The posting
About Sense Engineering:
At Sense Engineering, we pride ourselves on exceeding client expectations through exceptional engineering services. We are committed to fostering a positive, supportive and collaborative work environment where every team member contributes to delivering solutions that make a meaningful impact. Sense Engineering has over 130 employees across North America, providing restoration, capital planning, structural, mechanical, electrical, building envelope, accessibility, and energy optimization services for buildings.
Position Overview:
As a Structural Design Engineer (Intermediate) within our growing Vancouver Structural Engineering Team, you’ll you'll help lead the expansion of our practice into new construction – taking ownership of the design and analysis of key structural components across a diverse portfolio, from concept through construction. Much of our work in BC will be focused on mass timber and hybrid structures, utilizing design technology and tools that make architecturally lead buildings possible; you'll be central to it, bringing both strong design judgment and a genuine fluency with the tools that support it.
You'll also lend your structural expertise to restoration and rehabilitation projects that draw on Sense's deep national experience, and coordinate with our structural leaders in other offices to maintain consistent service delivery. You thrive in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment, bring hands-on experience across all phases of project development, and pair technical depth with a client-focused approach.
General Responsibilities:
- Attitude: Exhibit a positive attitude, strong work ethic, and team spirit. Lead by example and inspire collaboration, accountability, and a client-focused mindset.
- Marketing: Represent Sense Engineering's brand through exceptional partner engagement. Represent Sense professionally, building positive relationships with clients, contractors and other consultants.
- Knowledge Development: Enhance your technical expertise and stay current on industry trends and best practices.
Technical Responsibilities:
- Primary responsibility will be to help lead the structural design of new-construction residential, commercial, and institutional buildings from conception to completion, with a strong emphasis on mass timber and hybrid systems.
- Provide structural guidance on restoration and repair projects, and develop solutions for construction errors, existing-structure conditions, and unforeseen site issues.
- Create and compare structural schemes and contribute to basis-of-design and design-strategy documents.
- Perform structural analysis on new and existing structures and carry out design across a wide range of common elements and systems, including lateral systems.
- Carry out construction reviews and coordinate construction-stage solutions with contractors and the design team.
- Assist in structural evaluations through site investigations, condition assessments, and review of existing construction details.
- Present structural schemes to architects and other engineers and coordinate structural design with architectural and non-structural engineering requirements — resolving conflicts as they arise.
- Prepare evaluation reports, construction documents, and project proposals, and represent Sense at client meetings and networking functions.
- Manage project delivery: read project contracts, set and maintain budgets, prepare monthly invoices, manage scope and additional services, and keep project data current in our project-management software.
- Chair internal project meetings, maintain minutes, coordinate with BIM staff, and organize documentation in accordance with QA/QC procedures.
- Collaborate with other project managers to resolve workload issues and conflicting deadlines.
- Delegate and lead others in carrying out design tasks and construction reviews and provide technical mentoring to junior engineers.
- Other duties as assigned/required.
What We're Looking For:
You've designed in mass timber, you think in load paths, and you're drawn to the computational tools that push structural design forward.
- Demonstrated design experience in mass timber (glulam, CLT) and hybrid structures* — this is core to the role, not a nice-to-have.
- Excellent connection design and detailing — you can develop clean, buildable connections across timber, steel, and concrete.
- Minimum five years of structural engineering experience at a consulting firm.
- Bachelor's degree (or above) in structural engineering.
- *P.Eng. registered with EGBC** — or eligible to register in BC by transfer from another Canadian jurisdiction.
- Added bonus – Successfully passed the IStructE – Structural Behaviour Quiz/Exam.
- A strong command of structural behaviour — load paths, gravity and lateral load derivation, systems and elements — with the ability to communicate it through sketches (internal forces, deflected shapes) and connection details across timber, steel, and concrete, including lateral systems.
- Ability to detail connections well.
- Hands-on design and detailing experience on new-construction projects, plus a working sense of construction methods and the relative costs of typical structural materials and building types.
- Proficiency across analysis and modelling software — Revit, plus one or more of ETABS, SAFE, S-Frame, or RAM.
- Design technology skills in Rhino / Grasshopper and Speckle for interoperability and data exchange a distinct asset (Karamba3D or similar parametric structural tools a plus).
- Strong written and verbal communication; prepares, reads, and interprets technical documentation independently.
- A curious, creative problem-solver with a client-centric mindset, strong work ethic, and attention to detail; a team player eager to learn, contribute, and grow.
Why Join Sense Engineering?
- Join a vibrant and supportive team of dedicated professionals who value collaboration and camaraderie - plus, we make time for fun with our monthly social events!
- Work on impactful projects with leading clients and contractors.
- Enjoy opportunities for professional development and knowledge sharing.
- Base Salary Range is $95,000 to $117,000 (commensurate with experience).
- This position is eligible for profit sharing bonuses based on company and individual performance, typically increasing the estimated total compensation range by 15%.
- Eventual opportunities to purchase shares in a successful and growing company.
- Comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your family’s well-being, including a Health Care Spending Account and Wellness Account.
We appreciate the time and effort of all applicants, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates participating in all stages of the selection process.
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