Position:         Highway Engineer

Department:   Infrastructure, Planning, & Growth

Location:        St. Joseph County

Status:            Full-Time

Salary:            Up to $109,448 annually

Job Category: PAT (Professional, Administrative, Technological)

Description:

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed in this document are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Incumbent serves as Highway Engineer for the St. Joseph County Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Growth, responsible for providing and maintaining public infrastructure and capital improvements to roads, bridges, and drainage systems within St. Joseph County, as well as oversight of the St. Joseph County Highway Division.

Essential Functions:

Assists in planning, developing, and administering capital improvement projects for roads, drainage systems and other public infrastructures.

Maintains long range work plans/schedules for road projects and creates an annual work plan.  

Includes:

• Designing and developing specifications
• Plans and bid documents, preparing estimates budgets.
• Implementing and inspecting all road, bridge, drainage, and safety projects for St. Joseph County

While ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and contractual agreements.

Coordinates work plans with other County departments and local governments and provides technical assistance to other departments within the County on various concerns, including traffic control, infrastructure maintenance, and land use planning.

Supervises and directs personnel, including administering personnel programs/procedures, planning, delegating work assignments, establishing goals, standards, providing orientation and training.

Evaluating job performance, interviewing job candidates, reviewing position responsibilities/salaries.

Recommending promotions, demotions, maintaining discipline and recommending corrective action as warranted.

Maintains regular communication with elected officials, legal counsel, local governments, and other St. Joseph County departments. May serve as technical advisor and member on select boards and committees, as directed.

Represents the department and presents the St. Joseph County’s position at various meetings, including County Commissioners, County Council, Home Builders’ Association, Homeowners’ Organization, various community organizations and other meetings as directed.

Performs and summarizes traffic safety studies, establishing ordinances and recommending solutions and other traffic calming measures.

Reviews quality assurance/control for road and bridge plans, evaluating road conditions, determining road ratings, and utilizing pavement management systems, database and inventory.

Oversees and reviews drainage and site plans for subdivision development and economic development in the community. Reviews and inspects subdivision development, tracks construction progress, maintains surety database, and other review items as appropriate.

Performs various administrative duties, including composing correspondence, balancing budgets.

Managing and monitoring contracts/agreements, and completing/submitting various reports as

required. Reviews personnel timesheets and claim vouchers as appropriate.

Responds to inquiries and complaints from the public and other County departments regarding transportation, road conditions, drainage concerns, and construction. Provides information/assistance.

Implement appropriate corrective measures, and/or directs individuals to appropriate department or personnel.

Prepares and submits various construction permit applications required by the State of Indiana.

Compiles data for grants and federal aid and completes and submits required applications.

Oversees and implements government infrastructure asset reporting and database (GASB 34) as required.

Oversees right-of-way acquisition for projects and issues permits for all construction and utility work within the public right-of-way.

Works with Michiana Council of Governments (MACOG) to prepare road classifications.

Receives and approves driveway and utility permits as appropriate.

Research topics for ordinances, construction alternatives, procedures, and safety elements. Review and update St. Joseph County standards and specifications, design criteria, and policies.

Assists in developing, writing, and implementing Department policy.

Maintains current knowledge of engineering standards and practices. In addition to applicable State codes and St. Joseph County codes by continuing education and frequent reference to legal updates, manuals, and periodicals.

• Attends training/seminars as necessary.
• Occasionally testifies in legal proceedings/court as required.
• Occasionally responds to emergencies on a 24-hour basis.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Baccalaureate Degree in Civil Engineering or Construction Management.

At least five (5) years of previous related experience, and/or in design, construction, and maintenance of Civil Engineering facilities.

Be a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Indiana.

Thorough knowledge of federal, State, and local codes, and ordinances.

The ability to apply safety rules and regulations as required.

Thorough knowledge of civil engineering principles, practices, and techniques.

Ability to review progress of ongoing engineering projects to ensure quality work under established specifications and guidelines.

Complete knowledge of County Road system and general construction practices and regulatory requirements

ASTM testing procedures for concrete, soil, and asphalt.

Knowledge of basic accounting principles, budget administration, and resource allocation and planning, with ability to apply such knowledge to a variety of interrelated processes, tasks, and operations.

Working knowledge of field surveying principles and design procedures, and ability to perform field work and ensure accuracy of assigned survey projects.

Working knowledge of standard English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Ability to prepare projects, proposals and detailed written reports as required.

Ability to operate standard office and engineering equipment, including computer and department software applications, keyboard, calculator, copier, fax machine, telephone, scanner, GPS survey equipment, printers, construction material testing equipment, and camera.

Ability to supervise personnel, including administering personnel programs/procedures, planning, and delegating work assignments, establishing goals/standards, providing orientation and training, evaluating job performance, interviewing job candidates, reviewing position responsibilities/salaries, recommending promotions/demotions, maintaining discipline, and recommending corrective action as warranted.

Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing with co-workers, other County departments, City County elected officials, MACOG, Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and other regulatory agencies, utilities, contractors, developers, consultants, and the public. While being sensitive to professional ethics, gender, cultural diversities, and disabilities.

Ability to provide public access to or maintain confidentiality of department information and records according to state requirements.

Ability to comply with all employer and department policies and work rules, including, but not limited to, attendance, safety, drug-free workplace, and personal conduct.

Ability to competently serve the public with diplomacy and respect, including occasional encounters with irate/hostile persons.

Ability to compute/perform arithmetic operations/calculations/measurements.

Ability to compile, analyze and evaluate data, make determinations, and present findings in oral or written form.

Ability to understand, memorize, retain, and follow verbal and written instructions.

Ability to apply knowledge of people and locations, plan/layout assigned work projects, and read/interpret detailed blueprints/specifications/layouts/maps.

Ability to work independently and with others in a team environment, often under time pressure, and on several tasks at the same time.

Ability to plan and present public speaking presentations and special events.

Ability to work extended hours, evenings, and weekends as necessary and occasionally travel out of town for meetings/conferences, sometimes overnight.

Ability to testify in legal proceedings/court as necessary.

Ability to occasionally respond to emergencies on a 24-hour basis.

Possession of a valid Indiana driver's license and demonstrated safe driving record.

Accommodations

St. Joseph County provides reasonable accommodation to qualified employees and applicants with known disabilities who require accommodation to complete the application process or perform essential functions of the job unless the accommodation would cause undue hardship.