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Engineer Trainee/Assistant Engineer (Civil/Transportation) NY HELPS (Region 4)

NYS Department of Transportation
Rochester, NY Full Time
POSTED ON 4/15/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 5/14/2026
Duties Description

Typical duties of Chief Inspector/ Engineer-in-Charge for construction projects, would include, but are not limited to:

  • Ensure work performed by contractors meet contract specifications and engineering standards
  • Monitor work to ensure a safe environment for the public, contractors, and department employees.
  • Review plans and estimates.
  • Initiate design changes and orders-on-contract, complete daily reports and prepare final documents
  • Provide training to staff

Extensive travel throughout the Region and various shifts, including night work and weekend work would be required. At the time of appointment and continuously thereafter, possession of a valid NYS Driver’s License is required, or the candidates must otherwise demonstrate the ability to meet the travel requirements of the position.

Responsibilities may include serving a role within the Incident Command System to support the department’s response to regional and statewide emergency situations.

Minimum Qualifications

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*

Engineer Trainee

To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the open competitive minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are:

Either 1. a bachelor's degree or higher in engineering or engineering technology as listed below;

Or 2. proof of passing the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) AND one year of full-time engineering experience as listed below.

As an Engineer Trainee, you will serve a 24-month traineeship that leads to Assistant Engineer, Grade 20. To advance to Assistant Engineer, you must have obtained proof of passing the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) and successfully completed the requirements of the traineeship to the satisfaction of the appointing authority. At the discretion of the appointing authority, early advancement to the Assistant Engineer is possible if you have obtained your FE and have successfully completed twelve months of the traineeship. It is your responsibility to notify the appointing authority’s personnel office upon obtaining proof of passing the FE. You may receive an increase in salary upon obtaining your FE. Information about this increase will be provided by the appointing authority.

Assistant Engineer

Either 1. proof of passing the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) AND a qualifying bachelor's degree or higher as listed below;

Or 2. proof of passing the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) Fundamentals of Engineering Examination (FE) AND one year of full-time qualifying engineering experience as listed below.

Qualifying degrees: Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering Technology, Construction Engineering, Construction Engineering Technology, Construction Engineering Management, Construction Engineering Management Technology, Geological Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering, Hydraulics Engineering, Materials Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Structural Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Transportation Planning and Engineering, or Engineering Science with a recognized concentration in any of the above listed engineering degrees.

Qualifying experience: One year of full-time engineering experience with transportation projects related to highways/roadways, railroads, bridges, airports, waterways, building structures, or traffic management and safety systems.

Candidates may also be qualified for permanent appointment if reachable from the appropriate Civil Service eligible list or eligible for reassignment or transfer in accordance with Civil Service Law.

Additional Comments

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

The salary range listed reflects the full range for this graded position. For new State employees appointed into graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations and negotiated union contracts. For more salary information please visit https://oer.ny.gov/salary-schedules

  • For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in an NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfmt

The starting salary for an Engineer Trainee position is $66,951.

The starting salary for an Assistant Engineer is $81,193. This amount is comprised of the base salary of $74,193 with an additional geographic pay differential of $7,000, specific to this title and location.

The maximum compensation for this position is $101,121. This amount is comprised of the standard job rate of $94,121 with an additional geographic pay differential of $7,000, specific to this title and location.

In addition, a Mid-Hudson Adjustment of $1,650 or a Downstate Adjustment of $3,400 may also apply depending on the location of the position.

DOT is an equal opportunity employer. Disabled persons are encouraged to apply.

________________________________________

In compliance with Public Law 99-603, candidates selected for appointment must provide an original document to prove their citizenship and/or legal right to work in the United States. Candidates for employment must have proper authorization to work in the United States at the time an offer of employment is made. The Department will not sponsor a nonimmigrant for a temporary employment visa (H-1B or similar), OPT STEM, or for permanent residence. Offers of permanent employment may not be made to nonimmigrants whose employment authorization is limited to a period of practical training (F-1 or similar).

Salary : $66,951 - $101,121

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