What are the responsibilities and job description for the County Engineer position at Cowley County?
COWLEY COUNTY JOB DESCRIPTION
DATE: 01/09/2026
JOB TITLE: County Engineer
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
REPORTS TO: County Administrator
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
PAY GRADE: N
Position Summary:
Under the general direction of the County Administrator, the County Engineer serves as the official County Engineer for Cowley County as defined under Kansas statutes. This position provides professional engineering expertise and technical leadership for the planning, design, inspection, and delivery of county road, bridge, drainage, and related public infrastructure projects.
The County Engineer works collaboratively with the Public Works Superintendent to jointly manage project budgets, schedules, and priorities, while maintaining independent professional judgment related to engineering standards, regulatory compliance, and public safety. This position does not have supervisory authority over personnel.
Essential duties and responsibilities:
- Serve as the official County Engineer for Cowley County and perform all statutory duties associated with that role under Kansas law.
- Provide professional engineering oversight for the planning, design, inspection, and construction of county road, bridge, drainage, and related infrastructure projects.
- Perform in-house engineering design for assigned projects and review, evaluate, and approve consultant-prepared plans, specifications, cost estimates, and technical documents.
- Inspect construction projects to ensure compliance with approved plans, specifications, safety standards, and applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
- Coordinate and collaborate with the Public Works Superintendent to jointly manage project budgets, cost estimates, schedules, and resource planning for capital and maintenance projects.
- Assist in the identification, application, and administration of grant funding opportunities, including federal, state, and KDOT-funded projects; ensure compliance with all grant and reporting requirements.
- Coordinate engineering projects with County departments, townships, municipalities, utility providers, consultants, contractors, and state and federal agencies.
- Support right-of-way acquisition activities by providing technical review, mapping, and engineering analysis.
- Provide technical input related to bridge inspections, load ratings, road standards, drainage systems, and floodplain coordination.
- Maintain accurate engineering records, plans, maps, reports, and documentation related to county infrastructure assets.
- Respond to citizen inquiries and concerns related to engineering projects, infrastructure conditions, and construction activities.
- Present engineering projects, reports, and recommendations directly to the County Commission as required.
- Participate in long-range planning efforts, including capital improvement planning and infrastructure needs assessments.
- Ensure all engineering activities comply with applicable safety standards, engineering ethics, and professional best practices.
- Perform other related duties as assigned by the County Administrator.
Marginal duties and responsibilities:
- Assist with special studies, emergency response support, and disaster recovery efforts as needed.
- Provide technical support to Public Works, Emergency Management, and other departments as requested.
- Other duties as assigned.
Position Requirements:
- Thorough knowledge of civil engineering principles related to road, bridge, and drainage design and construction.
- Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and standards governing public infrastructure.
- Ability to analyze complex engineering problems and develop practical, cost-effective solutions.
- Ability to interpret plans, specifications, and technical reports.
- Ability to communicate effectively with elected officials, staff, contractors, consultants, and the general public.
- Ability to exercise independent professional judgment while working collaboratively within a team environment.
Experience and Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or a closely related field is required.
- Three (3) to five (5) years of progressively responsible professional civil engineering experience is required.
- Experience in public sector or transportation-related engineering is preferred.
Licenses and Certifications:
- Professional Engineer (PE) license in the State of Kansas is required.
- Local Public Authority (LPA) Certification is preferred.
- Valid Kansas driver’s license is required.
Skills:
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Project planning, cost estimating, and budgeting skills.
- Ability to work effectively with engineering software, mapping systems, and standard office applications.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
Accountability:
- Accountable for the accuracy, quality, and integrity of engineering designs, reviews, and technical recommendations.
- Joint accountability with the Public Works Superintendent for project budget planning and financial oversight.
Supervision:
- This position does not have supervisory responsibility over County employees.
Working Conditions:
Standard office environment. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Physical Requirements:
Ability to perform heavy physical work and to lift and carry up to 75 pounds. Ability to stand, walk, sit, ride, climb, bend, kneel, crawl, twist, reach, grasp, push, pull and perform similar body movements. Possess hand/eye/foot coordination adequate to operate a variety of equipment. Ability to talk and hear in person, by telephone and two-way radio. Ability to see and read instructions, manuals and gauges on equipment, road signs, etc. Communication skills adequate to plan and direct work projects.