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Senior Civil Engineer – Pavement & Geotechnical Research

Applied Research Associates, Inc.

Ventura, CAFull-time$92–106K/yrSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
$92–106K/yr
Location
Ventura, CA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive focuses on jobs in the United States, including remote roles you can work from there.

Job overview

Applied Research Associates seeks an experienced civil engineer to conduct and lead research and consulting work in pavement and geotechnical engineering and asset management. The role includes business development, proposal development, and presenting research to industry and clients. The position is strongly preferred to be on-site, though a remote exception may be considered for a qualified candidate with a proven remote-work record.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Pavement Engineering, requiredGeotechnical Engineering, requiredResearch Project Leadership, requiredCommunication, requiredOrganization, requiredPeer-Reviewed Publications, nice to haveConference Presentations, nice to have

Qualifications

Bachelor's or Higher in Civil Engineering, required8+ Years Pavement or Geotechnical Experience, requiredProfessional Engineer License, nice to haveClassified Information Eligibility, required

Full job description

Description

ARA is seeking experienced civil engineers, with emphasis in research related to pavement and geotechnical engineering and pavement/geotechnical asset management, to work full-time in our Transportation Division, Pavement Sciences & Engineering Directorate.

It is strongly preferred that this be an on-site position working in an ARA Transportation Division office. However, a remote work exception may be considered for the right candidate who has a proven track record of success in a remote environment and possesses the experience, professional network, and self-direction necessary to work effectively from a remote location.

We are looking for dynamic engineers who are comfortable with autonomy and leadership, and who enjoy solving complex problems; individuals who want a job that offers challenges that go beyond routine, repetitive tasks. Our engineers are actively involved in all aspects of the research and consulting engineering profession, which includes problem solving, using subject matter knowledge and innovation to offer quality solutions to our clients. Our senior engineers also market to bring in new business, and write high-quality reports, papers, and proposals.

With this position comes the freedom to be innovative and self-directed along with an ability to pursue projects and tasks that are interesting and meaningful. At the same time, candidates must be able to work as a member of an integrated team and exhibit a collegial and professional demeanor towards colleagues and external stakeholders.

Senior civil engineers are expected to:

  • Perform and lead project work in one or more areas related to pavement/geotechnical engineering.

  • Work toward industry status as a subject matter expert.

  • Lead and contribute to business development and marketing efforts.

  • Develop winning proposals in response to RFPs in their area of expertise.

  • Present research and information at conferences, training courses, industry meetings, department meetings, client meetings, etc.

Senior civil engineer requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Civil Engineering.

  • 8+ years of experience related to pavement and/or geotechnical engineering. Graduate/academic research may be considered in partial fulfillment of the experience requirement, if directly applicable.

  • Proven experience of independently leading research projects or research tasks/activities.

  • Strong communication (written and verbal) and organizational skills. Publications in peer-reviewed journals and relevant conference presentations a plus.

  • Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.

  • Candidates selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $92,000 to $106,000/year, depending on education and experience, as well as location. ARA also offers competitive benefits that address our employees’ needs now and in the future. Learn more about each of our benefits at https://www.ara.com/benefits/ .

About ARA:

ARA is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs more than 2,000 professionals and continues to grow. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in civil technologies, computer software and simulation, defense technologies, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for pavement analysis, environmental site characterization, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster) notice from the Department of Labor.

How this job compares

Set against the 5,030 open Civil Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 14, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$92–106K/yr
  • California median$120–176K/yr291 salary ranges
  • US median$91–143K/yr2,877 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $99K, is 33% below the California median midpoint ($147K) — in the lowest quarter of Civil Engineer salary ranges in California.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 338 open Civil Engineer jobs in California and 5,030 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for at least 8 years of experience; Civil Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for 6 years at the median (4,218 postings).
Education
3,751 of the 5,030 open Civil Engineer jobs (75%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 14, 2026. Figures based on too few postings are left out.

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