Q&A: Talking with Max Blakemore, Senior Engineering Geologist

At Jacobs, we think differently about the future because today’s challenges demand innovative approaches to deliver a more connected, sustainable world. With a fierce commitment to the spaces we inhabit, both globally and environmentally, we’re continually reinvigorating our efforts to be responsible stewards of the natural world, as we contribute forward-thinking sustainable solutions for our clients.

In this series of Q&As, we’re getting to know members of our Jacobs team working on the iconic Central Interceptor project, the largest wastewater tunnel in New Zealand, to deliver healthier waterways and beaches for Aucklanders.

This time, we asked Max Blakemore about his role as a senior engineering geologist on the Central Interceptor project, what it's like delivering such an iconic project, and what he enjoys about being part of #OurJacobs.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your career with Jacobs so far.

After finishing a master’s degree in Engineering Geology at the University of Leeds, England, I joined Halcrow Group Limited in England. Halcrow was acquired by CH2M Hill in 2013. The acquisition provided a world of opportunities that I was keen to explore. No sooner had I set up my desk in the Warrington office, was I off to Qatar to oversee geotechnical investigation on the Inner Doha Re-Sewerage Implementation Strategy (IDRIS). After nine months, my time in the desert dried up and I moved back to Warrington to work on a package of water and wastewater projects in the north of England.

In 2015, I was fortunate enough to take a sabbatical leave and travel throughout South America, Canada, China, Indonesia and Nepal. On return to work, I spent the next few years primarily working on the M6 J2-J4 Smart Motorway Project in England. Here I managed geotechnical investigation, established ground models, and coordinated staff in our Warrington and Krakow offices to develop earthwork and retaining wall solutions that enabled the road corridor to be widened as it passed around Coventry.

In 2017 Jacobs acquired CH2M, and it wasn’t long before I started seeking more opportunities to work abroad. In 2019 I moved to the southern hemisphere. I’ve been lucky to work in Sydney on the Shoalhaven Pumped Hydro Expansion Project and Auckland, where I now work on the construction management team for Central Interceptor.

What got you interested in a STEAM career?

An affinity for the outdoors. I’ve found that a career in engineering geology strikes a balance between office- and site-based work that suits me well.

Tell us about your role on the Central Interceptor project.

I wear two hats.

As a site engineer, I review the constructability of the Contractor’s temporary works designs, monitor compliance of the Contractor’s construction against permanent design specifications and promote health, safety, and sustainability on site.

As an engineering geologist, I map the ground conditions encountered during excavation and use the data to make a fair assessment of contractor claims; I sit on the Excavation Review Group, who agree on the ground support required to keep workers safe during excavation; and I review the suite of instrumentation positioned around each shaft to monitor convergence, groundwater drawdown and ground settlement.