Design Build Program Engineer

Austin Community College; Mechanicsville (VA); On-site; USD 139,423 - 226,563; Full time

Job summary

A public educational institution in Virginia seeks an experienced professional to oversee statewide design-build contracts. Responsibilities include managing project schedules and budgets, ensuring safety compliance, and providing training for staff. The ideal candidate holds a degree in Civil Engineering and possesses a valid PE license, with extensive knowledge in construction management and engineering processes.

Qualifications

• Ability to supervise people, programs, and budgets.
• Skill in project and process management, leadership, and critical thinking.
• Ability to read plans and interpret laws and specifications.

Responsibilities

• Manage statewide design-build contracts and provide oversight for projects.
• Lead project management and ensure safety, compliance, and quality.
• Communicate with stakeholders and oversee project documentation.

Skills

Effective communication

Strategic leadership

Knowledge of VDOT and FHWA policies

Construction management knowledge

Project management skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Degree in Civil Engineering or related field

Valid Professional Engineer's license

Tools

Transportation management software

Financial management software

Scheduling software

Job description

You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

Job Category: Architecture and Engineering Services

Apply Before: 10/16/2025, 11:59 PM

Job Schedule: Full time

Minimum Salary: $139,423.00

Maximum Salary: $226,563.00

Job Description

Manage, oversee and administer all statewide design-build contracts and provide planning, procurement assistance, training, and subject matter expertise for all nine districts. Provides program management and strategic direction for assigned program area. Ensure safety, compliance and quality of projects. Plan, coordinate communicate and implement program delivery with internal and external customers. Responsible for managing all phases of project schedules and budgets.

How you will contribute

• Construction Engineering: Provide statewide oversight on all post award construction management functions for VDOT including contract management, field support, and related administrative activities. Leads the strategic planning, development and implementation of innovative agency-wide plans, programs and policies related to the development and delivery of construction processes.
• Design-Build Construction Process Management: Monitor construction division processes to include project closeout, construction engineering and inspection, quality assurance, consultant procurement, document assembly, plan review, contractor, prequalification, construction contract procurement, value engineering, specifications, federal submissions and estimating.
• Financial Stewardship: Manage budgets, schedules and deliverables for major engineering projects or technical initiatives of significant cost which may span multiple years in duration. Mange project communications and documentation. Investigate, resolve and diffuse conflict situations. Ensure fiscal stewardship and monitor expenditures to ensure they do not exceed allocations.
• Management: Provides program management and strategic direction for assigned program area or technical initiative. Apply expert level knowledge of transportation issues, sound public policy and business expertise to resolve complex transportation issues. Ensure safety, compliance and quality of work. Plan, coordinate communicate and implement execution and delivery with internal and external customers.
• Procurement: Manage and oversee the procurement of service contracts for transportation projects through competitive negotiation. Follow the set aside policy as indicated in EO 33 and in the VDOT SWAM plan by soliciting vendor quotes and documenting and making awards in compliance with the DPS Agency Procurement and Surplus Property Manual. Provide the Central Office or District Procurement Office the name and phone number of any potential SWAM vendors and commodities where few or no SWAM vendors are available. Complete the required SWAM training.
• Project Administration: Serve as senior level project manager and direct complex engineering projects or initiatives that meet or exceed VDOT standards and requirements. Manage communications between project teams and stakeholders. Serves as the primary agency contact on project and has full managerial responsibility for all aspects of the project.
• Project Management: Lead and oversee statewide Design-Build contract administration, supporting all nine VDOT Districts. Ensure the program’s success, consistency, and integrity across all phases of project delivery. Provide statewide support of design-build construction management functions for VDOT including contract management, field support, and related activities. Lead the strategic planning, development, and implementation of innovative VDOT-wide plans, programs, and policies related to the development and delivery of construction processes. Provide statewide support, advice, and guidance individually and with staff for phases of project management including contract administration, scheduling, quality control and assurance, field reporting, safety, work order management, progress payments, and claims processing.
• Stakeholder Communications: Recommend and influence a wide variety of stakeholder groups on global and local issues that affect the Commonwealth, local transportation vision and comprehensive transportation plans. Oversee the gathering and exchange of information and decision-making between VDOT and stakeholder groups including high level public officials. Identify critical issues to prevent escalation or repetition of problems. Lead meetings with various public agencies and citizen groups to disseminate or gather information. Participate on standing and ad hoc committees and groups representing the agency's business needs and interests.
• Strategic Leadership: Provide strategic leadership and direction to engineering or technical projects, programs or initiatives.
• Subject Matter Expertise: Serve as the Subject Matter Expert for full lifecycle Design-Build projects including scoping, procurement, scope validation, design, construction, and contract administration. Lead efforts in planning, procurement assistance, training development, and technical support for District and Central Office staff.
• Training: Develop and deliver focused training programs for VDOT Area Construction Engineers and other District staff that will emphasize best practices for managing and administering Design-Build projects, with particular attention to effective risk management, contract oversight, and building strong relationships with industry partners. Efforts are conducted to ensure VDOT staff are equipped to handle the unique and often complex challenges inherent in Design-Build delivery.

What will make you successful

• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with diverse audiences.
• Ability to strategically lead intricate programs and projects and make sound decisions.
• Knowledge of VDOT and FHWA policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of all construction management phases: Pre-design, design, procurement, construction, and post-construction.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, policies, and programs related to transportation construction.
• Knowledge of state and federal transportation engineering laws and regulations.
• Knowledge of transporation engineering policies, practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of transportation engineering, methods, and procedures related to the construction of roadways as they relate to design-build projects.
• Leadership and consultation skills to include working with all levels of management and elected and appointed officials.
• Project management skills on a variety of transportation projects.
• Skill in building networks and relationships with employees, field personnel, contractors, manufacturers and FHWA representatives.
• Skill in effectively planning and scheduling work of diverse teams.
• Skill in managing the delivery of exemplary customer service by self and others.
• Skill in maneuvering through complex political situations effectively while demonstrating sensitivity to people and how organizations function.
• Skill in the use of computers and software applications including transportation, financial management, and scheduling software.
• Skill in the use of computers and software applications to include engineering programs.
• Technical, management, interpersonal, and presentation skills.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with diverse audiences and to make presentations and prepare reports.
• Ability to read plans, analyze complex projects, interpret laws and specifications, and make engineering-based judgments.
• Ability to supervise people, programs and budgets.
• Degree in Civil Engineering or related field.
• Knowledge of transportation engineering and construction related laws, regulations, policies and programs.
• Knowledge of transportation engineering methods and procedures as related to the construction of roadways.
• Skill in project and process management, leadership and critical thinking.
• Skill in the use of computers and software applications including transportation, financial management and scheduling software.
• Valid Professional Engineer's license.

Additional Considerations

• Executive level experience in construction management and heavy construction and maintenance.
• Experience managing large design-build projects from project inception through design and construction and finally project closeout.
• Experience transitioning people and programs from a design-bid-build mindset to a design-build mindset.