Senior Mechanical Engineer

Oregon DOT; Salem (OR); On-site; USD 8,200 - 13,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work/life balance

11 paid holidays a year

Flexible work schedules

Paid leave

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Job summary

Oregon Department of Transportation in Salem seeks a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead fracture mechanics and fatigue analysis for steel and movable bridges. The role emphasizes inspection, material testing, and non-destructive testing coordination within the Bridge Preservation unit.

The position requires a mechanical engineering license (or ability to obtain it in Oregon within six months) and at least three years of licensed experience.

Qualifications

• Possession of a mechanical engineering license or ability to obtain license in Oregon within six months of hire.
• Three years of licensed experience that would provide the required knowledge and skills.
• Mechanical engineering experience covered by the industrial exemption may be considered in lieu of the three years of licensed experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead role in fracture mechanics and fatigue for steel and movable bridges.
• Coordinate inspection, materials testing, and non-destructive testing programs for Bridge Engineering Section.
• Collaborate with other engineering disciplines to maintain highway infrastructure.

Skills

Fracture mechanics

Fatigue analysis

Bridge engineering

Technical leadership

Education

Professional Engineer license (Mechanical)

Job description

Professional Engineer 2 – Senior Mechanical Engineer

Oregon Department of Transportation

Delivery & Operations Division – Engineering & Technical Services Branch

Bridge Engineering Section / Bridge Preservation Unit

Salem

Salary Range: $8,159 – $12,658 / month

The role:

We are recruiting for a senior mechanical engineer to join our team in Salem! In this role, you will be part of our Bridge Preservation Unit as a technical lead in the field of fracture mechanics and fatigue for steel and movable bridges in Oregon. With a fewer number of bridges being replaced, it is vital that we continue to focus on maintaining the current highway system as functional as possible. As bridges in our inventory age, there will be more emergency repair needs. You will play an important role in supporting this work. You will also be responsible for coordinating our effort in developing inspection, materials testing, and non-destructive testing programs for our Bridge Engineering Section. If you appreciate working collaboratively with various engineering disciplines and want to help your community,

We provide a safe and reliable multimodal transportation system that connects people and helps Oregon’s communities and economy thrive. We encourage people from all backgrounds and abilities to apply for our positions.

What’s in it for you:

• Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, flexible work schedules, paid leave and so much more.
• Comprehensive and equitable base salary offer within the listed range. Through an equal pay assessment, we will determine the salary offer using the information you provide in your submitted application materials.
• The salary range listed is the non-PERSmonthly salary range. If you are already a participating PERS member or once you become PERS eligible,the salary range will increaseby 6%.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity!

Minimum qualifications:

Possession of a mechanical engineering (ME) license OR the ability to obtain license in the state of Oregon within six months of hire, AND three years of licensed experience that would provide the required knowledge and skills to perform the responsibilities of the position.

Mechanical engineering experience covered by the industrial exemption may be considered in lieu of the three years of licensed experience.

If registered in another state, successful applicants will be required to obtain a temporary permit to practice engineering, pursuant to ORS 672.109, within six months from date of hire.

Special qualifications:

Driving is an essential function of this position. You must have a valid U.S. driver license and an acceptable driving record. We will conduct pre-employment driving records checks on our final candidate(s). Your license does not have to be issued in Oregon to be considered.

What we’d like to see:

If you have these attributes, let us know in your application materials! It’s how we will choose whom to move forward! You do not need to have all these qualities to be eligible for this position. We may also use transferable skills, experience and education to help us decide who will move forward.

• A current, valid professional engineer’s license in mechanical engineering.
• Knowledge of weldment design, metallurgy, fracture mechanics, and fatigue of steel members and structures.
• Experience in analysis, evaluation, and instrumentation that could be used to determine the remaining life of steel bridge members.
• Experience in analysis and design for movable bridge machinery and mechanical systems.
• Experience in planning repair actions or replacement of deteriorated steel components.
• Experience as a lead engineer with responsibility for a project or program.

Learn more and apply:

This recruitment closes at 11:59 p.m. on November 5, 2026.

For questions, call 971-273-8687 or email [e-mail].

ODOT is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Aff