Key skills
Communication
About this role
Role Overview
- Lead forensic investigations involving highways, pavements, rail corridors, trackbed/subgrade conditions, embankments, drainage systems, and associated transportation infrastructure
- Conduct site inspections and evidence collection following distress/failure events, service disruptions, safety incidents, flooding/erosion impacts, and construction or maintenance disputes
- Determine cause, origin, extent, and contributing factors, including evaluation of design intent, materials selection, construction practices, quality control/quality assurance, operations, maintenance, and lifecycle performance
- Prepare independent, litigation-ready expert reports (and supporting exhibits) for arbitration, mediation, and court proceedings, addressing causation, standard of care, and responsibility
- Provide expert witness testimony in depositions, arbitration, and/or court, including testimony under cross-examination
- Collaborate with attorneys, insurers, public agencies, contractors, and other technical experts to develop coordinated opinions and respond to opposing expert positions
- Support dispute strategy through clear communication of technical issues, identification of evidentiary gaps, and preparation for expert meetings, joint statements, or hearings
- Advise clients on remediation options, risk mitigation, constructability considerations, and dispute resolution pathways
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering; Master’s degree considered an asset
- Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) license in at least one Canadian province required; additional provincial registration preferred
- 15+ years of transportation, roadway, or rail engineering experience
- Demonstrated experience with pavement systems, rail infrastructure, drainage, and transportation design or maintenance
- Forensic engineering and dispute consulting experience, including preparation of expert opinions for contested matters
- Minimum 1+ year of experience serving as an Expert Witness, with formal testimony provided in depositions, arbitration, and/or court proceedings
- Strong client delivery and relationship management experience, including work with legal counsel, public agencies, and private owners
- Experience contributing to business development, including proposal development and client relationship expansion
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills suitable for litigation environments
Benefits
- A strong collaborative culture
- The opportunity to solve problems creatively
- The ability to leverage HKA’s strong network and presence