CIVIL ENGINEER V, (Neighborhood Improvement) CDOT 2026

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 98,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Chicago seeks a Civil Engineer V in the Neighborhood Improvement section to lead transportation infrastructure projects citywide. You will supervise staff, manage consultant design and construction, and ensure work meets budget and schedule requirements.

The role demands PE licensure in Illinois, a valid driver's license, and strong project management with coordination across agencies. This public service position emphasizes safety, quality, and community impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering plus 3 years civil engineering experience, with at least 1 year in a supervisory role.
• Master's degree in Civil Engineering plus 2 years civil engineering experience, with at least 1 year in a supervisory role.
• Registration as a Professional Engineer (P.E.) in Illinois is required; valid Illinois driver's license required.

Responsibilities

• Manages transportation infrastructure projects for the Neighborhood Improvement section.
• Oversees design and construction by consultants for alley reconstruction, sidewalk program, and underpass rehabilitation.
• Monitors section budgets and payments submitted by staff and consultants.
• Assigns projects to staff and consultants and ensures compliance with specifications, schedules and budgets.
• Communicates with stakeholders and elected officials on ongoing projects.

Skills

Project management

Supervisory experience

Budget monitoring

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Master's degree in Civil Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

CIVIL ENGINEER V, (Neighborhood Improvement) CDOT 2026

Job Number: 420053

BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

CIVIL ENGINEER-V

Chicago Department of Transportation

Division of Engineering

Neighborhood Improvement Section

Number of Positions: 1

This position is open to the public and all current City employees covered under the City's collective bargaining agreement with AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE, COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES UNION (AFSCME) - Select BU 01. Only employees in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

Starting Salary: G09 $109,140.00 annually

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CST on 11/02/2026

This critical public infrastructure position is much needed to ensure public safety and the continued vitality of all of Chicago's neighborhoods. This position provides an opportunity to support essential neighborhood improvement infrastructure projects across the entire city. The Civil Engineer V position will ensure contractor construction activities meet the city's quality standards and are performed within budget and on schedule.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Performs project management of transportation infrastructure projects for the Neighborhood Improvement section.
• Oversees consultants responsible for the design and construction of locally funded transportation infrastructure and urban design projects, including but not limited to alley reconstruction, shared cost sidewalk program, and underpass rehabilitation projects.
• Monitors and reviews the section's operating budget, and partial and final payments submitted by engineering staff and consultants.
• Assigns projects to section staff and consultant engineers and monitor their performance to ensure projects comply with established specifications, schedules and budgets.
• Reviews and prepares concept and design plans, contract construction documentation, specifications, and engineering calculations for projects prepared by staff and consultants to ensure compliance with standard policies, procedures, codes, guidelines, established design criteria, budget, and constructability for infrastructure, construction, maintenance, and repair projects.
• Meets with engineers and consultants to determine scope, costs, design criteria and specifications for public right-of-way construction and renovation projects.
• Oversees 311 sidewalk inspection request reviews.
• Identifies creative solutions to complex engineering problems.
• Communicates with stakeholders, elected officials, other agency partners, and area residents on ongoing projects.
• Prioritizes street construction and renovation projects.
• Instructs and trains subordinate personnel in engineering best practices and procedures.
• Consults and coordinates with other departments and agencies in the planning and construction of projects.
• Coordinates permit applications and restoration agreements.
• Monitors construction methods and work in progress, inspects materials, and ensures work is completed according to contract specifications and project timelines.
• Travels to and conducts field surveys to collect data for planned improvements and to identify conditions that may impact the scope of proposed construction, repair and maintenance projects and recommends modifications as needed.
• Prepares reports on the status and costs of engineering projects.
• Reviews and score consultant responses to Requests for Proposals to help select firms to monitor construction projects.
• May review permit applications for activities affecting foundations, waterways, traffic, and City landmarks.
• May provide technical information on engineering projects at hearings and legal proceedings.
• May research new materials, techniques, and software for use in engineering projects.
• Performs other related duties as required.

LOCATION

Chicago Department of Transportation

2 N. Lasalle, Suite 820 Chicago, IL 60602

Days: Monday-Friday

Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALFICATIONS

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or a directly related field of engineering, plus three (3) years of Civil Engineering experience, of which one (1) year is in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position. Should the above criteria not be fulfilled, the following options are acceptable: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in Civil Engineering or a directly related field of engineering, plus two (2) years of Civil Engineering experience, of which one (1) year is in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position.

Licensure, Certification, or Other Qualifications

• Registration as a Professional Engineer (R.P.E.) in the State of Illinois is required. At the time of employment, positions must have obtained Registration as a Professional Engineer (R.P.E.) in the State of Illinois.
• A valid State of Illinois driver's license is required.

NOTE: Candidates selected for hire MUST pass a DRUG/PHYSICAL test prior to being hired.

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

This position requires the successful completion of an online application and an initial screening process. Applicants who meet the established screening criteria may be invited to participate in one or more assessments designed to evaluate the knowledge, skills, or competencies relevant to the role. This position requires candidates to complete an interview.

BIDDERS

who successfully apply for the position and meet the minimum qualifications, will be INTERVIEWED. Bidders who possess the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will be selected and hired in seniority order and according to C.B.A rules.

NON-BIDDERS

who successfully apply for the position and meet the minimum qualifications, will be INTERVIEWED. The interviewed NON-Bidders who possess the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will be selected, AND.

Preference will be given to candidates possessing the following:

• Previous experience as a design or project engineer on infrastructure projects
• Previous experience performing field inspections on roadway infrastructure
• Previous experience reviewing project scopes, calculations, plans, specifications, and estimates
• Previous experience working with transportation agencies, e.g., CDOT, IDOT and FHWA, and others
• Previous project management experience in urban transportation design and/or construction projects
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products such as OneNote, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Outlook.

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at:

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at:

https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dhr/supp_info/JobClassification/2025_Classification_and_Pay_Plan.pdf

APPLICATION EVALUATION

Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor