CIVIL ENGINEER V - SUPERVISING FIELD ENGINEER - IPR#46354

Job Responsibilities

This position is accountable for the direct supervision of a staff of Resident Engineers and Resident Technicians engaged in the construction, supervision, and inspection of highway construction projects in an assigned geographical area within the district. 

Subordinate Personnel:                        10-20 Direct/45-60 Indirect
Value of Construction Projects:             $25 - $300 Million 
Number of Projects under Constr:        20-40

This position reports to the district’s Construction Engineer. Reporting to this position are Senior Resident Engineers, Resident Engineers and Resident Technicians. 

This position functions in a geographical area that may be characterized by both a developed urban area with high traffic volumes and adjoining independent local governmental units as well as remote rural areas. The tasks of constructing efficient and economical highway improvements, while at the same time meeting the demands for safety, mobility and convenience of the public during construction, are complicated by strikes, weather, material shortages and plan changes. The greatest challenge to this position is ensuring that all the projects in the incumbent’s area are adequately staffed, completed on time and meet all specifications for quality of workmanship as well as the variety and scope of engineering problems which are encountered daily and must be treated individually. 

Typical problems encountered by the incumbent are both administrative and technical in nature. Administrative problems frequently involve reviews for validity of time extensions, construction change orders and contractor claims. Typical technical problems involve the application of plan details, special provisions and standard specifications to actual field conditions. Staffing problems involve workload and project subordinate assignments, employee motivation and effectively maintaining a high quality of construction inspection and documentation.

The incumbent personally monitors the progress of construction projects to ensure that the work accomplished conforms to the specifications, plans and policies, and acts as the main source of communication between field personnel and the district’s Construction Engineer. This position also conducts pre-job conferences whereby representatives of local agencies, contractor personnel, the Resident Engineer, Resident Technician and representatives of railroads and utilities (when necessary) are brought together for an explanation and discussion of the proposed work. It is essential that the incumbent have effective problem-solving capability to recommend approval of changes for all design plans for assigned areas, and to properly resolve the technical problems of contract administration as well as problems associated with complaints and concerns from the public and outside interest groups. The incumbent conducts interim and final inspections on completed work and ensures that all documentation is complete and accurate, enabling the contract to be finalized and accepted by federal authorities. 

(Job Responsibilities continued)

The incumbent accomplishes responsibilities with the assistance of a staff of 10 to 20 Resident Engineers and Resident Technicians who are individually responsible for the layout, inspection and documentation of assigned construction projects and for the direct supervision of crews. Staff may be supported with consultant engineering. The incumbent is responsible for the negotiation and administration of agreements for construction engineering and inspection by outside consulting engineering firms.

 
The incumbent’s actions are governed by state and federal policies, plans, standard specifications, and special provisions. The position is expected to exercise considerable independent judgment in expediting construction progress and recommending appropriate action of all change orders initiated by subordinate Resident Engineers and Resident Technicians. The incumbent recommends staffing needs, promotions, and disciplinary actions for subordinate personnel. Those technical problems concerning deviations in the plans and standard specifications are referred to the district’s Construction Engineer along with recommendations for resolutions. 

This position initiates correspondence with contractors, other agencies, and the public, concerning construction projects.  The incumbent maintains daily contact with his/her Resident Engineers, Resident Technicians and staff of the construction office. Frequent contacts are made with both central and district bureaus when construction operations require the coordination of activities among other agencies or when solutions to problems require consultation, recommendations, or approval. Other significant contacts are with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), contractor’s management personnel, local governmental officials and the public. Due to the large geographical area that is assigned to the position, the incumbent will spend a considerable amount of time traveling. 

The effectiveness of this position is measured by the quality and timeliness of the construction work completed, the amount of engineering cost required, the number and severity of complaints received from the public; the promptness with which the incumbent handles these complaints; and the degree of harmony that exists between the incumbent, the contractor’s forces and other state and federal agencies. 

Principal Accountabilities

1.    Ensures construction projects are built according to plans, specifications, and departmental policies and with an acceptable engineering cost.
2.    Ensures complete and accurate documentation to facilitate timely acceptance and finalization of projects.
3.    Ensures timely response to inquiries, complaints, requests, and follow-up action.
4.    Establishes mutual cooperation between the district Bureau of Project Implementation, FHWA, local agencies and other central and district bureaus to reconcile divergent viewpoints on special construction projects.
5.    Trains and motivates subordinate personnel to ensure a well-developed and competent staff.
6.    Resolves disputes between contractors and engineering staff in such a manner as not to compromise quality or costs.
7.    Reviews and recommends improvement of design plans before final approval to reduce construction problems and costs.
8.    Provides engineering construction expertise to local agencies involved in federal-aid projects to assure compliance with contract provisions.
9.    Generates prompt and accurate correspondence necessary for administration of contracts supervised by the incumbent.
10.    Ensures each project in the incumbent’s area is adequately staffed. This may be accomplished with department personnel or consultant personnel. If consultants are utilized, this position shall be responsible for the administration of the consultant agreements.
11.    Performs duties in compliance with departmental safety rules. Performs all duties in a manner conducive to the fair and equitable treatment of all employees.
12.    Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Position Requirements

•    Current registration as a Licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Illinois
•    Five years of experience in civil engineering
•    Valid driver’s license
•    Frequent district-wide travel

Position Desirables

•    Supervisory experience
•    Extensive knowledge of the principles and practices of civil engineering
•    Extensive knowledge of modern methods and techniques as applied to the design, construction and maintenance of public works
•    Ability to supervise the preparation of complete engineering plans and specifications
•    Ability to develop and maintain cooperative relationships with departmental staff
•    Strong oral and written communication skills