Design-Build Design Manager (SE Transportation)

Jacobs; Birmingham (AL); Hybrid; USD 159,000 - 278,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Stock purchase plan

Unlimited PPTO

7 paid holidays

Caregiver leave

Discretionary bonus

Stock

Job summary

Jacobs is seeking an experienced Design-Build Design Manager to lead transportation infrastructure projects across the East Region. You will drive design-build delivery, mentor teams, and strengthen client relationships while coordinating with a regional leadership network.

Join Jacobs to deliver complex projects with a focus on quality, collaboration, and innovative delivery methods. The role supports a hybrid work policy and requires PE licensure and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience leading design-build projects, preferably in the transportation market.
• Substantial experience leading multidisciplinary design teams and coordinating with contractors and partners.
• Registration as a Professional Engineer.
• Experience on transportation projects with DOT and established local relationships.
• Understanding of design standards across the design-build lifecycle.
• Strong communication and technical writing skills.
• Willingness to support multi-state pursuits and alternative delivery models.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, consulting, design, and delivery work; assist sales in opportunity qualification and interviews.
• Act as main client contact to ensure expectations are identified and met.
• Oversee design-build and other delivery projects; coordinate with stakeholders and subcontractors.
• Provide direction to teams on design and project documentation; manage budgets and schedules.
• Lead proposals, staffing plans, budgets, and milestones to meet commitments.
• Provide construction phase services and respond to RFIs, submittals, and site visits.
• Ensure quality per Jacobs' Quality Program and mentor staff.

Skills

Leadership

Team coordination

Client management

Communication

multistate pursuits

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

If you are ready to bridge the gap between our world and our people, join Jacobs. Let’s build a brighter future together. Jacobs is much more than just a traditional engineering company. We continue to earn top recognition from Engineering News-Record (ENR), ranking No.1 on the 2026 top 500 Design Firms list as well as other highly ranked designations in Airports, Bridges, Ports & Maritime as well as Rail & Transit. Our Design Build Transportation practice is experiencing exciting growth and now is a great time to explore a new career with us!

Jacobs is seeking an experienced Design-Build Design Manager to lead transportation infrastructure projects throughout the East Region. This role is central to delivering innovative design-build and other alternative delivery solutions that drive excellence for our clients and strengthen the communities we serve. Supported by local and national resources, including Jacobs extensive network of technical experts, you will work with our geographical leadership to strengthen our competitive presence across the East Region and beyond.

What You’ll Do

• Build upon your existing and new client relationships to organize and develop teams to pursue planning, consulting, design, and alternative delivery work. Assist our Sales Teams in identifying opportunities, developing qualifications packages, and attending interviews.
• Work closely with our clients and act as the company’s main point of contact on assigned projects and/or clients to ensure expectations are identified and met.
• Overseeing the delivery of large-scale Design-Build and other alternative delivery transportation projects (such as CM/GC and PDB).
• Use your technical expertise to lead project teams in the development of design and project documentation by providing overall direction to the team, coordinating with external project stakeholders, internal team members, and subcontractors.
• Provide effective, skilled project management to help reduce the costs of delivering projects, adding value to the business by applying proven project management techniques. Deliver large complex and/or multiple projects on time, within budget, and per contracted scope. Draft, coordinate, and manage proposals, staffing plans, project delivery budgets / fee documents, progress schedules, and project delivery schedules to meet deliverable milestones and commitments.
• Provide office environment-based construction phase services, where scope-applicable, including coordinating Jacobs' responses to RFIs, submittal and shop drawing reviews, construction modification documents, and site visits.
• Be responsible for the overall quality of the project deliverables in adherence with Jacobs' rigorous Quality Program. You will manage and enhance project quality by providing ideas and suggestions to the team aimed at improving the effectiveness of their roles, and of project activities in general.
• Cultivating an inclusive, collaborative team culture and mentor emerging professionals.
• Ability to recruit additional design team resources and help build a transportation presence within the East Region.

By joining our team, you’ll have the opportunity to utilize your transportation design and/or construction management expertise to serve as a lead on exciting and engaging large-scale infrastructure projects.

Here's what you'll need

• Substantial experience leading design-build projects, preferably in the transportation market
• Substantial experience leading multidisciplinary design teams and coordinating closely with contractors, joint-venture partners, consultants, and construction teams to deliver practical, constructable solutions
• Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering or related degree
• Registration as a Professional Engineer
• Substantial years’ experience on transportation projects with DOT and established local relationships
• Understanding of experience applying applicable industry and agency design standards throughout the transportation design-build lifecycle, from preliminary design through construction support
• Demonstrated communication and writing skills including technical report writing
• Willingness to support multi-state pursuits and delivery across alternative project delivery models

Ideally, you’ll also have

• DBIA Certification
• Experience supporting transportation infrastructure growth initiatives within a regional market
• Experience mentoring technical staff and developing high-performing project teams

#DBTransportation

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan. Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full-time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $158,500.00 to $277,500.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.

Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support.