State Materials Engineer

nc; North Carolina; On-site; USD 101,000 - 227,000; Full time

Job summary

NC Department of Transportation seeks a senior engineer to serve as the chief technical authority for transportation materials and pavement design. You will provide statewide leadership, set standards, and oversee testing, quality assurance, and engineering practices across projects.

The role requires managing programs, personnel, and resources while guiding policy and regulatory compliance. Preference for NC Licensed PE and experience with AASHTO/ASTM TRB networks is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering and at least five years progressive engineering experience including two years in supervision.
• Strong knowledge of the standards and specifications for highway materials and engineering related to transportation infrastructure.
• Ability to clearly explain engineering concepts in writing and verbally for diverse audiences.

Responsibilities

• Serve as NCDOT's chief technical authority for transportation materials and pavement design and provide statewide leadership.
• Provide executive direction for statewide programs, personnel, financial resources, and technical operations.
• Lead a highly technical organization to ensure materials/products meet specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Engage with professional organizations such as AASHTO, NTPEP, ASTM International, TRB.

Skills

Materials standards

Supervisory experience

Policy development

Verbal and written communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

About Us

It's the mission of the NC Department of Transportation to connect people, products and places safely and efficiently with customer focus, accountability, and environmental sensitivity to enhance the economy and vitality of North Carolina. We encourage you to consider joining NCDOT where our work not only serves the citizens of North Carolina but has an impact on our world through all modes of transportation.

Description of Work

Please note that all positions close at 12:00 AM on the posted closing date. You must apply by 11:59 PM prior to the posted closing date.

This is an anticipated vacancy.

The Materials and Tests Unit (M&T) establishes the standards and acceptance criteria that ensure materials and manufactured products used in North Carolina's transportation system meet NCDOT's requirements for quality, safety, durability, and performance.

This position serves as NCDOT's chief technical authority for transportation materials and pavement design, providing statewide leadership for the policies, standards, specifications, testing, quality assurance, inspection, and engineering practices that support the Department's construction and maintenance programs. This position provides executive direction for statewide programs, personnel, financial resources, technical operations, and strategic initiatives and leads a highly technical organization responsible for ensuring that materials and products incorporated into NCDOT projects meet applicable specifications, standards, policies, and regulatory requirements and perform as intended throughout their service life. This position helps evaluate, prioritize, and recommend pavement, materials, structures, and construction research initiatives to NCDOT Executive Leadership and participates in leadership in organizations such as AASHTO, NTPEP, ASTM International, the Transportation Research Board (TRB), and other professional and technical organizations.

Registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of North Carolina is preferred.

Applicant must be able to safely navigate active highway construction sites, material and product stockpiles, laboratories, and other potentially hazardous work environments while following established NCDOT safety procedures; must be able to legally operate a motor vehicle in accordance with applicable requirements in order to commute to various NCDOT offices, project work sites, conferences, etc. for meetings and discussions; must have the ability to safely navigate hazardous work situations at highway construction projects and material/product stockpiles while following established in-house safety procedures.

Must be able to legally operate a state vehicle.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences

Salary Grade and Salary Range: NC26 $100,795 - $226,971

Management prefers applicants with the following:

• Considerable knowledge of the standards and specifications of materials, design practices, operational requirements and of local, state, and federal codes, laws and ordinances pertaining to the materials and engineering related to highway infrastructure construction and maintenance
• Experience managing human resources including: interviewing, recommending or filling positions, employee development, administering the Department's performance evaluation system, and taking or recommending disciplinary actions when necessary
• Considerable knowledge of supervisory practices and skill in supervising others, how to delegate and assign work, how to deal effectively with difficult employees, how to seek sources and opportunities for employee training and growth.
• Experience in developing, disseminating and implementing policies and procedures.
• Demonstrated ability explaining engineering concepts and related facts in a clear, concise and organized manner, both verbally and in writing, for a variety of audiences

Minimum Education and Experience

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an "equivalent combination of education and experience." If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

Bachelor's degree in engineering from an appropriately accredited institution and a minimum of five years progressive engineering experience including two years of supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Necessary Special Requirements

May require registration as a professional engineer by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and S