Chief Civil Engineer

City of Birmingham; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Employer-sponsored retirement plan (p<

Paid holidays and vacation leave

Job summary

The City of Birmingham is seeking a seasoned Chief Civil Engineer to lead planning, design, construction, and maintenance of municipal infrastructure. You will direct multidisciplinary teams, review complex designs, and ensure projects meet deadlines, budgets, and safety standards.

This role requires public-sector leadership, strong regulatory knowledge, and the ability to translate community needs into capital improvements across transportation, stormwater, and utilities.

Qualifications

• Licensed Professional Engineer in Alabama, or ability to obtain through reciprocity within 6 months of hire.
• ABET-accredited Civil Engineering degree (or closely related field).
• Bachelor’s degree, or higher, in Civil Engineering or related field from ABET program.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, monitor, and administer department budgets; review spending trends and ensure expenditures stay within limits.
• Enforce permits issued to contractors or developers and monitor construction for permit compliance.
• Interact with the public, officials, and other agencies to inform and address infrastructure project queries.
• Review permit applications and plans to ensure compliance with codes and standards.
• Oversee construction projects designed by consultants/contractors and ensure adherence to approved plans and permits.
• Oversee design phases of public infrastructure projects by reviewing data, inspecting sites, and preparing construction plans in line with standards.
• Supervise staff by assigning work, guiding duties, and providing training.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Public sector experience

Budget management

Regulatory compliance

Education

ABET-accredited Civil Engineering degree

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Job description

The City of Birmingham is seeking well qualified Chief Civil Engineers to serve as the senior engineering authority responsible for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of public infrastructure projects. Workers in this position lead multidisciplinary engineering teams and oversee a variety of capital improvement initiatives, including transportation systems, stormwater management, and other municipal infrastructure. The Chief Civil Engineer provides strategic direction on these projects and is responsible for ensuring compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, and engineering standards and best practices. Responsibilities include reviewing and approving technical designs, managing project budgets and schedules, coordinating with contractors and consultants, and advising executive leadership and elected officials on infrastructure planning and policy. Employees in this job require strong technical expertise, leadership, and public-sector experience to ensure that infrastructure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, sustainably, and in alignment with community needs and long-term development goals.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

• The City of Birmingham provides competitive pay and comprehensive benefits packages to include medical and dental insurance, employer-sponsored retirement plan (pension), generous paid holidays, sick and vacation leave, and more.

$85,092 - $132,017

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Driver’s license
• Licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Alabama, OR, have the ability to obtain your PE License within Alabama through reciprocity within 6 months of being hired.
• Bachelor’s degree, or higher, in Civil Engineering or other closely related Engineering field (e.g., Environmental, Mechanical, Structural) from an ABET accredited program.
• Professional Engineering experience, including experience as a lead project manager directly responsible for successful design or construction of complex public works infrastructure projects (e.g., roadways, bridges, sidewalks, drainage systems, water treatment, sewer).

TYPICAL JOB DUTIES:

• Prepares, monitors, and administers departmental or organizational budget by reviewing spending trends, expenditure reports, analyzing financial data and ensuring expenditures are within annual budgetary limits.
• Enforces permits issued to contractors or developers by monitoring their construction project and ensuring they are following the conditions of the permit.
• Interacts with members of the public, public officials and other governmental agencies to investigate complaints or provide information related to public infrastructure projects.
• Interacts with parties (e.g., developers, contractors, engineers, surveyors, governmental agencies) taking part in the jurisdiction’s permitting process by providing information about permit requirements and conducting reviews of permit applications and plans in order to ensure that permit applications and plans meet the jurisdiction’s requirements.
• Reviews and recommends or approves changes to proposed construction plans submitted by external contractors to ensure they safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the public, use accepted civil engineering practices, and comply with applicable codes, regulations, and standards.
• Oversees and manages public infrastructure construction projects that were designed by engineering consultants/contractors by keeping up with project developments, communicating with appropriate people, and reviewing information to ensure that projects adhere to approved plans, contracts, or issued permits throughout all phases of construction.
• Prepares for needed infrastructure improvement projects to be completed by external contractors and engineering firms by developing the scope of the project and overseeing the process to announce, collect, assess, and accept statements of qualifications and bids from external contractors and engineering firms.
• Oversees and participates in the design phase of public infrastructure projects (e.g., drainage structures, sanitary sewers, roads, bridges, culverts) by reviewing maps and survey data, inspecting the construction site, designing plans, and preparing for construction using accepted civil engineering practices, jurisdiction-specific standards and specifications, and nationally recognized engineering codes, standards, or regulations.
• Supervises staff by assigning and distributing work, directing staff in their job duties, monitoring progress of work, providing feedback and/or training.