Kyle Smith

Kyle leads our geotechnical engineering practice in the Oregon development market. Known for being generous with his time and thoughtful in his approach to solving problems, Kyle begins projects with the end in mind and thinks critically about who will review the work and how it will get built. Every step makes a difference in the quality of our work, and Kyle works with our partners and clients to get it right.

“In my career, I’ve learned that the initial idea is never as good as the solution that surfaces after getting input from our team of design and contractor partners,” Kyle says. “One of the most rewarding parts of my job is getting to interact with a wide variety of people, from owners and design professionals to contractors and city inspectors.”

Kyle understands that often the biggest risk for a real estate developer is what’s in the ground. Because of the uncertainty of what you can’t see, clients can feel like they have a difficult time getting professional opinions without caveats. Kyle’s straight-shooting approach helps clients understand their risks and the pros and cons of different approaches, while backing it up with quality data and experience. The ultimate objective is to help the project development teams make well-informed decisions that are practical and technically sound.

Kyle is licensed and practices in both Washington and Oregon. Over the years, Kyle has managed many high-profile projects such as the ACEC award-winning Seattle Convention Center Summit Addition, Amazon Doppler, Amazon Sonic, Amazon Alf, Amazon Dynamo, Google South Lake Union, Meta Seattle at Arbor Blocks, and the Swedish First Hill Medical Campus Expansion.

At home, Kyle can be found playing sports with his daughter and video games with his son. Since moving to Portland, Kyle has been introduced to trail running—his new favorite hobby!