ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN IV - ROADSIDE MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST - IPR#46584

Job Responsibilities

This position is accountable for the design, construction, and maintenance of roadway landscape features to ensure safety, compatibility, preservation, and aesthetics within the highway system; oversight of all rest areas; management of the district vegetation control program including safety, aesthetic, and environmental considerations; for serving as the district Erosion Control Coordinator and assisting or acting as district Adopt-a-Highway coordinator.  

Subordinate Personnel:                  4 Direct, 1-3 Seasonal
Annual Operating Budget:              $350,00 - $450,000
Interstate Rest Areas:                     6 Facilities, 4 Locations
Rest Area Budget:                          Over $1,000,000
Annual Program Contract Value:    $100,000 - $500,000

This position reports to the Services and Development Technician. Reporting to this position is a Roadside Development Specialist, Highway Maintainers, and up to three seasonal employees. 

This position is responsible for roadway landscape planning and implementation, rest area operations, furnishing detailed information on erosion control to other district groups, serving as the district Erosion Control  Coordinator, administering tree replacement and historical marker programs, developing and implementing a maintenance vegetation control program, coordinating the district's pesticide and herbicide programs including operator/applicator training and testing, responding to complaints and inquiries, emergency call-outs, utility tree trimming permits, weed spraying and right-of-way restoration activities in District 2. This position may assist or act as the District 2 Coordinator for the Adopt-A-Highway Program. The incumbent will be responsible for ensuring the location is safe, possibly issuing permits, for working with the maintenance yards to provide supplies, and for helping coordinate with the volunteer groups for a successful program. He/she will also work with the Operations Services Technician and the Statewide Coordinator for any new adaptations or changes to the program. 

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Typical problems facing the incumbent are the preparation of contract plans and specifications for weed control, tree removal, sod repair, living snow fence plantings and other landscape related projects; management of roadside vegetation; oversight of rest area operations and repairs; assuring proper erosion control procedures are followed; resolving contract disputes regarding erosion features and landscaping materials; training and supervising subordinate staff, and following proper procurement guidelines. The major challenge facing this position is to maintain a cooperative working relationship with Operations staff throughout the district, the other  District 2 Bureaus, and contract vendors, including the sheltered workshops, that will allow the Roadside Management Specialist to accomplish his/her responsibilities. Additional challenges include the development of landscape plans and procedures that improve aesthetics and the environment of the highway, but do not affect the safe operation of vehicles nor conflict with the contiguous land use or development. 

Functions personally performed by the incumbent include maintaining contact with the district Bureaus of Program Development and Project Implementation regarding erosion control procedures, resolving drainage problems, plant specification/material inspection issues, supervising all rest area functions which include development and administration of sheltered work shop and service contracts, coordinating water and sanitation treatment processes with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and local health departments, 24-hour per day response to unusual or emergency rest area problems, serving as district Erosion Control Coordinator, oversight of district weed spraying, vegetation control, tree removal pollinator rehab contracts, and working with the district Safety and Claims staff to develop and teach any landscape related training including proper chainsaw and chipper use, and oversight of annual Illinois Department of Agriculture applicator/operator license training and testing. 

The incumbent accomplishes his/her accountabilities through the following staff: 

Roadside Development Specialist: who assists the Roadside Management Specialist in the design, construction, and maintenance of the roadway landscape features to ensure safety, compatibility, preservation, and aesthetics within the system. 

Highway Maintainers: who assist in the maintenance of the roadway and rest area landscape features to ensure safety, compatibility, preservation, and aesthetics within the system. 
 

Seasonal Staff: who, while on summer or winter assignment, assist the Roadside Management Specialist and his/her staff with special projects or daily responsibilities. 

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The position is governed by department and district policies, fiscal restrictions of the bureau and district, rules  of the Central Management Services, and contracts negotiated with the Teamster's technical and negotiated rate staff.  He/she has principal accountability for the roadside staff and makes recommendations for retention or release of employees and salary adjustment recommendations on assigned technical employees. The incumbent has considerable responsibility for the purchase of contractual services, commodities, and equipment. 

This position has frequent day and night contacts outside the department with public officials, general public, city and county officials, railroad officials, state police, sheriff's offices, and city police, with items ranging from routine issues along the roadsides or at rest areas to various emergency situations. Outside contacts are also made with contractors and material and equipment suppliers. Activities require this position to have regular contact with every bureau in the district, frequent contacts with the central Bureaus, including the central Bureau of Operations, and regular contact with other districts. This position requires statewide travel with occasional overnight stays and overtime. 

The effectiveness of this position can be measured by the overall appearance and aesthetics of the district roadside, the district's compliance with erosion and sediment control policies/permits, the safe and efficient maintenance or repair of the district rest areas, timely resolution to issues, the prompt and efficient handling  of complaints from the public, timely completion of work programs, and the fostering of a cooperative relationship between roadside and district staff to ensure responsibilities are accomplished. 

Principal Accountabilities

1. Directs manpower and other resources for the safe and efficient maintenance and operation of the rest areas and roadsides.
2. Prepares all landscape plans, specifications, and contracts and the district Vegetation Management Plan.
3. Ensures the effectiveness of the district erosion control process.
4. Retains and improves highway aesthetics/environment through effective roadside management practices.
5. Trains, motivates, and evaluates staff.
6. Accountable for the timely resolution of requests and inquiries from the public, public officials, and other agencies regarding.
7. Resolves roadside and rest area problems by written, personal, and telephone contact.
8. Prepares and monitors the roadside and rest area maintenance budget including maintain records to affirm expenditures within allocations and provides proper justification for future budgets.
9. Helps coordinate the District 2 Adopt-A-Highway Program which includes investigating locations, issuing permits, providing supplies, and coordinating with the volunteer groups.
10. Performs duties in compliance with departmental safety rules. Performs all duties in a manner conducive to the fair and equitable treatment of all employees.
11. Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of those enumerated above.

Qualifications

Position Requirements

• Education/Experience
  • Completion of two years of college in civil engineering technology, pre-engineering or a job related technical/science curriculum PLUS five years of engineering/landscape architect experience; OR
  • Seven years of engineering /landscape architect experience
• Valid Driver’s License
• Statewide travel with occasional overnight stays and overtime
• 24 hour per day on call availability
• Illinois Department of Agriculture Application Pesticide, Right-of-Way and Aquatics Application licenses or equivalent

Position Desirables

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of civil engineering and the application of engineering techniques to design, construction, and maintenance of public works
• Knowledge of mathematics and its application to project design, field surveying and engineering computational activities.
• Ability to supervise a staff engaged in either field or office engineering functions and perform job duties independently, with minimal guidance or supervision
• Strong oral and written communication skills