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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Underground Designer

💰 $ - $

EngineeringCivilInfrastructureDesign

🎯 Role Definition

The Underground Designer is an experienced civil/structural design professional responsible for planning, modeling, documenting and delivering detailed designs for underground infrastructure projects including tunnels, sewers, stormwater systems, utility corridors, cable ducts and associated civil works. This role blends engineering calculation, CAD/BIM production, geotechnical coordination and constructability review to produce compliant, buildable construction drawings, specifications and as-built records. The ideal candidate has a strong background in tunnel and underground utilities design, proficiency in Civil 3D/Revit/MicroStation and practical experience supporting construction and permitting processes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • CAD Technician / Drafter with experience in Civil 3D or MicroStation.
  • Graduate Civil or Structural Engineer with focus on geotechnical or water infrastructure.
  • Field Surveyor / Utilities Coordinator transitioning to design.

Advancement To:

  • Senior Underground Designer / Tunnel Designer
  • Tunnel or Subsurface Lead Engineer
  • Project Engineer / Project Manager for underground infrastructure

Lateral Moves:

  • BIM Coordinator / BIM Manager (infrastructure)
  • Utility Network Coordinator / Asset Management Designer

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Produce complete, construction-ready design drawings and detailed shop-level CAD/BIM models for underground utilities, sewer and stormwater networks, potable water mains, and cable ducts using Civil 3D, Revit, MicroStation or Bentley systems, ensuring accuracy and adherence to client standards and local codes.
  • Develop and document hydraulic and hydrologic calculations for stormwater drainage, sewer capacity and pipe sizing, including catchment analysis, rational method, and model outputs to support design decisions and permitting submissions.
  • Perform full structural design and detailing for tunnels, shafts, manholes, retaining walls and underground chambers, including determination of tunnel lining thicknesses, reinforcement schedules and connection details, in compliance with relevant standards.
  • Coordinate geotechnical input and ground condition assessments with geotechnical engineers to incorporate settlement, groundwater and soil-structure interaction constraints into underground design and risk registers.
  • Create and maintain 3D tunnel and utility models for clash detection, constructability reviews and multidisciplinary coordination using BIM workflows and automated clash-checking tools.
  • Prepare work packages, specifications, schedules and bill of quantities for tender and construction, producing clear scope definitions and technical requirements for contractors and suppliers.
  • Carry out pipe network modeling and simulation (e.g., InfoWorks ICM, StormCAD, SWMM) to validate system performance under design and storm events and to inform mitigations and resilience measures.
  • Produce detailed site layout, staging and construction sequencing drawings to minimize disruption to traffic, utilities and stakeholders during excavation and installation of underground infrastructure.
  • Conduct constructability reviews and value engineering exercises with construction teams to optimize design solutions for cost, safety and program acceleration.
  • Respond to contractor Requests for Information (RFIs), review change proposals and issue design clarifications and revised drawings quickly and accurately to support ongoing construction activities.
  • Lead design risk assessments, prepare mitigation plans for groundwater control, dewatering, temporary works and excavation stability, and integrate safety-by-design principles into underground works.
  • Perform detailed as-built documentation and record drawings after construction completion, updating GIS and asset management systems with accurate geometry and asset attributes.
  • Liaise with clients, local authorities and utility owners to obtain design approvals, permits, and facilitate statutory network diversions, wayleaves and approvals for excavation works.
  • Coordinate multidisciplinary inputs (civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, environmental) to ensure integrated underground solutions and to resolve interface issues across models and drawings.
  • Develop preliminary and detailed cost estimates, material take-offs and procurement specifications to inform tendering and budget control for underground packages.
  • Prepare technical reports, design memoranda and construction method statements that clearly explain design assumptions, calculation results, design life, and maintenance requirements.
  • Undertake site inspections and surveys, verify existing site conditions against design assumptions and update models/drawings to reflect as-found utilities, obstructions and subsurface conditions.
  • Maintain and enforce QA/QC standards for CAD/BIM deliverables, ensuring correct layer standards, annotation, tolerances, and deliverable formats for handover to client and contractor teams.
  • Mentor and review the work of junior designers and drafters, providing technical guidance on standards, drawing practices and efficient modelling techniques.
  • Ensure all designs comply with local and national codes, environmental regulations, safety standards and utility owner specifications; keep design standards and templates up to date.
  • Integrate sustainability, resilience and lifecycle considerations into underground designs, including corrosion protection, access and maintenance strategies, and long-term performance monitoring.
  • Manage design schedules, track milestones, and report progress to project managers, escalating issues and proposing corrective actions to keep underground packages on time and within budget.
  • Participate in site-based construction support, providing technical direction, supervising complex installations and verifying contractor compliance with design intent during key stages of underground works.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Maintain and contribute to template libraries, CAD/BIM family components and company standards to improve re-use and delivery consistency.
  • Support pre-construction activities including site due diligence, walkovers and utility searches to reduce risk during the design phase.
  • Provide input to health, safety and environmental reviews and attend toolbox talks when required to ensure safe delivery of underground works.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • AutoCAD Civil 3D — advanced production of corridor models, pipe networks, sections and plan sets for underground utilities and earthworks.
  • Revit (BIM) for infrastructure and Underground MEP coordination — modelling of shafts, tunnels, mechanical openings and service penetrations.
  • MicroStation and Bentley OpenRoads/OpenUtilities — experience producing deliverables to client-specific CAD/BIM standards.
  • Pipe network modeling tools — e.g., StormCAD, SWMM, InfoWorks ICM, HEC-RAS/HEC-HMS for hydraulic analysis and flood risk assessment.
  • Structural analysis and design software — e.g., STAAD.Pro, SAP2000, or similar, for tunnel lining and underground structural elements.
  • Geotechnical collaboration and ground analysis basics — interpretation of borehole logs, groundwater table data and settlement prediction inputs.
  • GIS proficiency (ArcGIS/QGIS) for asset location, spatial analysis and integration with design models.
  • Drainage and sewer design standards knowledge — local codes and standards for manholes, invert levels, minimum cover, and pipe bedding.
  • BIM coordination and clash detection tools — Navisworks, Solibri or BIM 360 to manage multidisciplinary model coordination.
  • Production of construction documentation: detailed drawings, specifications, method statements, material schedules and as-built records.
  • Tender and estimation skills — preparation of bills of quantities, cost schedules and procurement-ready documentation.
  • Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Project) — strong spreadsheet modelling, design checklists, scheduling and progress reporting capability.
  • Utility mapping and survey interpretation — ability to convert survey data and utility records into accurate design models.
  • Knowledge of permit, wayleave and statutory approval processes for excavation and underground works.

