Bridge / Structural Concrete Carpenter

Terra Constructs; Alexandria (VA); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Terra Constructs is seeking a skilled Bridge / Structural Concrete Carpenter to join our field team in Virginia. You will construct and maintain concrete forms, install falsework, and support concrete placement and curing operations on heavy civil projects.

Work with Foreman and Superintendent to ensure forms are accurate, braced, and aligned, while adhering to safety policies and project specs. Overtime and travel as needed are expected.

Qualifications

• Experience in bridge and heavy civil concrete carpentry.
• Ability to read and interpret basic drawings and elevations.
• Skill in measuring, cutting, and assembling formwork components.

Responsibilities

• Perform carpentry for bridge and structural concrete construction.
• Erect, modify, strip and dismantle concrete formwork and falsework.
• Install and verify embedded items, anchors, and form components.
• Assist with reinforcing steel placement and concrete placement operations.
• Maintain safe work practices and housekeeping on site.
• Follow drawings, specs, and Foreman instructions.

Skills

Bridge carpentry

Structural concrete carpentry

Reading construction drawings

Formwork construction & stripping

Measurement & layout

Reinforcing steel familiarity

Use of hand & power tools

Math for construction

Team bidirectional communication

Overtime and weekend readiness

Education

OSHA 10/OSHA 30 certification

Job description

Bridge / Structural Concrete Carpenter

The Bridge / Structural Concrete Carpenter performs skilled carpentry and concrete construction work associated with bridges, retaining structures, foundations, and other heavy civil concrete structures.

This position is responsible for constructing, installing, maintaining, and removing concrete forms, falsework, shoring, and temporary structures; assisting with reinforcing steel and embedded items; and supporting concrete placement, finishing, curing, and repair operations.

The Carpenter works under the direction of the Foreman and Superintendent and is expected to perform work safely, productively, and in accordance with project drawings, specifications, work plans, and quality requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform carpentry associated with bridge and structural concrete construction.
• Build, erect, brace, modify, strip, and dismantle concrete formwork.
• Construct forms for footings, foundations, abutments, backwalls, wingwalls, retaining walls, piers, columns, pier caps, diaphragms, bridge decks, approach slabs, barriers, and other structural concrete elements.
• Install and work with gang forms, modular forming systems, job-built forms, falsework, shoring, and temporary support systems.
• Measure, cut, drill, assemble, and install lumber, plywood, dimensional material, and manufactured forming components.
• Install form ties, walers, strongbacks, braces, chamfer strips, blockouts, bulkheads, keyways, construction joints, and other form components.
• Assist with establishing and maintaining proper line, grade, elevation, dimensions, and alignment of formwork.
• Use levels, lasers, string lines, measuring tapes, squares, and other layout tools to verify work.
• Install and verify embedded items, sleeves, anchor bolts, dowels, inserts, waterstops, and other components incorporated into concrete structures.
• Assist with reinforcing steel installation when required, including placement of rebar, chairs, supports, and related components.
• Prepare forms for concrete placement, including cleaning, sealing joints, applying form-release agents, and completing final adjustments.
• Assist with pre-pour inspections and correct formwork deficiencies as directed.
• Participate in concrete placement operations, including handling concrete hoses, chutes, buckets, vibrators, screeds, and placement tools.
• Assist with concrete consolidation, screeding, finishing, curing, and protection as required.
• Strip forms without damaging completed concrete and clean, repair, organize, and prepare forming materials for reuse.
• Perform concrete patching, rubbing, grinding, surface repair, and other corrective work as directed.
• Assist with installation of bridge deck overhang systems, edge forms, barriers, and related temporary works.
• Work from scaffolds, aerial lifts, elevated work platforms, pier caps, bridge decks, and other elevated locations when required.
• Assist with rigging and handling forms, materials, reinforcing steel, and structural components.
• Maintain tools, equipment, and work areas in a clean and organized condition.
• Perform additional bridge, concrete, and heavy civil construction duties as assigned.

