Senior Civil Engineer

Forest Preserves of Cook County; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage

Pension Plan and Deferred Compensation

Paid Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time

Employee Assistance Program

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Equal Opportunity Employer

Job summary

The Forest Preserves of Cook County seeks a senior Civil Engineer to lead planning, design, and construction for district infrastructure under the Capital Improvement Plan. You will prepare engineering plans, specs and bid documents, coordinating with government agencies, residents, consultants and internal teams to achieve program goals.

Minimum qualifications include a Civil/Environmental Engineering degree and a PE license (Illinois licensure planned if not yet held).

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher in civil or environmental engineering.
• PE license required; IL PE licensure prior to hire preferred.
• Willingness to obtain IL PE registration before starting.
• Valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Plan, design, and oversee construction of district infrastructure.
• Prepare plans, specifications, estimates, and bid documents.
• Coordinate with agencies, consultants and the public to meet program goals.
• Conduct inspections, review contracts, budgets and grant exhibits.
• Lead multi‑site capital projects and mentor junior staff.

Skills

Civil engineering

IDOT standards

OSHA compliance

Communication

Site planning & specs

Education

Bachelors in Civil/Environmental Eng

Professional Engineer (PE) license

Tools

AutoCAD

Survey equipment

Microsoft Office

Job description

Company Description The Forest Preserves of Cook County is one of the oldest and largest forest preserve districts in the United States, protecting more than 70,000 acres of natural areas in the Greater Chicago Area. It welcomes an estimated 62 million visits annually, offering extensive opportunities for outdoor recreation and environmental education. Within its boundaries are rare and diverse habitats, supporting plant and animal life comparable to that found in global rainforests. The organization is dedicated to conservation, public access, and sustainable stewardship of these unique ecosystems, providing rewarding work for those committed to environmental protection and community service.

Job Summary

Under the direct supervision of the Chief Civil Engineer, performs professional engineering work in the planning, design and construction of various infrastructure and site improvements. Serve as program manager for the preparation of engineering plans, specifications, and bid documents to support the implementation of the District’s Capital Improvement Plan. Coordinates with program team, government agencies, residents, businesses, and consultants to achieve program goals. Oversees the work of and provides technical assistance and direction to junior engineering staff. Performs other duties as assigned.

Typical Duties

Prepares and/or reviews engineering plans, specifications, estimates, and schedules for construction and renovation projects including Forest Preserve (District) access roadways, parking lots, paved and unpaved trails, underground utilities, bridges, dams, and culverts, canoe, and kayak launches, erosion and sediment control, storm water management systems, and other site amenities and infrastructure.

Conducts field inspections to collect information about site conditions including, but not limited to, topography, drainage, soils, vegetation, and existing infrastructure, and uses the information to propose scopes of work for improvement projects.

Prepares bid documentation, assembles bid packages, obtains bids, serves on panels to evaluate bids, and recommends award of contract to a specific bidder.

Conducts construction observation and inspections to monitor progress and ensures conformance to design specifications, including measurement and documentation of pay items for payments to contractors.

Prepares permit submittals required for project implementation.

Assists the work of District staff in various departments by clarifying technical issues, policies, procedures, or standards related to trail planning, pavement conditions assessments, pavement patching and crack-sealing, trail user data and other alternative transportation topics.

Supports and assists in prioritizing work of in‑house Landscape Maintenance pavement patching crews.

Prepares annual budget projections and reports.

Reviews and approves invoices for payment to consultants and contractors.

Prepares exhibits and budgets to support grant applications.

Oversees the work of junior engineering staff and provides constructive feedback and technical knowledge.

Represents the District at various intergovernmental and technical committees related to trail planning, pavement reduction and related issues.

Maintains current knowledge of trends in the field by reading appropriate journals, books and other literature and attending related seminars, and the like, and informs and advises other staff as to new developments.

Minimum Qualifications

Must possess a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university in civil engineering or environmental engineering AND at least 4 years of full‑time work experience as a civil engineer OR a master’s degree from an accredited college or university in civil engineering or environmental engineering AND at least 3 years of full‑time work experience as a civil engineer.

Must be registered as a Professional Engineer.

Must be willing to obtain registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois prior to date of hire with the District.

Must possess a valid driver’s license.

Preferred Qualifications

Possess at least 1 year of full‑time work experience using AutoCAD or similar computer-aided drafting and design software, OR at least 1 season of work experience with the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC), OR at least 1 season of work experience as a Conservation Corp Crew member, OR at least 1 season of work experience on FPCC property with partners such as the Chicago Zoological Society, Chicago Botanic Garden, Greencorps Chicago, OR at least 1 season of work experience with other partners such as Friends of the Forest Preserves or the Student Conservation Association.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics

Extensive knowledge of the principles, practices, and techniques of civil engineering as applied to the inspection, planning, design, construction, and rehabilitation of site infrastructure.

Knowledge of and experience dealing with standard sources of engineering information, including Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) specification, OSHA laws and their application.

Skill and proficiency in the use and operation of computers, AutoCAD or similar software, Microsoft Office or similar software, and survey equipment.

Ability to read interpret contracts, engineering plans, specifications, estimates, and schedules.

Knowledge of the operations of the District.

Ability to communicate with diverse groups.

Skill in developing site plans and specification for construction and rehabilitation projects.

Knowledge and ability to direct and coordinate plans with various internal and external stakeholders.

Ability to take charge of multi‑site, multi‑year engineering programs requiring the application of established engineering standards.

The duties listed are not set forth for purposes of limiting the assignment of work.They are not to be construed as a complete list of the many duties normally to be performed under a job title or those to be performed temporarily outside an employee's normal line of work.

Benefits Package

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Basic Term Life Insurance
• Pension Plan and Deferred Compensation Program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time
• You May Qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Veteran’s Preference

When applying for employment with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, preference is given in the application process to honorably discharged Veterans who have served in the Armed Forces of the United States for more than 180 consecutive days or during War Time.To take advantage of this preference, a Veteran must:

Meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

Identify him/herself as a Veteran on his/her employment application by answering “Yes” to the question “Are you a military veteran?”

Attach a copy of their DD 214, DD 215, or NGB 22 (Notice of Separation) at the time of application by uploading it as part of your application.If there are multiple DD 214s, DD 215s, or NGB 22s, please submit the one with the latest date.Coast Guard must submit a certified copy of the military separation from either the Department of Transportation (before 911) or the Department of Homeland Security (after 911).

Veteran must provide original applicable discharge papers at time of interview.

General District Employment Requirements

PROOF OF EDUCATION, CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENSES WILL BE REQUIRED.

• The Forest Preserve District of Cook County is an equal opportunity employer and ensures against discrimination in employment based on a person’s race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, military discharge status, source of income, housing status, or gender identity. We value our employees and the different talents, expertise, and viewpoints that each brings to the table. We believe a robust exchange of ideas results in better decision-making and we commit to providing a constructive, safe, and positive work atmosphere that promotes mutual respect and empowers individuals to thrive in their jobs.