Resident Engineer-New Jersey

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising; Pennington (NJ); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising is seeking a Resident Engineer in Pennington, New Jersey, to oversee construction activities for complex facility improvement projects for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of construction experience, including 5 years as a Resident Engineer on major public agency projects. Key responsibilities include managing a team of construction professionals, ensuring compliance with specifications, and coordinating with various stakeholders. A Bachelor's degree in engineering and a Professional Engineer license in New Jersey are required.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of construction experience with at least 5 years as Resident Engineer.
• Experience overseeing security/access control systems and facility technology upgrades.
• Excellent organizational and leadership skills required.

Responsibilities

• Oversee construction activities for complex facility improvement projects.
• Manage a staff of construction professionals.
• Coordinate closely with NJTA representatives and contractors.

Skills

Construction management

MEP systems

Leadership

Communication skills

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license in New Jersey

Tools

Microsoft Office

Bluebeam

Estimating & scheduling software

Job description

Resident Engineer Responsibilities

• Serve as the on-site Resident Engineer overseeing construction activities for complex facility improvement projects for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and similar public agencies, with a focus on law enforcement and public safety facilities.
• Manage a staff of construction professionals including Assistant Resident Engineers, Office Engineers, Field Inspectors, specialty inspectors, and project controls support staff.
• Oversee renovation, alteration, and upgrade work within active State Police and public safety facilities, ensuring continuous operations are maintained during construction (phased construction, temporary operations plans, secure access/egress, and controlled work zones).
• Supervise construction of building systems including mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP), HVAC, fire protection, emergency power, security/access control, communications/IT infrastructure, architectural, structural, and site/civil improvements.
• Coordinate closely with NJTA representatives, State Police leadership, facility operations, contractors, and utility providers to plan and execute work safely and efficiently within secure and occupied environments.
• Run weekly construction progress meetings and lead coordination on phasing, logistics, access restrictions, and schedule recovery actions as needed.
• Monitor contractor compliance with NJTA specifications and contract documents, as well as applicable safety, security, and facility operational requirements typical of State Police and public safety facilities.
• Oversee schedule adherence, cost control, QA/QC inspections, testing, commissioning/start-up, substantial completion, and final acceptance/turnover.
• Review and process contractor payment applications, change orders, claims, time extensions, field directives, and dispute resolution items.
• Ensure thorough documentation of field conditions, daily reports, inspection logs, material approvals, RFIs, submittals, security-related constraints, and as‑built verification.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and technical guidance to less‑experienced field staff.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years of construction experience with at least 5 years serving as Resident Engineer on major public agency projects.
• Demonstrated experience serving as Resident Engineer on State Police, law enforcement, emergency management, corrections, or comparable secure/public safety facility renovations (occupied and operational facilities preferred).
• Experience working with NJTA or comparable public agencies such as NJDOT, NJ Transit, PANYNJ, NJSP, or other state authorities.
• Strong background in MEP systems, building renovations, and coordination of multiple disciplines (architectural/structural/MEP/security/IT) in secure environments.
• Experience overseeing security/access control systems, CCTV, intrusion detection, secure communications, and other public safety facility technology upgrades.
• Proven ability to manage contractor performance, negotiate change orders, control costs, and resolve construction claims.
• Excellent organizational, leadership, and communication skills, including confidence interacting with senior client stakeholders in high‑sensitivity environments.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license in New Jersey preferred.
• Preference given to local candidates familiar with NJTA standards, procedures, and documentation requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management or closely related field.
• 10 years related experience in various aspects of construction including estimating, bidding, preparing purchase orders and subcontracts, scheduling, and field engineering.
• Professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered (e.g., Professional Engineer (PE) or P.Eng).
• Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), Bluebeam, estimating & scheduling software, and web‑based document collaboration software.
• Experience developing and managing construction engineering and inspection programs.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Active participation in an employee‑owned culture is a must.

Primary Location

United States-New Jersey-Pennington

Other Locations

United States-New Jersey-Newark

Industry

Construction, Project Controls & Design/Build

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

We are an affirmative action and Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.