Safety Responsibilities

• Follow company safety policies, project-specific safety requirements, and applicable OSHA requirements.
• Participate in daily pre-task planning, toolbox talks, and job hazard analyses.
• Wear and properly maintain required personal protective equipment.
• Inspect tools, ladders, scaffolds, fall-protection equipment, and work areas before use.
• Follow fall-protection requirements when working on bridge decks, pier caps, scaffolds, elevated formwork, and other elevated structures.
• Follow safe practices when working around cranes, concrete pumps, excavators, loaders, trucks, and other heavy equipment.
• Follow established procedures for rigging, signaling, lifting, and handling formwork and materials.
• Maintain safe access and housekeeping around formwork, reinforcing steel, excavations, and concrete operations.
• Immediately report unsafe conditions, damaged equipment, incidents, and near misses to the Foreman.

Quality Responsibilities

• Perform work in accordance with project drawings, specifications, approved work plans, and Foreman instructions.
• Verify form dimensions, elevations, alignment, bracing, and stability before concrete placement.
• Ensure forms are properly constructed, sealed, cleaned, and prepared before concrete placement.
• Verify chamfers, blockouts, keyways, construction joints, embeds, anchor bolts, and other required components are correctly installed.
• Protect reinforcing steel, embedded items, and completed concrete from damage during formwork operations.
• Identify damaged, misaligned, or improperly installed formwork and notify the Foreman before concrete placement.
• Maintain workmanship standards that minimize concrete leakage, dimensional deficiencies, surface defects, and unnecessary rework.
• Protect completed concrete during form stripping and subsequent construction activities.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in bridge, heavy civil, commercial, industrial, or structural concrete carpentry preferred.
• Knowledge of concrete formwork construction and stripping methods.
• Ability to read and understand basic construction drawings, dimensions, elevations, and structural details.
• Ability to accurately measure, cut, drill, and assemble formwork materials.
• Ability to use hand and power tools safely and effectively.
• Familiarity with circular saws, reciprocating saws, drills, impact drivers, grinders, rotary hammers, levels, lasers, and other construction tools.
• Basic understanding of reinforcing steel, concrete placement, and structural concrete construction.
• Ability to perform basic construction math, including addition, subtraction, fractions, decimals, and measurements.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a crew and follow instructions from the Foreman and Superintendent.
• Ability to recognize unsafe conditions and communicate concerns promptly.
• Reliable attendance and ability to work required project schedules, including overtime, nights, or weekends when necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous bridge construction experience.
• Experience with cast-in-place bridge substructures and superstructures.
• Experience with bridge decks, overhangs, barriers, abutments, piers, columns, and pier caps.
• Experience with gang forms and modular forming systems.
• Experience with falsework and shoring systems.
• OSHA 10-Hour or OSHA 30-Hour Construction certification.
• First Aid/CPR certification.
• Fall Protection training.
• Scaffold User training.
• Aerial lift training.
• Rigging and Signal Person qualification.
• Experience working on DOT, municipal, federal, or other public infrastructure projects.

Tools & Equipment

The Carpenter may be required to safely use or work around:

• Circular saws and reciprocating saws
• Drills and impact drivers
• Rotary and demolition hammers
• Grinders
• Pneumatic and battery-powered tools
• Levels and laser levels
• Concrete vibrators
• Concrete pumps and placement equipment
• Scaffolding and work platforms
• Aerial lifts
• Fall-protection systems
• Chain falls, come-alongs, and material-handling equipment
• Rigging equipment
• Cranes and lifting operations

Physical Requirements

This position involves physically demanding outdoor construction work. The Carpenter must be able to regularly stand, walk, bend, kneel, squat, climb, reach, push, pull, and lift construction materials and equipment.

The position requires working on uneven terrain, around excavations and heavy equipment, and at elevated locations such as scaffolds, bridge decks, formwork, columns, and pier caps.

Work may be performed in heat, cold, rain, wind, noise, dust, and other typical heavy construction conditions.

Performance Expectations

Successful performance in this position includes:

• Performing assigned work safely and following established procedures.
• Producing accurate, properly aligned, and well-braced formwork.
• Meeting reasonable production expectations established by the Foreman.
• Maintaining quality workmanship and minimizing rework.
• Properly using and caring for company tools, equipment, and materials.
• Maintaining good housekeeping and organized work areas.
• Arriving prepared and on time for scheduled work.
• Working effectively with Foremen, operators, laborers, ironworkers, finishers, and other crew members.
• Following instructions and communicating problems before they affect safety, quality, or production.
• Demonstrating initiative and continually developing bridge and structural concrete construction skills.