time at project sites and adapt to project demands, including extended hours when required.

McCarthy is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veteran status. 

NOTICE TO EXTERNAL SEARCH FIRMS: McCarthy’s Talent Acquisition Team is the only authorized representative permitted to engage with external search firms, staffing agencies, or other third-party recruiting partners. McCarthy maintains an Approved Agency List for recruiting partners, which is reviewed and updated annually.
McCarthy will only consider submissions from agencies with a signed fee agreement in place for the current year. McCarthy does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate submissions, or referrals from agencies that do not meet these requirements.
If a candidate is submitted without an active agreement, McCarthy will have no obligation to pay any fees and reserves the right to contact, engage, interview, or hire such candidate(s) without any financial or other responsibility to the submitting agency. Unsolicited resumes, including those sent directly to hiring managers or other employees, will be considered the property of McCarthy.


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About McCarthy Building

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

McCarthy Building, headquartered in Saint Louis, MO, US, is a leading construction company primarily offering general contracting, design-build and construction management services throughout the United States. Its prominent industry presence can be explored in detail on its official website, mccarthy.com. Founded in 1864, the company has built a robust legacy marked by significant contributions to the U.S. construction industry. McCarthy Building engages a broad range of sectors, including healthcare, education, commercial, renewable energy, and advanced technology.

Industry

Construction

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Saint Louis, MO, US

Year founded

1864

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