Bridge Section Head

Purple Cow Recruiting; Allentown (Lehigh County); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Affordable Medical, Dental & Vision

401(k) Retirement Plan — Traditional

ESOP

Career development

Job summary

Purple Cow Recruiting, in partnership with Heartline Staffing, seeks an experienced Bridge Section Head for a full-time hybrid role in Allentown, PA. The position requires a PE license, 10+ years of structural bridge experience, PennDOT project exposure, and strong leadership to guide a team of engineers.You will oversee planning, design, and delivery, manage budgets, mentor staff, and support business development and client relations while maintaining high technical standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering or related field required.
• PE license required.
• Minimum 10 years structural bridge engineering experience required.
• PennDOT bridge project experience required.
• Strong leadership and project management experience required.
• Business development experience required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a structural bridge engineering section.
• Provide technical leadership to PMs and staff.
• Oversee project planning, design, and delivery of structural projects.
• Manage budgets and staffing resources for the section.
• Support client development and maintain relationships.
• Contribute to proposals and business development efforts.
• Interview and hire engineering staff; conduct performance reviews.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Project management

Business development

Client relations

Budgeting

Scheduling

Proposal writing

Staff coaching

PennDOT experience

Leadership communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) License

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Description

Bridge Section Head | Allentown, PA

Full-Time | Hybrid | Structural Bridge Engineering Leadership

Elizabeth Banzhaf, LPN

Co-Founder & COO | Heartline Staffing

Heartline Staffing, in partnership with Purple Cow Recruiting, is seeking an experienced Bridge Section Head for a full-time hybrid opportunity in Allentown, Pennsylvania. This senior engineering leadership position is designed for a licensed Professional Engineer with extensive structural bridge engineering experience, PennDOT project expertise, project management capabilities, and demonstrated success supporting business development and team growth.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Bridge Section Head will lead and manage a team of structural bridge engineers responsible for the planning, design, and delivery of structural projects. This position provides technical leadership, oversees project execution, manages the section’s financial and staffing resources, and ensures work is delivered on schedule, within budget, and according to high quality standards.

In addition to technical and operational leadership, the Bridge Section Head will play an important role in strategic growth, business development, client relationships, staff development, and maintaining technical excellence across the structural bridge engineering practice.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead and manage a structural bridge engineering section
• Provide technical leadership and expertise to Project Managers and engineering staff
• Oversee structural bridge project planning, design, execution, and delivery
• Coordinate strategic growth plans with Office Managers and Practice Leaders
• Establish and expand market presence through marketing and business-development activities
• Manage the department’s financial budget and allocate resources appropriately
• Lead and contribute to proposal development
• Support client development and maintain strong client and stakeholder relationships
• Establish staffing and resource needs for the section
• Manage section workload and resource allocation across projects
• Interview and hire engineering staff
• Conduct employee performance reviews based on project performance and management feedback
• Establish performance expectations and professional-development goals
• Conduct one-on-one meetings, provide feedback, and coach team members
• Support the professional growth and development of structural engineering staff
• Collaborate with internal leadership regarding staffing, project delivery, market growth, and strategic priorities
• Maintain technical excellence across structural bridge engineering activities
• Ensure projects meet schedule, budget, quality, and client expectations

WORK ARRANGEMENT

• Full-Time
• Hybrid — Allentown, Pennsylvania 18106
• Monday, Tuesday & Thursday — In Office
• Wednesday & Friday — Remote

BENEFITS

• Affordable Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Company-Paid Life and Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Caregiver Leave Program
• 401(k) Retirement Plan — Traditional and Roth Options
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Career Development Programs

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering or Related Field from an Accredited Engineering Program REQUIRED
• Active Professional Engineer (PE) License REQUIRED
• Minimum 10 Years of Structural Bridge Engineering Experience REQUIRED
• Structural Bridge Design and Project Delivery Experience REQUIRED
• Technical Leadership Experience within Structural Bridge Engineering REQUIRED
• Engineering Project Management Experience REQUIRED
• PennDOT Bridge Project Experience REQUIRED
• Business Development Experience REQUIRED
• Experience Managing Project Budgets, Schedules, and Resources REQUIREDExperience Developing or Contributing to Engineering Proposals REQUIRED
• Strong Client and Stakeholder Relationship Skills REQUIRED
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office REQUIRED
• Ability to Work the Required Hybrid Schedule in Allentown, PA REQUIRED
• Experience Working with County and State-Level Clients Preferred
• Formal Supervisory / People Management Experience Preferred

IMPORTANT: This is a senior structural bridge engineering leadership position. Candidates must have substantial hands-on bridge engineering experience in addition to leadership and project management responsibilities. PennDOT bridge project experience and business development experience are required for this search.