Job Responsibilities

This position is accountable for supervising and coordinating the activities in the design and preparation of plans for bridge and hydraulics improvements.

Number of Contracts: 10-25
Contract Values: $3 - $60 Million

This position reports to the Studies and Plans Engineer. There are no permanent subordinate positions; however, Studies and Plans Engineers, Technicians and Squad Leaders, along with temporary seasonal staff, are assigned as needed on a project basis.

This position prepares design/environmental reports, bridge condition reports, hydraulic reports and structure reports for the district’s bridge improvement program. These reports are used to determine the scope of work and potential for environmental impact of the district bridge improvement program. Further, the incumbent is responsible for preparing detailed construction plans incorporating structure plans prepared by the district Bureau of Bridges and Structures. The workload fluctuates requiring prioritizing and scheduling so that all projects will be completed for the scheduled contract letting.

The incumbent’s greatest challenge is the development of projects which are cost effective, safety oriented, publicly acceptable, environmentally suitable, aesthetically pleasing, and in compliance with engineering standards and specifications as well as applicable federal and state policies. These projects may include a variety of complex features that contain conflicting design requirements. The incumbent also negotiates, administers, coordinates, and reviews consultant contracts for bridge improvement projects and acts as a liaison between the district Bureau of Bridges and Structures and the consulting engineer.

This position is personally responsible for implementing the district’s Bridge Program, maintaining a broad knowledge of the district bridge inventory, and recommending programming bridge priorities to the Studies and Plans Engineer. The position is also responsible for providing expertise in designing storm drainage systems, roadside and median ditches, erosion and sediment control devices, pipes and box culverts, and longitudinal encroachments which do not include bridge structures; assembling material and preparing applications for permits from the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Corps of Engineers, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Office of Water Resources, Environmental Protection Agency, and local drainage districts; preparing bridge approach roadway plans; preparing general notes and/or checking of quantity computations; conducting field reviews of affected sections before, during and after construction; utilizing computer programs and determining computer needs; and identifying new applications, and developing new programs for existing design related problems. The incumbent assures that scour and seismic analyses are performed and given due consideration during the design phase. In addition, the incumbent acts as technical advisor to the district Bureau of Operations Design and Planning Engineer in reviewing private developer plans with respect to hydraulics of drainage structures and storm water detention systems.

Job Responsibilities Continued

In accomplishing the objectives of this position, the incumbent must operate within limits of the prescribed design standards and specifications and Illinois Highway Drainage Policies. This, in conjunction with input from the Studies and Plans Engineer, serves as the basic restriction to the incumbent’s ability to make decisions and produce a final product.

Internal contacts include other personnel within the district Bureau of Program Development for coordination of surveying needs, right of way needs, cost estimates, and utility adjustments and agreements. The incumbent also reviews location studies and administers consultant contracts involving structures. The incumbent has regular contacts with the district Bureau of Project Implementation for coordinating soils surveys and construction sequencing and with the district Bureau of Operations to obtain signing data and information regarding high water data and maintenance problems as well as for permits. The incumbent’s external contacts occur on a regular basis and may include the Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Geological Surveys, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Illinois Department of Conservation, IDNR Office of Water Resources, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, drainage districts, private individuals to provide drainage information regarding bridge improvements, and the Bureau of Bridges and Structures for matters relating to hydraulics and structures.

The effectiveness of this position is measured by quantity, quality, and timeliness of plans prepared by the incumbent’s unit and assigned consultants.

Principal Accountabilities

1. Prepares Bridge Condition, Hydraulic and Structure Reports and coordinates the type, size, and location of proposed structures.
2. Negotiates and administers Phase I and Phase II consultant contracts involving bridges and drainage structures.
3. Ensures that the design/environmental studies and plans and specifications prepared by the hydraulics unit and assigned consultants are accurate, complete and in compliance with design specifications.
4. Acts as liaison with the district Bureau of Bridges and Structures and other internal and external agencies involved in matters of hydraulics and structures to assure that target letting dates are met.
5. Reviews proposals by private developers to assure that the hydraulic impacts will be compatible with adjacent state highway facilities.
6. Conducts special investigations such as scour analysis and seismic considerations which can impact the safety of the motoring public.
7. Motivates, trains, and evaluates personnel.
8. Performs duties in compliance with departmental safety rules. Performs all duties in a manner conducive to the fair and equitable treatment of all employees.
9. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Position Requirements

• Current registration as a Licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Illinois
• Five years of experience in civil engineering
• Valid driver’s license
• Occasional districtwide travel and some statewide, which may include overnight stays
• Occasional overtime during evenings and weekends
• Ability to work in confined spaces, climb steep terrain, wade in water, and deal with poisonous plants, animals, insects, rodents, and snakes; and to perform outdoor work in a variety of conditions including, but not limited to hot, cold, wet, windy, muddy, active construction sites, and roadways open to traffic
• Successful completion of a background screening. 

Position Desirables

• Skill in the design of highways, streets and structures and in making completed engineering plans and specifications
• Working knowledge and training in computer-aided design and drafting (CADD)
• Thorough knowledge of departmental policies, procedures and specifications
• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative relationships with departmental staff, state agencies, federal agencies, and the public
• Ability to supervise the work of engineers and technicians
• Ability to assign, review and coordinate work performed by consultant staff
• Strong oral and written communication skills