SUE Technician III

Colliers Engineering & Design; Englewood (CO); On-site; USD 66,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) company match

Paid time off and family leave

Professional license bonuses

Job summary

Colliers Engineering & Design is seeking a Subsurface Utility Technician III to lead field operations in the Denver area. You will identify, designate, and document underground utilities using state‑of‑the‑art locating tech while mentoring junior technicians and coordinating with engineers, surveyors, and utility owners.

The role emphasizes safety, accuracy, and collaboration to reduce risk and support smarter design decisions across infrastructure projects.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED.
• 5–8+ years of experience in SUE, utility design and test holes.
• Valid Driver’s License with MVR consistent with CED Point System.
• OSHA 10-hour.
• CPR Certification.
• DOT Driver’s Qualification.
• Must pass DOT physical and Fit For Duty.
• Must be able to travel and pass drug screen.

Responsibilities

• Read and interpret utility records and designs to identify utility information.
• Supervise and direct placement of basic maintenance of traffic devices.
• Drives the designating vehicle and vacuum excavation truck.
• Train junior crew members and coordinate with engineers and survey staff.
• Record field data and perform QA/QC on designated utilities and test holes.
• Operate GPR proficiently and troubleshoot equipment.

Education

High School diploma or GED

OSHA 10-hour

CPR Certification

DOT Driver’s Qualification

Valid Driver’s License

TWIC card

Tools

RD8100 multi-frequency locators

Metrotech 810

RD5000

Pipehorn

Job description

Overview

Join our Denver team as a Subsurface Utility Technician III and play a critical role in helping infrastructure projects move forward safely, accurately, and efficiently. In this hands‑on field leadership role, you’ll use advanced utility locating technologies—such as electromagnetic line locators, ground penetrating radar, GPS, conventional survey support, and vacuum excavation—to identify, designate, and document underground utilities before design and construction begin.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced SUE professional who enjoys solving complex field challenges, leading crews, mentoring junior technicians, and partnering with engineers, surveyors, project managers, clients, and utility owners. Your work will directly reduce risk, improve safety, support smarter design decisions, and help deliver high-quality infrastructure solutions across the Denver region.

Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) is a branch of engineering that deals with mitigating risks associated with new infrastructure design and construction. Our work requires a high level of precision and technical ability. We work closely with engineers, surveyors, project managers, and utility owners to help identify utility conflicts using an array of technologies, including electromagnetic line locators, ground penetrating radar, GPS, conventional survey and vacuum excavation.

Responsibilities

• Read and interpret utility records, as-built/survey drawings and highway design plans to identify utility information such as; utility type, utility owner, reported utility size, access or connection points and approximate location.
• Supervise and direct placement of basic maintenance of traffic devices.
• Adhere to Health and Safety program and all applicable SOPs.
• Drives the designating vehicle and vacuum excavation truck.
• Fills out the field book legibly.
• Records information for test holes.
• Call “One-Call” tickets.
• Coordinate survey work in relation to SUE.
• Train junior crew members.
• Represent Colliers Engineering & Design in the field and communicate/coordinate with utility companies.
• Record pole data.
• Completes field sketches.
• Maintain equipment and vehicles.
• Use multi-frequency pipe and cable locators (RD8100) and single frequency induction devices (Metrotech 810, RD5000, Pipehorn).
• Safely utilize jackhammer on varying pavement and surface types.
• Understand proper tamping procedures and correctly patch asphalt and concrete.
• Correctly use and maintain the concrete saw.
• Utilize an air and water lance to properly expose underground utilities.
• Act as a crew leader.
• Direct SUE tasks in the field.
• Lead tailgate safety meetings and develops site specific Health and Safety checklists, as required.
• Develop and implement Maintenance of Traffic signage at each site.
• Communicate with clients and utility representatives.
• Coordinate with SUE, Survey and CADD staff for SUE related tasks.
• Perform QA/QC on designated utilities and test holes.
• Train SUE Investigators I & II on proper designating and test hole techniques.
• Operate the GPR proficiently.
• Troubleshoot issues with designating equipment/able to make basic repairs (fixing leads, programming the equipment).
• Understand the vac truck operation and troubleshoot and perform minor repairs.
• Complete QL-D linework.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED.
• 5-8+ years of experience in SUE, utility design and test holes.
• Valid Driver’s License with MVR consistent with CED Point System.
• OSHA 10-hour.
• CPR Certification.
• DOT Driver’s Qualification.
• Must be able to pass DOT physical with minimum one-year clearance.
• Must be able to pass a Fit For Duty physical.
• Ability to pass drug screen.
• Ability to obtain a TWIC card.
• Travel required occasionally, must be able to drive for long periods of time.
• Ability to travel several times per year via train or airplane preferred.
• Must be able to travel for up to two weeks at a time.
• Ability to read, write, and understand English for purposes of comprehending written job-related communications and verbal instructions and interactions.

Compensation: $31.50 to $43.00 per hour (depending on qualifications)

What We Offer

At Colliers Engineering & Design, our people are our most important resource. That’s why we are committed to providing all our employees with a safe, comfortable work environment, potential for career advancement, and the ability to impact society through their projects as well as Company sponsored activities.

This dedication begins with supporting a work life balance through a generous compensation package that includes: company paid medical, dental, and vision coverage; paid pregnancy disability leave; short- and long-term disability insurance; life insurance; a company-matched 401(k)/Roth; paid time off that includes parental and military leave; employee referral and professional license bonuses and a straight time policy that compensates exempt employees for billable hours worked in excess of 40 billable hours within a work week.

We have also created an internal culture that provides the resources and technology needed to encourage personal and professional growth opportunities through reimbursement for education; a free in-house resource for hundreds of educational and self-enrichment courses; mentorship program; wellness program; Women’s Organization and ongoing philanthropic opportunities.