Engineer IV, Structural

RTD - Regional Transportation District of Denver, CO (RTD); United States; Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 142,000; Full time

Job summary

RTD, the Regional Transportation District serving Denver, seeks a senior structural engineer to develop and implement structural projects under the SG&R program. You will act as the technical lead for structural analysis, retaining walls, foundations, rehab, load evaluations, and inspections, guiding projects from planning through closeout.

The role requires leading multidisciplinary teams, coordinating with civil, systems, and regulatory partners, and ensuring compliance with RTD standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or equivalent.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in Colorado.
• Minimum seven years' experience in planning, design, procurement, construction, structural analysis, and delivery of transportation projects.
• Proficiency in structural engineering principles and design of bridges, walls, foundations, and rehabilitation techniques.
• Knowledge of AASHTO, AREMA, and industry standards; familiarity with regulatory requirements for rail infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Project Manager for assigned structural infrastructure projects, providing technical leadership throughout planning, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and closeout.
• Serve as technical lead for structural engineering studies involving bridges, retaining walls, foundations, rehabilitation, load evaluations, inspections, constructability reviews, and interfaces.
• Develop structural engineering solutions including analyses, calculations, designs, foundation systems, and rehabilitation strategies supporting structural projects.
• Perform reviews of plans, calculations, specifications, and submittals to ensure integrity, constructability, safety, and compliance with RTD standards.
• Provide mentoring and technical guidance to teams, coordinate with multidisciplinary disciplines to support project delivery.

Skills

Structural analysis

Bridge design

Retaining walls

Foundations

Rehabilitation techniques

Engineering calculations

Construction sequencing

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's in Civil Engineering

Tools

CAD

Structural design software

Job description

This position develops and implements structural projects supporting RTD's infrastructure and State of Good Repair (SGR) program.

The position provides advanced technical leadership and serves as the subject‑matter expert in structural engineering, including structural analysis and design, retaining walls, foundations, structural rehabilitation, load evaluations, constructability reviews, and structural inspections.

The position leads multidisciplinary project teams and provides technical leadership throughout all phases of project delivery.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serves as the Project Manager for assigned structural infrastructure projects while providing technical leadership and subject matter expertise throughout planning, design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and project closeout.
• Serves as the technical lead for structural engineering studies involving bridges, retaining walls, foundations, structural rehabilitation, load evaluations, structural inspections, constructability reviews, and operational interfaces.
• Develops structural engineering solutions including structural analyses, engineering calculations, bridge and retaining wall designs, foundation systems, structural assessments, engineer’s estimates, technical reports, specifications, construction documents, and rehabilitation strategies supporting structural projects.
• Performs engineering reviews and evaluates structural plans, calculations, specifications, contract documents, cost estimates, and technical submittals to ensure structural integrity, constructability, maintainability, operational compatibility, safety, and compliance with RTD standards and applicable industry practices.
• Provides technical review, structural design recommendations, mentoring, and engineering guidance to project teams and engineering staff regarding structural engineering issues and design solutions.
• Evaluates structural stability of structures after accidents.
• Coordinates multidisciplinary engineering efforts with civil, structural, systems, electrical, facilities, and architectural disciplines to support successful project delivery.
• Coordinates planning, design, procurement, construction, and project implementation activities with engineering, consultants, contractors, local agencies, freight railroads, utilities, and regulatory organizations to ensure compliance with applicable standards and successful project delivery.
• Provides structural engineering support during construction, field inspections, technical oversight, quality assurance, quality control, engineering evaluations, and construction administration to ensure compliance with contract requirements, engineering standards, and approved construction documents.
• Coordinates with local, state, regional, and federal agencies, freight railroads, utilities, and regulatory organizations to support permitting, design coordination, construction activities, and project implementation.
• Participates in community engagement efforts, including providing public presentations, to address community, business, and neighborhood concerns.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of division goals and objectives; including supporting RTD’s goals for diversity and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program participation.
• OTHER: All other job-related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering required, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience.
• Registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the State of Colorado.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of experience in the planning, design, procurement, construction, structural analysis, structural rehabilitation, and delivery of transportation, transit, or public infrastructure projects.
• Proficiency in structural engineering principles, structural analysis, bridge and retaining wall design, reinforced and prestressed concrete, structural steel, foundations, rehabilitation techniques, engineering calculations, construction sequencing, engineering plans and specifications, and applicable AASHTO, AREMA, and industry standards.
• Knowledge of applicable local, state, regional, and federal regulations, codes, standards, and permitting requirements governing rail infrastructure and transportation projects.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends, as required to support project needs.
• Possess and maintain a valid Colorado driver’s license and a motor vehicle record that meets RTD driving standards.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary engineering teams activities.
• Experience with structural inspections.
• Experience with structural design software.
• Experience working in a public agency, transit, or highly regulated environment.
• Experience coordinating with regulatory agencies and external stakeholders.
• Familiarity with project delivery methods.
• OR an equivalent combination of education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities.

KEY COMPETENCIES & CHARACTERISTICS

• Ability to serve as the technical subject matter expert in structural engineering throughout all phases of project delivery.
• Ability to provide technical guidance, structural engineering reviews, and recommendations for complex engineering issues.
• Ability to evaluate alternative structural engineering solutions and establish engineering best practices.
• Ability to develop, read, and interpret complex engineering plans, specifications, and technical documents.
• Familiarity with Computer-Aided Design (CAD), and PDF Management Software.
• Ability to exercise sound engineering judgment and make independent technical decisions.
• Ability to identify alternative solutions, make recommendations, and present them in an easily understood manner.
• Strong time and workload management skills, including planning, organizing, and prioritizing assignments with attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate specialized information effectively to diverse audiences.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams, external partners, and regulatory agencies.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of this job with or without reasonable accommodations. The work environment is a hybrid of office and site environments, with exposure to excessive noise and adverse environmental conditions. While performing the duties of this job on site, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk on uneven surfaces for long distances, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl, and reach with hands and arms. They will be exposed to moving mechanical parts and vibration. When working on site, an employee is expected to work outdoors, exposed to wet and/or humid, cold, hot, and windy conditions; high, precarious places; fumes or airborne particles; toxic or caustic chemicals; outside weather conditions; risk of electrical shock; explosives; and risk of radiation.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and will require specific vision abilities required for this job, including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

CAREER MAP

Based on job performance, experience, education and position availability the next step on the career map for this position may be: Manager, Rail Platform Delivery.

Pay Range: $100,284.00 - $141,650.25

ANNUAL EEO POLICY AND ADA ACCOMMODATIONS

RTD is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless to the race, sex, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

RTD is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, promotions, and/or to perform essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship.

If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to our Employment ADA Coordinator Kris Frazier at [e-mail], or the Talent Acquisition team [e-mail].

To learn more or see our EEO policy, please visit our EEO page at: https://www.rtd-denver.com/open-records/reports-and-policies/eeo-policy

RTD posts a compensation range that represents a good faith estimate of what RTD anticipates paying for the position at the time of posting. Starting salary is based on the candidate’s relevant and verified education, training and work experiences at the time of application. Applicants should submit all relevant and verifiable education, training and work experiences at the time of application.

RTD participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give written instructions and an opportunity and to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.