Soft Skills

  • Clear communicator — able to explain complex technical concepts to clients, contractors and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Strong collaborator — proven ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams and manage external utility stakeholders.
  • Problem solver — pragmatic approach to resolving constructability and design conflicts under schedule pressure.
  • Detail-oriented — rigorous about QA/QC, drawing standards and minimizing rework in the delivery cycle.
  • Time management and prioritization — able to balance multiple design packages and respond quickly to construction queries.
  • Leadership and mentoring — experience supervising junior staff, delegating tasks and reviewing technical outputs.
  • Client-focused — responsive to client needs and adept at managing expectations and scope changes.
  • Adaptable — comfortable with changing site conditions, design iterations and evolving BIM workflows.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, or related discipline.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s plus relevant postgraduate qualification or certification in tunnel engineering, underground infrastructure design, or BIM for infrastructure.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Structural Engineering
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • Construction Engineering / Management
  • Infrastructure / Tunnel Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3–8 years of progressive experience in underground utilities or tunnel design, CAD/BIM production and construction support.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of direct experience designing and delivering underground infrastructure projects (tunnels, sewers, stormwater, utility corridors) with demonstrable experience in Civil 3D, Revit/MicroStation, hydraulic modeling and construction documentation. Experience working on public-sector permitting, utility diversion projects, or heavy civil tunnelling is highly desirable.
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