Construction Specialist

Office of the County Engineer; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, vision, and dental insurance

Wellness programs

Professional development opportunities

Flexible spending accounts

457 deferred compensation plans

Retirement pension (TCDRS)

Transportation assistance

Disability and life insurance

Job summary

Harris County is seeking a professional to monitor design and construction contracts, coordinate projects, and conduct research for facility renovations. The role involves preparing design proposals with detailed drawings and presenting to management, plus strong verbal and written communication requirements.

Responsibilities include space planning, budgeting, and coordinating multiple contractors, with field site work and COOP preparedness.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or G.E.D. is required; college degree preferred.
• Two years of space planning, preliminary design, and construction docs experience.
• Two years of construction management and AutoCAD proficiency.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate space occupancy and ensure compliance with codes and standards.
• Estimate renovation costs and develop project schedules.
• Produce design/construction documents and coordinate disciplines.
• Monitor contracts for budget and timeliness; coordinate contractor work.
• Drive to various work sites and access roofs as needed.
• Support emergency deployment and COOP requirements.

Skills

Space planning

Design development

Construction documents

Construction management

AutoCAD

HVAC troubleshooting

Building codes

Communication

Driver's license

Microsoft Office/Excel

CJIS clearance

Education

High school diploma or G.E.D.

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

AutoCAD

Job description

Position Overview:

Responsible for monitoring design and construction contracts, for scheduling and coordinating all aspects of construction projects, and for conducting a broad range of research and field investigations in order to make recommendations to management related to daily facility repairs and/or long-range planning needs. Prepare and present design proposals, including detailed drawings of finished renovations or restorations. Strong verbal and written communication skills are required.

Position Description

Responsible for monitoring design and construction contracts, for scheduling and coordinating all aspects of construction projects, and for conducting a broad range of research and field investigations in order to make recommendations to management related to daily facility repairs and/or long-range planning needs. Prepare and present design proposals, including detailed drawings of finished renovations or restorations. Strong verbal and written communication skills are required.

Job Duties

• Evaluates building occupancy and space utilization requirements to ensure adequacy, efficiency, and compliance with County standards and all applicable codes and ordinances, in response to space renovation requests from County departments.
• Performs conditions assessment of space, estimates the cost of renovation/addition, and prepares a project schedule.
• Produces design and construction documents for construction to be done by a contractor, and coordinates with structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and other disciplines as required.
• Monitors design and construction contracts for budget, timeliness, and accuracy.
• Coordinates the work of different contractors to complete construction projects.
• Coordinates occupant moves with the construction timeline, occupants, and movers.
• Required to drive personal or county vehicles to various work sites.
• Required to climb ladders periodically to access building roofs.
• Subject to working early morning, evening, weekend, and emergency events as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Harris County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

https://hrrm.harriscountytx.gov/Pages/EqualEmploymentOpportunityPlan.aspx

If you need special services or accommodations, please call [phone] or email [e-mail] .

This position is subject to a criminal history check. Only relevant convictions will be considered and, even when considered, may not automatically disqualify the candidate.

Requirements

Education

• High school diploma or G.E.D. equivalent.

Experience

• Two (2) years of space planning, preliminary design, design development, construction documents, and construction services for commercial projects.
• Two (2) years of experience in Construction Management.
• Two (2) years of experience with computer-aided design (AutoCAD) software
• Troubleshoot and identify emergency repairs on heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems.
• Inspect, report, and repair heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration damage.

Emergency Deployment & Continuity Of Operations Requirement

In accordance with Harris County’s Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) Policy, this position is subject to emergency response and deployment protocols. The employee may be designated as supporting a Mission Essential Function (MEF) and must:

• Participate in the classification process of departmental staff based on MEF responsibilities. Be available for temporary deployment to an alternative work location, role, or telework assignment during emergency events.
• Confirm work assignments with their supervisor prior to reporting to any worksite during such events.
• Remain flexible in assuming alternative duties as directed to support County operations continuity.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs)

• Ability to develop project cost estimates and evaluate those received.
• Ability to develop space programs, functional space plans, and construction documents.
• Knowledge of construction materials, methods, practices, and procedures.
• Experience and knowledge of all applicable building codes, regulations, and ordinances.
• Working knowledge of Harris County government and procedures is helpful.
• Ability to communicate diplomatically with elected and appointed officials, contractors, and user tenants.
• Valid driver's license (Texas upon hire) and a good driving record.
• Well-versed in Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Excel, and AutoCAD
• Ability to receive CJIS clearance, pass a security check, and a drug test, as required. This position is Safety Sensitive and will be subject to random drug and alcohol screening.

NOTE: Qualifying education, experience, knowledge, and skills must be documented on your job application. You may attach a resume to the application as supporting documentation but ONLY information stated on the application will be used for consideration. "See Resume" will not be accepted for qualifications .

Preferences

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree from any accredited university.

Experience

General Information

Position Type, And Typical Hours Of Work:

Full-Time | Regular | 40 hours per week. Subject to early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and holidays at times, depending upon the project or workload.

Salary

Commensurate experience, based on 26 pay periods.

Physical Demands And Environmental Exposure

Most assignments will be performed in an office, at a meeting, or in an operations command center, but some fieldwork may be required. May be required to work extended work hours during activation of disaster recovery operations for an unspecified length of time (varies based on the extent of the event). This position requires bending, stooping, and lifting up to 25 lbs., frequent walking, standing, sitting, reaching, and ascending/descending stairs. The physical demands described here are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

FEATURED BENEFITS

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance.
• Wellness.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• 457 deferred compensation plans.
• Retirement pension (TCDRS).
• Transportation assistance (Metro Ride Sponsor Program).
• Disability and life insurance.
• Harris County is a Qualified Employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF).

Employment may be contingent on passing a drug screen and meeting other standards.

Due to a high volume of applications positions may close prior to the advertised closing date or at the discretion of the Hiring Department.