Principal Project Engineer Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
Principal project engineer jobs in California span aerospace giants like Raytheon and Northrop Grumman in Southern California, semiconductor leaders in Silicon Valley, and clean energy firms along the Bay Area and San Diego corridors. Major employers across Los Angeles, San Jose, San Diego, and Sacramento regularly sponsor visas for senior engineering talent driving complex, multi-disciplinary programs.
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Take Your Design Career to the Next Level
Kleinfelder, a Forbes' Top Employer for Engineers in North America, is committed to a people-first culture, technical excellence, and creating opportunities where employees can thrive! Are you ready to be challenged, make a difference, and experience professional growth in your career? Kleinfelder’s Design team is looking for you! From bridge and structural engineering to civil, electrical, mechanical, and process engineering, Kleinfelder’s collaborative Design Services create synergy across multiple disciplines.
Step into Your New Role
Kleinfelder is seeking a Senior / Principal Geotechnical Engineer / Project Manager reporting to our Corporate Headquarters office in San Diego, California. The role will be hybrid with remote, in-office, and occasional field work opportunities. This is a great opportunity for someone looking for a role where they can manage and execute challenging projects, partner with junior and senior geotechnical engineers, provide mentorship to junior staff, collaborate with multidiscipline teams, engage with clients, and participate in business development and pursuits.
Our team works on challenging and interesting projects within a design center that includes bridge, structural, civil, and water resources engineers, environmental professionals, and laboratory and construction oversight personnel. We work on a large variety of both public and private infrastructure systems ranging from small to large-scale bridges, transit systems, roadways, water and storm water systems, tunnels and HDD installations, commercial structures, deep excavations, and more, all while managing complexities of dense urban sites or difficult mountainous terrain.
Responsibilities:
- Coordinate with and lead multidiscipline teams to prepare proposals and execute projects
- Safely manage and execute field exploration programs and construction oversight activities
- Perform, delegate, and oversee a variety of geotechnical engineering analyses including: soil and rock classification, shallow and deep foundation design, immediate and consolidation settlement, slope stability, seismic hazard evaluation (including ground motions, liquefaction, and lateral spreading), and earth retention systems
- Prepare Geotechnical Engineering reports, memorandums, proposals, specifications, and other related deliverables
- Be actively involved during the construction phase of projects including RFI and submittal reviews and oversight of construction observation activities
- Positively interact with client representatives and generate business with new and existing clients
- Development of scope of work, project budgets, work breakdown structures, and schedules
- Manage project teams, budgets, schedules, delegate project tasks and mentor junior staff
- Manage and mentor geotechnical team members
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in civil/geotechnical/geological engineering; Master’s degree strongly preferred
- Professional Engineer (PE) license in California is required. GE license, or ability to obtain one within one year of hire is strongly desired
- Approximately 12 or more years of geotechnical engineering experience with project management experience
- Positive work attitude and ability to work safely and efficiently when managing multiple tasks
- Ability to work independently and with a team in a multi-disciplinary environment
- Ability to lead and manage project deliverables, budgets, and schedules while mentoring junior staff
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Ability to work with external clients and maintain positive client relationships
- Working knowledge of standard business software including Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Experience using VBA in Excel a plus.
- Experience with various geotechnical software packages such as LPile, APile, SHAFT, GROUP, GEO STUDIO (Slope/W, Seep/W, Sigma/W), SLIDE, Settle3, and MSEW
- Clean driving record and the ability to pass a drug test required
- Ability to commute to the office, external client meetings, and project sites within and in the vicinity of San Diego
- Management experience of technical staff a plus
Following an offer, candidates will be required to satisfactorily complete employment reference checks, verification of professional licensure and/or educational credentials, a motor vehicle report (MVR), and a comprehensive background check.
Move Forward with Kleinfelder
Kleinfelder and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, has been connecting great people to the best work since 1961. We are engineers, scientists, and construction professionals providing solutions that improve our clients’ transportation, water, energy, and other private infrastructure. As a responsive, cross-disciplinary team of bright, curious, and innovative problem-solvers, we are dedicated to doing the right thing, every day, on every project from over 110 offices in the US, Canada, and Australia. Connecting great people to the best work is our purpose – together, we deliver.
Progress with an Employer that Values You
Kleinfelder, and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, is an inclusive organization free from discrimination. We are a stronger organization when we are a diverse workforce and believe that through diversity, equity, and inclusion comes creativity, innovation, and unity.
Benefits:
Kleinfelder, and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, offers an excellent compensation and benefits package, including: medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k) plan, and paid holidays. California: The expected salary range for the position is displayed in accordance with the California Pay Transparency Law. Final agreed upon compensation is based upon individual qualifications and experience.
- Salary Range: $133,494 - $227,531.
Career Development:
We are committed to investing in the professional development of our staff, offering each employee every opportunity to grow, develop, and take control of their career paths. We support these efforts through reimbursements for continuing education as well as many of the expenses associated with trainings and certifications, and opportunities for career development through our internal Mentoring Program.
Equal Opportunity:
Kleinfelder, and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans. (Compliant with the new VEVRAA and Section 503 rules)
NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES
Please note that Kleinfelder, and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Recruitment Fee Agreement, Kleinfelder, and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, will not consider or agree to payment for any referral compensation or recruiter fee. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement, Kleinfelder, and its’ subsidiaries and affiliates, explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited resume, including those submitted to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Kleinfelder.
Principal Project Engineer Job Roles in California
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Search Principal Project Engineer Jobs in CaliforniaPrincipal Project Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies in California sponsor visas for principal project engineers?
California's aerospace, defense, and semiconductor sectors produce the highest concentration of principal project engineer sponsorships. Employers such as Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Intel, and Applied Materials have consistent H-1B visa Labor Condition Application filings for senior engineering roles. Clean energy and electric vehicle companies in the Bay Area and Los Angeles are also active sponsors for candidates with the required advanced engineering credentials.
What visa types realistically fit principal project engineer roles in California?
Principal project engineer is a specialty occupation requiring at minimum a relevant engineering bachelor's degree, so H-1B is the primary path for most international candidates. Canadian and Mexican nationals holding an engineering degree may qualify under the TN visa through the USMCA Engineer category. Candidates from Australia can explore the E-3 visa, which also requires a specialty occupation and carries a separate annual allocation. EB-2 and EB-3 employment-based green cards are common long-term pathways at large California engineering employers.
How to find principal project engineer visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate lists California employers with verified sponsorship history for principal project engineer roles, letting you focus on companies that have already filed for senior engineering positions rather than applying broadly. The platform covers active openings across aerospace, semiconductor, defense, and clean energy employers in Los Angeles, San Jose, San Diego, and Sacramento, which are the four cities where sponsorship activity for this role is most concentrated in the state.
Which California cities have the most principal project engineer sponsorship jobs?
Los Angeles and its South Bay corridor dominate due to aerospace and defense contractors headquartered there. San Jose and the broader Silicon Valley area generate significant volume from semiconductor and advanced hardware companies. San Diego is a strong hub for defense technology and biomedical engineering firms. Sacramento sees demand from utility-scale energy and infrastructure project employers, particularly as California accelerates its grid modernization and water infrastructure programs.
Are there state-specific factors that affect visa sponsorship for principal project engineers in California?
California's size and industry diversity mean sponsorship patterns differ sharply by region. Defense and aerospace employers in Southern California often require security clearance eligibility, which can complicate sponsorship for some visa categories. The state's large public university system, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UC San Diego, creates a pipeline of advanced-degree engineering talent that many California employers tap before seeking international hires, so demonstrating specialized expertise at the principal level is particularly important when pursuing sponsorship here.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored principal project engineer jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.