Germany continues to invest heavily in the building of tunnels, metro systems, rail networks, highways and the building of underground facilities. All of these projects create excellent opportunities for contractors and companies involved in building infrastructure, but they also create major challenges when it comes to recruiting qualified workers. There are a number of employers that are having difficulties in locating tunnelling engineers with the necessary experience to manage complex construction activities underground.
The construction of tunnels is different from civil construction as it requires additional disciplines such as soil conditions, water pressure, ground movement, ventilation, safety hazards, and high levels of coordination between multiple teams. In addition to this, if the right resources are unavailable for a project, then the project will likely be delayed, excavation will be delayed, tunnel boring machines may not be used as often as necessary, contractors will be put under financial pressure, and clients will find it more difficult to meet deadlines.
This is why there has been a large increase in interest from employers in Germany for the recruitment of tunnelling engineers.
Why Tunnelling Engineers Are Important
The role of a tunnelling engineer is to assist employers with planning, managing and completing the construction underground safely. A tunnelling engineer has a direct impact on the costs associated with the project, overall project safety, the quality of the project and the time taken to complete the project.
They assist employers by providing tunnel excavation planning, site supervision, ground support systems, lining of the tunnel, shaft construction, quality control and safety coordination. They also assist with technical challenges. For example, if a tunnel crosses a weak soil layer, hard rock, or an area with water ingress, the tunnelling engineer will endeavour to ensure that the project being executed uses the correct construction methodology and suitable risk control.
Using a competent tunnelling engineer will help reduce delays, eliminate unsafe practices, and improve the level of coordination between site teams, contractors, design teams and project managers for the employer.
For the employer, this means a reduction in the level of control they have on the project and lower cost overruns.
Growing Demand for Tunnelling Engineers in Germany
Germany will continue to expand their infrastructure, which will only increase the demand for underground construction professional services. Metro expansion, upgrading of rail networks, highway tunnels, utility tunnels, and underground station projects all require the support of experienced engineering professionals.
In addition, as urban centres continue to grow, there will be more need to utilise the underground space more efficiently. transportation infrastructure, water infrastructure, energy infrastructure and utility infrastructure will continue to become more complex and require the use of engineers who have experience with tunnel boring machines, NATM, drill and blast tunnelling, geotechnical investigations, ventilation planning, and ground behaviour.
While at the same time, the demand for tunnelling engineers is increasing, there are also very few qualified engineering professionals to fill these requirements. Employers have typically required candidates with actual tunnel site experience, as well as academic knowledge.
Industries Hiring Tunnelling Engineers
Civil construction companies use tunnelling engineers to aid in tunnel planning, tunnel construction, and execution. Metro rail developers require tunnelling engineers to develop underground stations and rail tunnels. Highway contractors require tunnelling engineers for support services when constructing road tunnels and for developing ventilation systems. Railway engineering companies use tunnelling engineers for support in the design and construction of track tunnels and for developing underground crossings.
Mining companies also need tunnelling engineers who possess a reasonable understanding of both ground stability and excavation risks. Utility infrastructure companies require the assistance of tunnelling engineers in developing and constructing underground pipelines, cables, water systems and service tunnels.
Additionally, engineering, procurement and construction companies (EPCs) require tunnelling engineers for their large multi-phase infrastructure projects that require a high level of cooperation between engineering & design, safety/quality/and contractor coordination.
Challenges Employers Face
Tunnelling engineers are highly specialised; as such, employers face many challenges when hiring tunnelling engineers. For example, many employers have reported having limited availability of qualified individuals to fill tunnelling engineering positions, competing with other companies for underground construction specialists, long hiring cycles and high recruitment costs.
In order to find an engineer with experience using a tunnel boring machine (TBM), or who possesses experience working with the new Austrian tunnelling method (NATM), or is experienced in drill and blast tunnelling, tunnel lining, shaft work, and geotechnical risk, makes the challenge significantly more difficult.
