Materials Engineer

About the Role

WSP in the Middle East is seeking an experienced Materials Engineer to join the Construction Supervision team for a major Roads & Highways infrastructure project in Riyadh, Riyadh. This full-time role involves overseeing all materials-related activities, ensuring compliance with project specifications, quality standards, contract requirements, and industry best practices. The successful candidate will have over 10 years of experience and a strong technical background in the review, approval, testing, and quality assurance of construction materials.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage all materials engineering and quality assurance activities across the project.
• Review and approve material submittals, technical specifications, suppliers, and manufacturers in accordance with contract requirements.
• Ensure all construction materials comply with approved standards, project specifications, and relevant authority requirements.
• Review and assess mix designs for asphalt, concrete, treated materials, and other road construction components.
• Supervise material testing activities conducted by contractors and third-party laboratories.
• Monitor quality control and quality assurance processes to ensure compliance with approved Inspection and Test Plans (ITPs).
• Review laboratory and field test reports and provide technical recommendations.
• Conduct audits and inspections of batching plants, asphalt plants, quarries, borrow areas, and material production facilities.
• Evaluate sources of construction materials and verify their suitability for project use.
• Review Requests for Information (RFIs), technical queries, material approvals, method statements, and contractor submissions.
• Support the Resident Engineer and Project Management Team in resolving material-related non-conformances and quality issues.
• Ensure compliance with contract specifications for various materials including earthworks, subgrade, aggregate, asphalt mixes, concrete, cementitious materials, geosynthetics, road marking, safety barrier, drainage, and utility materials.
• Investigate material failures and provide corrective actions and recommendations.
• Prepare technical reports, quality assessments, non-conformance reports (NCRs), and material approval recommendations.
• Coordinate with contractors, laboratories, suppliers, authorities, and multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Monitor compliance with project quality, environmental, health, and safety requirements.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to Materials Inspectors, Laboratory Technicians, and junior engineering staff.

Technical Requirements

• Extensive knowledge of materials engineering principles related to roads and highways construction.
• Strong experience in quality assurance and quality control procedures for transportation infrastructure projects.
• Proven expertise in reviewing and approving material submissions and technical specifications.
• Thorough understanding of laboratory and field testing requirements for road construction materials.
• Experience reviewing and assessing asphalt mix designs, concrete mix designs, pavement materials, earthworks materials, aggregate sources, quarry and borrow pit operations, and material compliance certifications.
• Familiarity with international and regional standards including AASHTO, ASTM, BS EN, and relevant local authority specifications.
• Strong understanding of pavement materials, geotechnical materials, concrete technology, and asphalt technology.
• Ability to identify quality risks and recommend practical engineering solutions during construction.

Qualifications and Experience

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Materials Engineering, Construction Engineering, Highway Engineering, or a related Engineering discipline from an accredited university is mandatory. A Master's Degree in Materials Engineering, Pavement Engineering, or a related field is desirable.
• Experience: Minimum 15 years of post-graduate professional experience, with over 10 years specifically required for this role.
• Proven experience working for reputable engineering consultancy firms in construction supervision and/or design supervision environments.
• Demonstrable experience on large-scale roads and highways construction supervision projects.
• Experience managing laboratory testing, material approvals, quality assurance, and contractor compliance.
• Previous GCC or Middle East project experience is highly desirable.
• Professional Standing: Professional registration or chartership is advantageous.

Required Skills

• Strong technical expertise in construction materials and quality management.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Effective communication and report writing skills.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders in a complex project environment.
• Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary project teams.

Application Process

Candidates meeting the specified qualifications and experience are invited to apply. The salary for this position will be disclosed during the interview process.