Senior Civil Engineer

City of Northampton; Northampton (MA); On-site; USD 79,000 - 102,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Northampton seeks a Senior Civil Engineer to assist the City Engineer in planning, directing, and managing the Engineering Division’s services. You will prioritize projects, manage personnel, and coordinate with consultants and MassDOT.

The role requires designing infrastructure projects, reviewing permits, and ensuring compliance with regulations. A PE license is required or preferred, with 3–5 years of engineering experience including supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with emphasis on civil/environmental/mechanical; master’s desirable.
• Three to five years engineering experience with two in supervisory/project management capacity.

Responsibilities

• Manages, oversees and reviews projects and work schedules of the Engineering Division; checks subordinates' work for accuracy.
• Assists City Engineer with planning and development of City infrastructure projects.
• Develops and designs projects for roads, bridges, sidewalks, traffic signals and utilities; performs hydrology/hydraulics modeling and surveys.
• Develops and reviews contracts, specs and estimates; manages procurement, construction administration, and records.

Skills

Project management

Supervisory experience

Communication

Civil engineering

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

GIS

Job description

SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER

• One (1) Full-time Vacancy: 40 Hours per week
• Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Salary Grade J; Hourly Rate Range: $37.82 - $49.19
• Anticipated Hiring Hourly Rate Range: $37.82 - $42.60

DEFINITION

This position is responsible for assisting the City Engineer in planning, directing, and managing the services of the Department’s Engineering Division, including prioritizing projects and managing personnel in an efficient and productive manner.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position

• Manages, oversees and reviews the projects and work schedules of the Engineering Division; checks work of subordinate engineers for accuracy and completeness.
• Assists the City Engineer with planning and development of City infrastructure projects.
• Develops and designs projects associated with improving the City’s infrastructure and utilities including roadways, bridges, sidewalks and traffic signals and water, sanitary sewer, drainage and flood control systems; develops plans and profiles using current civil engineering design principles; performs hydrology and hydraulics modeling; performs necessary calculations for engineering design; performs field surveys.
• Develops and reviews written contracts, technical specifications and estimates for City projects; manages project procurement, construction administration and records involved in project design, procurement and construction.
• Drafts and reviews requests for proposals and requests for quotes.
• Manages, reviews and supports City projects completed by consultants and MassDOT, including reviewing feasibility studies, reports, design plans, bid documents and permit applications.
• Inspects active construction sites to ensure compliance with technical specifications and permit requirements; coordinates contractor schedules and public communications; responds to project questions and concerns from residents.
• Coordinates, investigates and responds to requests for engineering support from other DPW divisions; coordinates, investigates, responds to and completes regulatory reporting on sanitary sewer incidents.
• Prepares and reviews Federal, State and Local permit applications for construction or maintenance activities, including coordinating and communicating with regulators and attending site visits and hearings as necessary.
• Coordinates and responds to questions and requests from residents, businesses, contractors or consulting engineers regarding information related to City utilities or infrastructure; reviews plans and technical specifications submitted by developers for conformance with City or other standards and regulations.
• Maintains Engineering Division payroll and attendance records.
• Understands and enforces all safety regulations.
• Acts on behalf of City Engineer in his/her absence.
• Performs similar or related work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Under administrative direction, working from municipal policies and objectives; individual establishes short-range plans and objectives, own performance standards. Consults with supervisor only where clarification, interpretation, or exception to municipal policy may be required. The employee is also expected to attempt to resolve conflicts which arise and coordinate with others as necessary.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

Employee, as a regular and continuing part of the job, is accountable for the quality and quantity of work done by subordinates and assures the accomplishment of the assigned work in the prescribed manner. Employee plans, schedules and coordinates work operations to meet schedules, deadlines and priorities; revises work schedules to meet changes in workload or availability of manpower; assigns work based on varying capabilities of employees; assures that completed work meets the required standard of quality, timeliness and cost, taking corrective actions as necessary, including rejecting the work; oversees attendance and leave.

JUDGEMENT

The work requires examining, analyzing and evaluating facts and circumstances surrounding individual problems, situations or transactions, and determining actions to be taken within the limits of standard or accepted practices. Guidelines include a large body of policies, practices and precedents which may be complex or conflicting, at times. Judgment is used in analyzing specific situations to determine appropriate actions. Employee is expected to weigh efficiency and relative priorities in conjunction with procedural concerns in decision making. Requires understanding, interpreting and applying federal, state and local regulations.

COMPLEXITY

The work consists of employing many different concepts, theories, principles, techniques and practices relating to an administrative field. Assignments typically concern such matters as studying trends in the field for application to the work; assessing services and recommending improvements.

NATURE AND PURPOSE OF CONTACTS

Relationships are with co-workers, the public, groups and/or individuals such as peers from other organizations, regulatory authorities, vendors, contractors and representatives of professional organizations. May be required to discuss controversial matters where tact is required to avoid friction and obtain cooperation.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Employee has some access to sensitive or confidential information, such as personnel records, court documents.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, with an emphasis on civil, sanitary, environmental and/or mechanical engineering, master’s desirable; three to five years of engineering experience of which two are in a supervisory or project management capacity; equivalent combination of education and experience. Registered Professional Engineer license from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts required. Valid Driver’s License required.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITY, AND SKILLS

Knowledge: Knowledge of AutoCAD, GIS and Microsoft Office Suite; knowledge of using computers in the design of civil engineering projects; knowledge of the theory and application of the principles and practices of civil engineering and surveying; knowledge of local, state and federal laws and regulations governing municipal infrastructure.

Abilities: Ability to apply sound engineering judgement and design methods to project work; ability to understand, explain and apply rules, regulations, policies, procedures, standards and guidelines governing public infrastructure; ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with employees, consultants, regulatory authorities, City officials and the general public; ability to operate survey equipment; ability to keep detailed notes and records.

Skills: Interpersonal skills; skilled in using AutoCAD and/or other computer design programs; skilled in using surveying tools and other types of relevant tools and equipment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work is performed in an office environment or in the field. When in the field, working conditions involve exposure to machine or related noise or a combination of unpleasant elements such as odors, chemical fumes, dust, smoke, heat, cold, oil, dirt, grease or adverse weather conditions. Work may require emergency response outside of normal business hours. Travel during adverse weather conditions may be required.

PHYSICAL, MOTOR, AND VISUAL SKILLS

Physical Skills:Administrative work is performed in an office setting requiring sitting, standing, walking and stooping. May be required to lift objects such as files, boxes of papers, office supplies, and office equipment weighing up to 30 pounds. When in the field, work requires physical strength and effort, such as the ability to traverse moderate distances over and through uneven terrain or construction sites.

Motor Skills:The work may involve assignments requiring application of hand and eye coordination with finger dexterity and motor coordination, including the ability to operate survey equipment.

Visual Skills:Essential position functions require the ability to routinely read materials for general understanding and analytical purposes and the ability to view documents and spreadsheets on a computer monitor. In addition, essential position functions require the ability to operate a motor vehicle and require good close, distant, color and peripheral vision and depth perception at correctable ranges.

~ Equal Opportunity Employer ~