The second most significant challenge to employers is the timely mobilisation of tunnelling engineers. Since tunnelling projects often follow a strict construction schedule, if tunnelling engineers are not mobilised on time, the whole construction sequencing can be affected.
For companies managing multiple tunnelling projects, the complexity of workforce planning will increase.
The Cost of Leaving Tunnelling Engineer Roles Vacant
The impact of having unfilled tunnelling engineer positions can be detrimental to a business.
The absence of one tunnelling engineer's role in a project can create delays in excavation planning, delays in site informational decision-making, increase pressure on project teams, idle equipment, cause contractors to wait for approvals, cause safety check approvals to require more time, and weaken quality control.
The business impact may include:
- Delays in Tunnel Construction
- Increased Construction Costs
- Idle Equipment
- Delayed Project Milestones
- Increased Contractor Costs
- Decreased Productivity
- Increased Risk to Safety
- Decreased Satisfaction from Clients
- Contractual Penalties
One delay in the construction of a tunnel may result in multiple related delays. Therefore, employers should have Tunnelling Engineers on staff prior to any issues arising.
Why International Recruitment Is a Smart Solution
By recruiting internationally, employers are able to tap into engineers within the speciality of engineering, particularly when it comes to tunnelling projects. Many experienced engineers in other countries have worked on tunnel projects, including metro, rail, highways, mining, utility, and underground station projects – and this all translates into support for employers in Germany.
Employment from international sources helps employers reduce the time needed to hire for open vacancies, filling critical technical roles much faster. Employers are also able to improve the planning for their workforce and build long-term engineering teams.
With a strong recruitment partner, employers can use the right systems to hire engineers more systematically and dependably.
How Dynamic Staffing Services Helps Employers
Dynamic Staffing Services supports employers in their recruitment of Qualified Tunnelling Engineers in Germany.
Our recruiting process is based on the needs of the project, technical skills, and ability to perform consistently.
Recruiting Internationally
Dynamic Staffing Services has access to vast amounts of data in our database of engineering networks, allowing us to identify experienced Tunnelling Engineers for our clients easily.
Supporting Engineering Recruitment
We assist in hiring Tunnelling Engineers for Tunnelling, Metro, Track, Highway, Utility, Mining, and Civil Engineering projects.
Technical Screening
The engineer candidate will be reviewed for their tunnelling project experience, construction methods and techniques, technical knowledge, and site exposure.
Qualification Verification
We verify the educational background, licenses, and engineering degrees of the candidate by requesting appropriate documentation.
Underground Experience Assessment
The candidate’s experience with Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), NATM, blasting, lining, shaft construction, geotechnical conditions, and on-site supervision is reviewed.
Documentation Support
We provide support to our clients through the recruitment process by providing all required forms and information.
Visa Services
We support our clients through the visa and work permit processes when hiring internationally.
Deployment Coordination
The candidates selected to support the client’s project schedule are deployed in an efficient manner.
Why Employers Choose Dynamic Staffing Services
Expertise in Recruitment for Underground Infrastructure
Specialist recruitment support is required for tunnelling projects. Dynamic Staffing Services understands that underground engineering recruitment is distinct from traditional construction recruitment and demands technical expertise, safety awareness, site decision-making experience, and experience of working in adverse work environments.
Identifying Job Requirements in Relation to Engineers
Each tunnelling project has unique requirements for the qualifications of the Tunnelling Engineer being sourced. For instance, some tunnelling projects require TBM experience; others NATM, drill and blast, shaft construction or geotechnical experience. Dynamic Staffing Services performs detailed matching of candidates against these various types of tunnelling and project requirements, including tunnelling type, construction method, complexity of project and customer needs.
Evaluate Technical Capabilities Prior to Short-listing Candidates
Prior to the recommendation of shortlisted candidates, Dynamic Staffing Services will conduct an evaluation on the engineering qualification(s), underground project experience, technical skills and site leadership capability of candidates submitted for short-listing.
