ENGINEER 9 - CHIEF CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS ENGINEER

Louisiana Department Of Transportation and Development; Baton Rouge (LA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 112,000; Full time

Job summary

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) seeks an experienced engineering executive to serve as Chief Construction and Materials Engineer. This role provides statewide leadership for construction administration, materials testing, inspection, QA, and contractor compliance, ensuring alignment with DOTD standards and strategic objectives.

Reporting to the Chief Engineer, this position directs multidisciplinary teams, analyzes performance data, and guides statewide project

Qualifications

• Current Louisiana professional engineering license required with at least two years in a supervisory role.
• Four years of licensed engineering experience; or eight years of professional engineering experience.
• Master’s/Doctorate substitutions apply for experience as noted in the job specification.

Responsibilities

• Provides executive leadership and strategic direction for statewide construction administration, materials handling, testing, inspection, QA, and contractor compliance.
• Establishes standards, governance processes, and performance expectations to support quality and consistent project delivery.
• Directs statewide construction administration activities including contract implementation and field coordination.
• Oversees materials acceptance, testing, inspection protocols, and QA processes for compliance.
• Evaluates performance data, inspection findings, and contractor trends to identify risks and improvements.
• Monitors KPIs and dashboards related to construction quality and statewide outcomes.
• Oversees budget planning, staffing, and resource use; advises leadership; coordinates with districts and stakeholders.

Skills

Professional Engineer License (PE) - L

Leadership experience

Job description

About This Job

ENGINEER 9 - CHIEF CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS ENGINEER

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is seeking an experienced engineering executive to serve as the Department’s Chief Construction and Materials Engineer.

About This Job

ENGINEER 9 - CHIEF CONSTRUCTION AND MATERIALS ENGINEER

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is seeking an experienced engineering executive to serve as the Department’s Chief Construction and Materials Engineer.

This position provides statewide leadership and strategic direction for construction administration, materials and testing operations, project inspection, quality assurance, contractor compliance, and related field operations. The role supports DOTD’s project delivery goals by establishing consistent engineering standards, materials acceptance requirements, inspection practices, performance expectations, and quality assurance processes across headquarters, districts, and construction projects statewide.

The Chief Construction and Materials Engineer reports to the DOTD Chief Engineer and is responsible for planning, directing, and evaluating Department-wide construction and materials programs to ensure alignment with DOTD’s strategic objectives, regulatory requirements, engineering standards, and long-term infrastructure priorities.

This position is ideal for a licensed professional engineer with experience leading complex transportation construction or materials programs, advising executive leadership, directing multidisciplinary teams, and using performance data to improve construction quality, materials compliance, accountability, and statewide project delivery outcomes.

Applicants with experience in construction administration, materials engineering, materials testing, project inspection, quality assurance, contractor compliance, program oversight, executive leadership, or statewide transportation operations are encouraged to apply.

Minimum Qualifications

Possession of a current Louisiana license to practice professional engineering plus one of the following, which must include two years of experience at the supervisory level or above:

• Four years of licensed engineering experience; or
• Eight years of professional engineering experience.

Experience Substitutions

• A master’s degree in engineering will substitute for one year of professional engineering experience.
• A doctorate degree in engineering will substitute for two years of professional engineering experience.
• Advanced degrees will substitute for a maximum of two years of professional engineering experience.
• There is no substitution for licensed engineering experience.

Notes

Engineering experience gained while licensed as a professional engineer will be accepted as licensed engineering experience. Engineering experience gained after earning an ABET-accredited degree and prior to earning a professional engineer’s license (e.g., as an engineer intern applicant, engineer intern, or equivalent) will be accepted as professional level engineering experience.

Applications will be accepted from persons licensed to practice professional engineering in states other than Louisiana. If one of those applicants is selected for the position, he/she will be required to obtain a Louisiana license prior to appointment. The hiring agency will verify that all licensing requirements are met.

Louisiana Professional Engineer licenses are issued by the Louisiana Professional Engineering and Land Surveying Board. Licensing requirements may be viewed at www.lapels.com.

Job Specification

The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here .

Job Duties

Job Duties and Other Information

As DOTD’s Chief Construction and Materials Engineer, duties may include:

• Provides executive leadership and strategic direction for statewide construction administration, materials and testing, project inspection, quality assurance, contractor compliance, and related field operations.
• Establishes engineering standards, governance processes, operating procedures, priorities, and performance expectations to support construction quality, materials compliance, field safety, and consistent project delivery.
• Directs statewide construction administration activities, including construction contract implementation, field coordination, contractor performance monitoring, and compliance with applicable policies and specifications.
• Oversees materials acceptance, laboratory and field testing operations, inspection protocols, and quality assurance processes to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and engineering standards.
• Evaluates construction performance data, inspection findings, materials testing results, contractor performance trends, and emerging practices to identify risks and recommend corrective actions or program improvements.
• Establishes and monitors key performance indicators, executive dashboards, reporting systems, and data governance practices related to construction quality, materials compliance, inspection performance, and statewide operational outcomes.
• Oversees budget planning, contract services, operational expenditures, staffing needs, workforce development, and the responsible use of state and federal resources.
• Advises executive leadership and coordinates with districts, federal and state agencies, local governments, contractors, consultants, industry representatives, and other stakeholders regarding construction and materials programs.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support Department-wide performance, strategic priorities, and executive-directed initiatives.

Position-Specific Details

Appointment Type: This position will be filled by Detail to Special Duty of a current Permanent Classified DOTD employee. The selected employee will temporarily perform the duties of the Engineer 9 position.

Promotion: Should the position become available, the employee may be permanently promoted to this position.

Compensation: The Special Entrance Rate (SER) for this position is $4,079.20 biweekly.

Additional compensation may be considered for applicants who possess extraordinary job-related qualifications or credentials in accordance with State Civil Service Rule 6.5(g) and DOTD policy. Any such consideration is subject to approval and applicable pay limitations.

Contact Information

Brian Owens, P.E.

Chief Operating Officer

Office: 225-379-1200 | www.dotd.la.gov

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is an equal employment opportunity employer and serves as a model employer for individuals with disabilities. DOTD does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, disability, age, or pregnancy, and prohibits harassment of any type.

Information on the Louisiana Workforce Commission, Louisiana Rehabilitation Services is available: https://www.laworks.net/workforcedev/lrs/lrs_rehabilitation.asp

Louisiana is a State As a Model Employer (SAME) that supports the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.