Engineer-In-Charge

City of New York; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

City of New York's NYC Department of Design and Construction seeks an experienced Engineer-in-Charge to lead field operations on Queens infrastructure projects. You will supervise Resident Engineers, Inspectors, and Junior Engineers, enforcing standards and tracking progress from award to closeout.

Responsibilities include contract administration, cost control, and coordination with NYC agencies and communities to minimize disruption while delivering on time and within budget.

Qualifications

• Five years of construction project management or inspection experience with large capital projects.
• Active OSHA 10-Hour Certification and ACI Certified Field Technician, or ability to obtain on appointment.
• Experience managing field teams, safety, quality, and schedule on complex infra projects.

Responsibilities

• Direct field engineering and construction management from award through closeout.
• Lead Resident Engineers and Inspectors; ensure compliance with standards.
• Coordinate with agencies and utilities; communicate milestones to leadership.

Skills

Field leadership

Contract administration

Stakeholder coordination

Regulatory compliance

Quality assurance

Education

Engineering/Construction Management degree

Professional license (PE/RA) preferred

Tools

AutoCAD

Microsoft 365

Primavera P6 / MS Project

Job description

Hours: Full-Time – 35 Hours
Work Location: 30-30 Thomson Avenue, LIC, NY 11101

Only candidates who are permanent in the Construction Project Manager title or reachable on the Open-Competitive Exam #3042or #5058 may apply. Please include a copy of your Notice of Results, Proof of Filing, or indicate if you are permanent in the title. If you do not meet the previously mentioned civil service criteria, you will not be considered for an interview.

Large-scale public infrastructure projects require rigorous on-site leadership, strict adherence to quality and safety standards, and clear accountability. The NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) is seeking an experienced, proactive Engineer-in-Charge to manage the execution of complex capital construction projects for the Queens borough.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, you will direct field engineering and construction management operations from contract award through closeout. You will lead a dedicated project team including Resident Engineers, Office Engineers, Inspectors, and Junior Engineers serving as the Agency’s primary field authority. In this role, you will balance technical oversight, contractor performance management, and community impact mitigation to deliver critical infrastructure on time, within budget, and built to last.

What You Will Do

Field Leadership, Constructability & Quality Assurance

• Direct and mentor field teams (Resident Engineers, Office Engineers, Field Inspectors, and Junior Engineers) to ensure all capital work strictly complies with City, State, and Agency standards.
• Lead proactive constructability review meetings during pre-construction and active phases to identify site interferences, resolve field conflicts, and mitigate potential schedule delays.
• Evaluate and approve technical submittals, including sheeting and shoring designs, maintenance and protection of traffic (MPT) plans, vendor qualifications, and environmental mitigation protocols.
• Conduct high-level inspections of active construction sites and oversee final inspections and comprehensive project closeout procedures.

Contract Administration & Fiscal Oversight

• Manage full-cycle contract compliance, including independent cost estimates for negotiations, change orders, time extension requests, and contractor payment approvals.
• Supervise the collection, verification, and archiving project data, daily inspection logs, and as-built documentation.
• Liaise continuously with internal DDC divisions including Design, Utility Coordination, and Program Management to align field execution with engineering intent.

Stakeholder Coordination & Community Engagement

• Serve as DDC’s designated on-site representative, coordinating with utility companies, sister agencies (NYCDEP, NYCDOT), and community liaisons to minimize disruptions to local residents and businesses.
• Deliver concise project milestone briefings and progress updates to executive leadership, proactively escalating critical path delays with recommended corrective actions.

Mandatory Certifications / Requirements

• Must possess an active OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety Certification and ACI Concrete Field-Testing Technician – Grade I Certification or successfully obtain both certifications through the first available DDC-sponsored training session upon appointment.

Additionally, educational credentials must be from a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accredited institution. Credentials from foreign institutions require independent equivalency verification from an approved evaluation service. A list of providers (fees apply) is available at: https://www.nyc.gov/assets/dcas/downloads/pdf/employment/nyc-dcas-foreign-education-evaluation-guide.pdf

Preferred Skills

Please note the Preferred Skills & Qualifications-Leadership & Field Experience: 3+ years of progressive supervisory experience as a Resident Engineer or Senior Construction Manager leading multi-disciplinary field teams on capital infrastructure contracts (roadway reconstructions, trunk/distribution water mains, combined/storm sewers). Specifications & Regulatory Standards: Thorough working knowledge of NYCDEP Standard Water and Sewer Specifications, NYCDOT Highway Rules and Standard Highway Specifications, NYSDOT standards, MUTCD, and AASHTO design guidelines. Contract & Financial Administration: Proven expertise in public construction management, consultant agreement administration, dispute avoidance, change order cost validation, and City procurement guidelines. Technical Software & Systems: Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and AutoCAD familiarity with construction scheduling platforms (Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project) and municipal project tracking databases is an asset. Communication & Negotiation: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to lead complex contractor negotiations, build consensus across interagency partners, and engage community stakeholders effectively.

55a Program

This position is also open to qualified persons with a disability who are eligible for the 55-a Program. Please indicate at the top of your resume and cover letter that you would like to be considered for the position through the 55-a Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City Residency is not required for this position.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

Minimum Qualifications

1. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State’s Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization, and five years of full-time satisfactory experience managing and/or inspecting one or more construction projects which must have a total cost of at least $300,000 for each of the five years of the required experience; or
2. One year of the experience as described in “1” above and a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, accredited by regional, national, professional or specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U. S. Secretary of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), in engineering, engineering technology, architecture, architectural technology, landscape architecture, construction, construction technology, or construction management; or
3. One year of the experience as described in “1” above and a valid license as a professional engineer, registered architect, or registered landscape architect, issued by a board of examining engineers, architects, or landscape architects duly established and qualified pursuant to the laws of any state or territory of the United States; or
4. A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent approved by a State's Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization, and a combination of at least two years of experience as described in “1” above and the education as described in “2” above to equal a total of five years of education and experience. Matriculation in an undergraduate college degree program as described in “2” above may be substituted for experience on the basis of 30 semester credits for one year of satisfactory full-time experience up to a maximum of three years of experience.
5. For Assignment to Level II, In addition to meeting the “Qualification Requirements” above, candidates must have one additional year of satisfactory full-time experience working in Assignment Level I; or one additional year of satisfactory full-time experience as described in “1” above.
6. For Assignment to Level III, in addition to meeting the Qualification Requirements for Construction Project Manager, candidates must have two additional years of satisfactory full-time experience working in Construction Project Manager Assignment Level I and II; or two additional years of satisfactory full-time experience as described in question “1” above and possess a motor vehicle driver license valid in the State of New York which must be maintained for the duration of employment noting that if you have moving violations, license suspension or an accident record, you may be disqualified.

Note: Candidates must specify for each construction project they worked on: a description of the construction project, the time period they worked on the construction project, and the type of work they performed. Candidates must also specify the money allotted for the project.

Driver License Requirement: At the time of appointment to this position, you must have a motor vehicle driver license valid in the State of New York. If you have moving violations, license suspension or an accident record, you may be disqualified. This license must be maintained for the duration of your employment.