FIELD SUPERVISOR

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 93,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Chicago's Department of Transportation is seeking a Field Supervisor in the Sign Management Division in Chicago. The role involves supervising staff, conducting field inspections of traffic signage, and coordinating with engineers, contractors, and officials to ensure proper installation and compliance.

Starting salary is $93,468 with a range to $157,296; new hires start at the first step. The position requires supervisory experience and relevant inspections or engineering background,

Qualifications

• Five years of experience inspecting public way construction or interpreting blueprints, with two years in a supervisory role.
• Associate's degree plus three years of inspection/engineering-related work with supervisory exposure.
• Bachelor's degree plus one year of inspection/engineering work with supervisory exposure.

Responsibilities

• Supervises and conducts field inspections of traffic signage for placement, visibility, and condition.
• Maintains records of inspections, findings, and corrective actions.
• Provides technical guidance on inspections, documentation, and procedures.
• Coordinates with installation staff, engineers, contractors, and officials to resolve issues.
• Reviews signage requests and recommends actions based on conditions and codes.
• Prioritizes and schedules field work based on urgency and staff availability.
• Interprets city codes for contractors and staff.
• Oversees construction staging inspections for permits and safety.
• Tests and fields complaints related to construction activity signage.
• Develops work methods and standards for inspections and surveys.

Skills

Staff supervision

Traffic surveys

Field inspections

Ordinance interpretation

Education

Associate's degree + 3 years experience

Bachelor's degree + 1 year experience

Supervisory experience

Job description

FIELD SUPERVISOR

BID/JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

FIELD SUPERVISOR

CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (CDOT)

SIGN MANAGEMENT DIVISION

Number of Positions: 1

(Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)

Starting Salary: $93,468*; Grade V-16

*NOTE: This title is on a step schedule and the salary range for the grade V-16 schedule is $93,468 - $157,296. New hires will start at the first step of $93,468 annually.

The starting salary is non-negotiable.

This position is open to the public and all current city employees covered under the City's Collective Bargaining Agreement with the LABORERS INTERNATIONAL UNION OF N.A. LOCAL 1001 (BU#54). Only employees currently in City job titles in this bargaining unit are eligible to bid.

Under general supervision, supervises staff engaged in performing traffic surveys and field inspections of construction activity in the public way, and performs related duties as required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Supervises and conducts field inspections of regulatory, warning, parking restriction, traffic control, and other traffic signage to verify proper installation, location, visibility, and condition.
• Maintains accurate records of signage inspections, findings, recommendations, corrective actions, and completed follow-up inspections.
• Provides technical guidance to field inspection personnel regarding traffic sign inspections, documentation requirements, ordinance interpretation, and departmental procedures.
• Coordinates with sign installation personnel, engineering staff, contractors, elected officials, and other City departments to resolve signage deficiencies and field conditions.
• Reviews requests for new, modified, relocated, or removed traffic signage and provides recommendations based on field conditions, traffic observations, applicable ordinances, and established departmental criteria.
• Assists in prioritizing, scheduling, and assigning field inspection and traffic survey work to staff based on urgency, complexity, and staff availability.
• Interprets and explains provisions of City codes and ordinances involving the public way to contractors and staff.
• Supervises inspections of construction staging areas to ensure proper permitting, safety, and compliance with City ordinances.
• Supervises inspections of the public way in response to complaints resulting from construction activity.
• Participates in the development and implementation of work methods and standards for conducting inspections and traffic surveys.
• Coordinates and participates in training staff.
• Completes performance appraisals of staff and initiates and administers corrective or disciplinary action as necessary.
• Reviews traffic survey data prepared by staff for completeness and appropriateness and approves recommendations on the approval or denial of requests for traffic sign installations.
• Oversees the development of detour and sign plans for streets under construction.
• Ensures that worn or damaged traffic signs are replaced in a timely manner.
• Meets with contractors, aldermen, residents, and business owners to mediate noise and traffic complaints in connection with construction activity and to explain fees and procedures for the installation of traffic flow and parking restriction signs.
• Maintains daily activity reports and prepares correspondence to elected officials.
• Plans, assigns, and supervises the work of office support staff, as required.
• Testifies at administrative hearings and in court as an expert witness on City codes concerning the public way, as required.
• Conducts special projects or assignments requested by superiors, aldermen, and/or other departments, as required.

Additional duties may be required for this position.

Location: 3254 South Lawndale

Days: Monday - Friday

Hours: 7:30 am - 3:30 pm

THIS POSITION IS IN THE CAREER SERVICE.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Five (5) years of work experience inspecting public way construction or demolition projects, and/or interpreting blue prints for construction or demolition projects, and/or paraprofessional engineering experience, and/or conducting traffic flow surveys, of which two (2) years are in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position, OR
• Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate's degree, plus three (3) years of work experience inspecting public way construction or demolition projects, and/or interpreting blueprints for construction or demolition projects, and/or paraprofessional engineering experience, and/or conducting traffic flow surveys, of which two (2) years are in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position, OR
• Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree or higher, plus one (1) year of work experience inspecting public way construction or demolition projects, and/or interpreting blueprints for construction or demolition projects, and/or paraprofessional engineering experience, and/or conducting traffic flow surveys, of which two (2) years are in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position

Licensure, Certification, or Other Qualifications

• A valid State of Illinois driver's license is required.
• Must have the permanent use of an automobile that is properly insured, including a clause specifically insuring the City of Chicago from accident liability.

NOTE: You must provide your valid U.S. driver's license AND proof of automobile insurance at the time of processing.

NOTE: You must provide your transcripts or diploma at time of processing, if applicable.

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS

This position requires applicants to successfully pass a skills test and complete an interview. The test results will be sent out by the Department of Human Resources after the test results have been analyzed and compiled. Candidates who pass the exam will be selected for an interview. The interviewed bidders receiving a passing score on the exam and possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position based on the oral interview will be selected according to the collective bargaining agreement.

APPLICATION EVALUATION

Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. The Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY

To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.

To learn more about our hiring practices click here.

Employee Benefits

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html

Salary and Title Structure

https://my.chicago.gov/dam/intranet/documents/depts/dhr/INFORMATION/2026_Classification_and_Pay_Plan.pdf

Political Sponsorship

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor