Construction Coordinator I

aquaamerica; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Aqua seeks a Construction Coordinator to oversee water and wastewater capital projects from construction through acceptance and closeout. You will work with operations, engineering and officials, and may back up the Field Supervisor to manage field operations, inspections and startup.

Responsibilities include coordinating cross‑department work, reviewing plans for permits, vendor procurement, and ensuring safety and regulatory compliance across projects in Illinois.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Civil Engineering or related field preferred.
• Minimum of two years of construction experience including cost estimating, bidding and contract documents, progress payments and closeout.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate on development and monitoring of capital improvement plans and budgets.
• Oversee construction to meet budget, scope and timelines; perform site visits.
• Coordinate construction phases with multiple departments, contractors and suppliers.

Skills

MS Office

Communication skills

Customer service

Pressure tolerance

Team player

Multi-project management

Education

Associate degree in Civil Engineering or related field

Tools

AutoCAD

GIS

WaterGEMS

Job description

Construction Coordinator (CC)

The Construction Coordinator coordinates and oversees water and wastewater capital projects, from construction stages through acceptance of the improvements and close of the project. This position works closely with department managers, operations and engineering personnel, public officials, and developers. The coordinator oversees all aspects of construction, including inspection, installation, testing, disinfection and startup. The Construction Coordinator may act as backup for the assigned division’s Field Supervisor to include managing personnel and operations.

Salary Range

$50,000-$70,000

Essential Duties

• Collaborates with operations and engineering in the development, implementation and monitoring of annual capital improvement plans that identify and prioritize capital projects. Assists in developing annual capital budgets, including evaluating alternatives, designs, cost estimating and project scheduling.
• Oversees construction activities to meet established budget, scope and timelines and ensures that company financial, compliance and operational objectives are met, including site visits.
• Coordinates construction phases of projects with staff in multiple departments, outside contractors and suppliers. Ensures that operational needs are addressed.
• Assists engineering with the preparation of permit applications covering a wide range of land development, zoning, construction and environmental approvals, at the local, State and sometimes Federal levels. Meets with public officials and regulatory agency personnel to assist in obtaining project permits and authorizations.
• Meets with homeowners and follows through to promote and construct water main extensions and resolve customer concerns and complaints associated with construction activities.
• Manages all aspects of construction project procurement and construction, including reviewing and approving contractor applications for payment. Oversees construction inspectors for multiple concurrent projects.
• Represents the company at various state and local levels, establishing and maintaining positive public relations with key customers, local officials, state regulators, other state agencies, elected officials and industry groups.
• Assists in the development and implementation of state/regional engineering‑related policies and maintains standard designs and material specifications.
• Assists in reviewing construction plans for customer services including commercial fire services, backflow devices and customer services. Coordinates service installation with the customer, their contractor and company construction crews.
• Assists engineering to provide information necessary for detailed design, may assist in preparing designs when required, and reviews designs for compliance with state, local and company requirements. May prepare cost estimates for construction.
• Closes projects and updates water system maps, records and electronic data in a timely fashion, reconciling inventory, recording drawings, asset completion and retirement reports, GIS, AIMS and Maintenance Connection.
• In the absence of the Field Supervisor, acts in the capacity of the division’s Field Supervisor to manage daily field operations.
• Promotes a safety culture that encourages employees to put safety first and addresses safety issues arising from construction projects with the appropriate internal teams, up to and including moving project timelines to ensure safe working conditions.
• Assists with other tasks or projects as assigned.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in Civil Engineering or related field preferred.
• Minimum of two years of construction experience required, including construction cost estimating, preparing bidding and contract documents, monitoring construction progress and payments, negotiating change orders, construction inspection and monitoring safety practices, and contract closeout.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficiency with personal computers, particularly Microsoft Office products and databases, is required. Experience with AutoCAD, GIS and WaterGEMS is desirable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; communicate effectively (clearly, concisely and professionally) with internal customers.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure.
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• A team player able to work effectively in a multi‑tasking environment.

Working Conditions / Physical Demands

• May be subject to extreme temperatures, noise, wet and/or humid conditions, mechanical, electrical, gas exposure hazards, fumes, dust, mists, gases and/or poor ventilation atmospheric conditions.
• Travel to work sites of Essential Utilities and/or other constituents.
• Travel Requirements up to 75%, overnight typically not required but possible.
• Must be available to be on call for emergencies and after‑hours events.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered‑veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law. Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call 1‑877‑271‑9012. To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship.
• Family members cannot work in the same department.