DESIGN ENGINEER

Knife River Corporation; Harrisburg (OR); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

Knife River Corporation is seeking a Design Engineer to support precast and prestressed concrete projects. The role reports to the VP of Engineering and involves calculations, drawing support, design coordination, and problem solving with project teams and customers.

You will develop specialized precast design, collaborate with production and field teams, and help ensure safety, code compliance, and on-time project execution across regional data centers, infrastructure, and industrial facilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil/Structural Engineering.
• Engineer-in-Training certification or ability to obtain shortly after hire.
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, sketches, specs, and project documents.
• Working knowledge of structural engineering and concrete design; interest in precast/prestressed expertise.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Excel, Word, Outlook, Bluebeam, AutoCAD, Mathcad, or similar software.
• Professional, self-motivated, able to manage priorities and meet deadlines with project teams.

Responsibilities

• Review plans, specifications, project requirements, and design criteria; identify questions and non-standard conditions for review with leadership.
• Prepare structural calculations and support drawing development for precast/prestressed products.
• Develop design recommendations supporting safety, code compliance, schedule, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Coordinate work with engineering leadership, project managers, drafting, and customers.
• Support engineering for buildings, bridges, and other precast/prestressed systems.
• Perform quality checks of drawings, calculations, submittals; assist reviews and coordinate with Quality Control.
• Support improvements to standards, templates, design tools, and processes.
• Develop independent engineering judgment while seeking review for complex projects.
• Support KRPI safety commitments by addressing unsafe actions.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Problem solving

Organization

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Engineer-in-Training certification

Professional Engineer license

Tools

Excel

Word

Outlook

Bluebeam

AutoCAD

Mathcad

Job description

Job Summary

The Design Engineer reports to the VP Engineering and executes engineering tasks, calculations, drawing support, design coordination, and defined technical problem solving for precast and prestressed concrete structures. Working under Engineering leadership and senior engineers, this role develops specialized precast design, construction awareness, and project execution skills while collaborating with project management, drafting, production, erection, consultants, and customers.

Job Summary

The Design Engineer reports to the VP Engineering and executes engineering tasks, calculations, drawing support, design coordination, and defined technical problem solving for precast and prestressed concrete structures. Working under Engineering leadership and senior engineers, this role develops specialized precast design, construction awareness, and project execution skills while collaborating with project management, drafting, production, erection, consultants, and customers.

Responsibilities Include

• Review plans, specifications, project requirements, and design criteria; identify questions, conflicts, assumptions, and non-standard conditions for review with Engineering leadership or senior engineers.
• Prepare structural calculations and support drawing development for precast and prestressed products using established standards, templates, and senior engineering direction.
• Develop practical design recommendations that support safety, code compliance, schedule, manufacturing efficiency, handling, shipping, erection, and constructability.
• Coordinate assigned engineering work with Engineering leadership, project managers, drafting, operations, field teams, external engineers, architects, contractors, and customers.
• Support engineering for building structures, bridge products, and other precast/prestressed systems, including production, handling, delivery, and erection considerations.
• Perform quality checks of assigned drawings, calculations, submittals, and engineering documents; assist senior-led reviews and coordinate with Quality Control to meet KRPI, Knife River, project, and PCI standards.
• Support improvements to engineering standards, templates, design tools, detailing practices, manufacturing processes, shipping, handling, and installation.
• Develop independent engineering judgment while seeking review and approval for complex projects, unusual load paths, non-standard connections, lifting or bracing conditions, and higher-risk decisions.
• Support KRPI's safety commitment by following policies and addressing unsafe actions, conditions, processes, or behaviors.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or closely related engineering discipline.
• Engineer-in-Training certification or ability to obtain shortly after hire.
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, sketches, specifications, and project documents.
• Working knowledge of structural engineering and concrete design, with desire to develop deeper precast/prestressed expertise.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Excel, Word, Outlook, Bluebeam, AutoCAD, Mathcad, or similar software.
• Professional, self-motivated, and able to manage priorities, communicate clearly, seek guidance when appropriate, and complete work on schedule with internal and external project teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer or Structural Engineer license, or ability to obtain licensure.
• Precast or prestressed concrete design experience.
• Experience with Revit, Tekla Structures, Inventor, AutoCAD, or other BIM/modeling platforms.
• Familiarity with PCI standards, precast detailing, and concrete manufacturing processes.
• Experience coordinating with drafting, consultants, project managers, contractors, or field operations.
• Interest in future technical leadership through standards, design tools, process improvement, mentoring, and project team support.

Why Engineers Choose KRPI

• Design structures that are built, not just drawn.
• Gain exposure from concept through manufacturing, delivery, and erection.
• Work directly with production, quality, project management, and field installation teams.
• Contribute to major regional data center, industrial, parking, commercial, education, and infrastructure projects.
• Develop specialized structural and architectural precast/prestressed expertise.
• Join a safety, quality, accountability, development, and improvement-focused Knife River culture.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, HSA/FSA, life insurance, and Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) with company match, profit sharing, paid time off, and paid holidays
• Training, professional development, career advancement, and licensure support where applicable

Knife River is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, age, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status or any other protected category under applicable state/federal law.

Subject to pre-employment drug testing and background check.