materials technician

geotechnical engineer

construction inspector

civil designer

inspector

Kleinfelder

I was inspired to prepare this review when I saw this turnstile location was hiring, yet again. The following summarizes my experience with them.

First off, I was employed there for two months before I was fired. I thought I was doing well---I completed a half dozen projects and helped on many others. I was even complimented by the higher ups that reviewed my work, with the exception of one, a biology degree, that told me on one particular project I wrote like a fifth grader, and that I didn't describe the flora and fauna of a property well enough. This particular property had never been developed in its entire existence. Since I didn't perform the site visit, I was merely writing this report based on the notes and photos of someone that did. I suppose Kleinfelder provides bonus material, if not non-ASTM standards, to their clients. I jest, but if they did, they could have simply explained that to me, rather than put me down and insult me. As an aside, technical writing was one of the tougher classes I remember taking in college, in that I had to write like a fifth grader, in plain terms that a client would understand. I mean, perish the thought that a vendor is condescending to the client.

In the second month of my tenure, they moved to a larger office, we all did our part in helping with the move. However, on the first real day in the new location, "management" brought me into their office (there were two at this location "managing" the three of us, by the way), and told me I wasn't a good fit and they let me go. I suppose by him saying I wasn't a good fit meant that I didn't come in whenever I wanted like they did, mostly after 10:00, wearing T-shirts, shorts, and flip flops, or brew beer in the warehouse while on the clock. He even explained to me the finer points of moving the grains around while adding the water.

I do believe the turning point was when I had a hard time preparing a graph or chart for a report I was working on, and I asked for help to complete it. "Management" didn't like that very much, so he became visibly upset and berated me. Well, it wasn't a very nurturing experience, but this happened during the move, and they strung me along to help them move before they made their move with the pink slip. I packed up, moved, and unpacked twice in as many days. It really would have been nice on their part to cut me loose before the move. On top of that, to illustrate how petty they were, "management" watched me load up my car, and he sent his admin out to take back the $50 snake boots I had expensed when I first got hired on. That's neither here, nor there. Actually, it's not here, because it's there, in the warehouse collecting dust, because who wears someone else's worn boots?

PS, I completed the graph on my own, and the report went out on time.

Expected to do more than job description. People have been known to work until burnout & lashing out, in the work environment (followed by their dismissal). High turnover rates. Management wants senior level of work for junior level pay. Preferential of new hires to be juniors. Management wants to maximize their utilization rates, high chances of bidding for projects with names of the experienced to do the work, but actual work is done by inexperienced juniors.
Expected to self learn procedures, skillset, software, specialty equipment, etc. (very little formal training if any).
Referral program tends to just bring in anybody so the referrer can get extra cash.
Some cases people are placed in positions that they are not qualified (with no related background) due to who they know within the company.
Working from home culture. Minimal in person interactions when in the office.
Some take advantage of working from home & likely are not even around on their computer when trying to collab, some, likely have Teams installed on their personal phone to pretend to be at their desk. Working from home could also be the best part when you have personal obligations to tend to, just install Teams on your phone.
There is a "boys' club" mentality with some employees, who tend to gossip. 
There are some serious concerns with health & safety violations when going client's facility to do some scanning, carrying extensive amounts of weighted equipment up ladders.

I had a great time working at Kleinfelder for several years, great colleagues, challenging work, plenty of billable hours.  That finally changed as work began to dry up and then the CEO "retired".  Things quickly snapped back from a whole company culture to an office focused obsession with the bottom line by management.  The best and brightest have been streaming out the doors while those whose job it is to win work and "manage" have steadily fallen into the good old boy ways that have always been present, but again dominate the day to day workings of the company.  If you have passion and vision, but lack authority, it is best to shut up and toe the line however displeasing it seems, or you will find yourself on the wrong side of someone who falls more in the category of a boss than a leader.  The day to day stress of trying to remain invisible to those we are supposed to respect as our leaders is palpable in the office.  Yet this behavior from leadership is not only tolerated, it is rewarded.  I only hope the new CEO can turn it around before it's too late.  It has been sad to witness this quick decline first hand.

Most of the people with prior experience invited to work at the Kingsville location have been told things that were blatant lies just to get them there, like they'll be made into managers soon. The turnover rate is the highest I've ever seen at company; at an office of about 20 field scientists, the longest anyone has stayed is about 2 years. 

The manager at this location has a lot of issues. People do not like coming to him because he insults you to your face for asking him any question. He then asks team members why no one likes coming to him with problems (seriously). 

As for the work, it's 100% a field tech position. You're just augering soil or sampling wells nonstop. That's it. The work is beyond monotonous and the biological hazards (ticks, snakes, large spiders, etc) coupled with sweltering Texas heat make it not work it. That coupled with the awful manager has resulted in a really high turnover rate.
 
I think the company itself is great but transferring out of this location is difficult because they have to keep people there. The Area Managers are the only ones with any semblance of a career; every other person there is just assisting them with their work. They only care about professional development if it benefits them in some way, hence the reason everyone is kept as field techs.

I find my position to be very busy, stressful at times, but overall very satisfying.
I have learned a great deal working with my team and other teams while here. Kleinfelder has allowed me to take on responsibilities outside my traditional responsibilities and this has provided me with career growth I have not had with previous employers.
I have a manager that is supportive and direct. Goals are discussed and established together, guidance is provided, constructive feedback. My manager is current with the industry and does a good job of ensuring the tools needed to be successful in the role are available to us. 
I really like the people I work with, it is a great team that gets along well. It is nice being able to take time off and know you are being covered.
I really enjoy that even though we all sit in different locations geographically that I know this team. Upper management makes effort to bring the team together for in person meetings.

Worked as a tech in the Fresno office. could not have been more disappointed. Positive: I enjoyed working with the techs and my immediate supervisor was a great guy. Negatives: Routinely sent on jobs without proper equipment, I was specifically told not to follow caltrans test methods by lab management, and myself and 2 others who were hired around the same time were denied medical benefits. To hear that I have worked for a company 6 months and I had no medical insurance is absurd. To pile on some more, the trucks for field techs had expired registration! However, if you like working on prevailing wage projects without making prevailing wage, or an office environment that is highly political and clique-y kleinfelder is for you. I attempted to transfer to other offices on 2 occasions, but was denied both times, then when I quit I was told by the regional manager he didn't take my request seriously. Of the 4 construction management companies I have been a part of, kleinfelder is the worst, and its not even debatable. I cannot in any way endorse this company from either employee or client perspective.

Working for Kleinfelder gave knowledge of various Civil Engineers. The job required knowledge of Microsoft Office, accurate typing skills, and the ability to work well under pressure.  A typical day at Kleinfelder may consist of:

Payroll entry:
Entering time for over 70 employees into the Oracle system

Calendar/Memos/Letters/Spreadsheet:
Created and managed company calendar, as well as, various company memos, letters and spreadsheets

Accounts Payable:
Attaching backup, coding for processing, copying, and filing

Petty Cash Fund:
Maintaining company petty cash register, check writing, and report

Weekly Meetings:
Weekly meetings were held to keep management abreast of every aspect of our weekly progress

Billing:
Maintaining and Processing Billing for various clients upon engineers approval.  

Relieved receptionist for lunch:
Answered multi-line phone system, took messages, sorted mail, general clerical duties

My position is fairly unique.  I am in the field 100% of the time and work with the Client and the Contractors most of the time.  I have very little contact with the office and my Supervisors have enough confidence in my ability to manage a project so they have minor contact.
   My coordinators who handle all of the paper work such as Submittals, CCDs, Pay Requests,  Meeting Minutes,  etc.  are all the greatest.  I feel we have a good working relationship which includes social gatherings.
   We all get together several times during the projects to put on a BBQ for all of the Plant Personnel,  Water Department,  City Hall, DEP,  and the Contractors Crew.  
   I feel I have a great "Position" and enjoy coming to work every day.  I have not taken a sick day in twelve years except for time off for major hip replacement.  I can't believe I get paid for this.  There are no real hard parts to the job.

Kleinfelder has been going downhill for quite some time.  It was ok in 2006, and has been backsliding ever since.  Instead of making adjustments where they need to be made (see the review summary for a hint), the good ole boys in charge seem to believe that shell games (posing, company structure, and various other forms of veneer strategy), acquisitions, debt loading and subsequent panic layoffs and/or office closings is the answer to the misery.  

The strangest behavior and most unprofessional things I've seen and heard in my career have come straight from the mouths of senior managers at Kleinfelder.  I could write a book. Fire you senior managers, replace them with real experience if you take the future of Kleinfelder seriously.

Too many people leaving the company including the VP who left for the competition.  Lack of experienced staff and because of that lack of work being awarded to Kleinfelder.  Made lots of promises and did not deliver on a single one of them.  Management seems to be more concerned with taking paid time off than acquiring new work.  Management and supervisors are hard to impossible to get on the telephone.  Safety program staff does not feel the need to support.   Company expects you to use your vehicle for all company business and your bank account and the expense difficult to continuously fill in to recover your funds, so difficult most people just give it away free.  Stay away from this company unless you have a contract.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Materials technician 51 salaries reported	$28.90 per hour
Geotechnical engineer 35 salaries reported	$119,512 per year
Construction inspector 38 salaries reported	$33.56 per hour
Civil designer 18 salaries reported	$92,481 per year
Inspector 55 salaries reported	$42.33 per hour

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