Reduced Time to Hire for Critical Infrastructure Projects
Tunnelling projects can lose critical time if there are unfilled vacancies in the technical positions. Dynamic Staffing Services utilises a structured process to reduce delays in hiring and to assist with achieving project schedules.
Long-Term Infrastructure Workforce Planning Support
Dynamic Staffing Services provides support to employers well beyond individual vacancy levels by assisting companies with workforce planning in preparation for future project expansion, as well as assessing long-term infrastructure workforce needs.
Simple Process for Employers to Hire Engineers
Step 1-Understanding Project Requirements
As an established industrial recruitment agency in Germany, Dynamic Staffing Services will discuss with the customer the type of tunnelling to be completed, construction methods to be utilised, site conditions, timelines for projects and engineering requirements.
Step 2-Source Candidates Internationally
Using their international recruitment agencies, Dynamic Staffing Services can match suitable tunnelling engineers with the respective project specifications and requirements.
Step 3-Technical Screening and Engineering Assessment
Candidates will be screened against their underground construction experience, knowledge of the job site, and technical competencies.
Step 4-Validate Qualifications and Documentation
Validate engineering qualifications and work history, as well as review documentation required for the identified candidate.
Step 5-Support for Visa and Work Permit Processes
Dynamic Staffing Services will assist in preparing visa and work permit applications for the selected candidates.
Step 6-Deployment and Integration
Once the engineer has been selected, Dynamic Staffing Services will deploy the engineer to the project team and site operations.
Build Reliable Engineering Teams for Underground Projects
Germany's continued investment in underground infrastructure will expand the demand for qualified Tunnelling Engineers. Companies that establish dependable engineering groups now will be in a better position to provide safe, efficient and successful projects in the long run.
By partnering with an experienced international recruitment agency in Germany, Dynamic Staffing Services assists employers in recruiting proficient Tunnelling Engineers via global recruitment, job skill assessment, documented assistance, visa help and workforce deployment.
To employ Tunnelling Engineers for Germany, consult with Dynamic Staffing Services now.
- Email: clientservices@dss-hr.com
- Phone: +91-11-40410000
Client Testimonials
Matthias Keller
Project Director of a Metro Rail Construction Firm
Our project's underground metro segment was delayed because of the unavailability of experienced Tunnelling Engineers within the area. The project required engineers with knowledge of tunnelling excavation, underground support structures, and contractor coordination. Dynamic Staffing Services aided in sourcing qualified technical candidates that met our needs; therefore, allowing us to get these engineers on board expeditiously to help establish significantly enhanced site planning capabilities. Through their assistance, we improved our project's completion rate and lessened the burden on our company's regional staff.
Jonas Weber
Engineering Manager at a Highway Infrastructure Company
Our tunnelling highway project necessitated hiring tunnel-boring machine- and liner-experienced Engineers. Our company was a giant, and recruitment locally was laborious, time-consuming, and cost-prohibitive; there was no way our building timeframe would accommodate using local engineers. On receiving an understanding of our technical posts needed, Dynamic Staffing Services provided extensively vetted candidate referrals meeting our established qualifications; their engineers also aided in improving site operations, reporting, and quality control; we had an enjoyable recruitment encounter with them and intend to utilise them for ongoing use during our future employment recruiting.
Elena Hoffmann
Human Resource Manager at a Civil Engineering EPC
We were seeking to procure multiple Tunnelling Engineers as we had a number of ongoing underground-based projects. Managing international workforce planning, documentation, and hiring became increasingly difficult for our team's resources. Dynamic Staffing Services provided us with assistance in candidate sourcing, screening, supporting documentation, visa assistance, and coordinating the deployment of qualified Tunnelling Engineers. Their services are efficiently processed and result in engineers who complied with our position specifications; as a result, we could "shore up" our tunnelling project engineering resource supply significantly.
