AIRPORT DESIGN ENGINEER

CIVIL ENGINEER IV – AIRPORT DESIGN ENGINEER - IPR#46747

Agency : Department of Transportation 
Closing Date/Time: 06/21/2024 
Salary:  $6,098 - $9,507 MONTHLY

Anticipated Salary Range: $6,098 - $7,598 MONTHLY
Job Type: Salaried 
County:  Sangamon
Number of Vacancies: 3
Plan/BU:  NR916 Teamsters

This position is a union position; therefore, provisions of the relevant collective bargaining agreement/labor contract apply to the filling of this position.

All applicants who want to be considered for this position MUST apply electronically through the illinois.jobs2web.com website. State of Illinois employees should click the link near the top left to apply through the SuccessFactors employee career portal.

Applications submitted via email or any paper manner (mail, fax, hand delivery) will not be considered.

Agency Mission Statement

The Illinois Department of Transportation is seeking to hire Airport Design Engineers.

The IDOT team works diligently to provide safe, cost-effective transportation for Illinois in ways that enhance quality of life, promote economic prosperity and protect our environment. We are problem solvers and leaders, constantly searching for innovations and improvements in support of our commitment to providing the best multimodal transportation system for Illinois.

Our team fosters a culture of inclusivity. We value diversity and hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards as we work together for a common purpose. Team members frequently collaborate with colleagues and others outside the department to best meet customer needs. 

The department offers extensive training and career advancement opportunities.  Employees also receive a robust benefit package including:

• Monday-Friday work schedule
• Flexible work schedules are available in many program areas.
• Health, Life, Vision, and Dental Insurance
• Pension Plan
• (10) Weeks paid Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Deferred Compensation Program and other pre-tax benefit programs (Medical/Daycare)
• Employees earn (12) paid Sick Days annually.
• New Employees earn (10) paid Vacation Days their first year of service and can earn up to (25) paid Vacation Days annually.
• Employees earn (3) paid Personal Days annually.
• (13-14) paid holidays annually (based on start date)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program and/or mental health resources

We invite qualified applicants to apply to become part of our team. We are confident that you will take pride in serving Illinois and its residents and visitors.

Job Responsibilities

This position is the primary point of contact for the coordination, review, and development of construction plans and specifications for Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) lettings of airport improvement projects covered under the federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The incumbent may also assist sponsors with local letting of projects utilizing local procurement guidance. This position works closely with airport sponsors and consultants and is responsible for the administration, coordination, and review of designs for construction plan and specification development utilizing state and federal grant funds. This position is responsible for project design conformity with state and federal guidance to ensure funding participation eligibility. S/He ensures projects are developed efficiently and economically in accordance with the scope and budget.

Annual job site inspections: 30 - 40
Value of projects developed: $15 - $25 million
Annual number of projects developed: 20 - 30
Annual engineering agreements processed: 30 - 60

This position reports to the Section Chief of Airport Design. There are no subordinates reporting to this position.

The Division of Aeronautics acts as the agent of the airport sponsor for all matters involving the development of any public air navigation facility by virtue of the Illinois Aeronautics Act. This act requires and directs the Division of Aeronautics to regulate and supervise aeronautics within the state, with aeronautics defined as the design, establishment, construction, extension, operation, improvement, repair, or maintenance of airports. Aeronautics shall not expend any funds appropriated or made available for any work upon any such project that is not contracted for and constructed or developed under the supervision or direction of the Division of Aeronautics. The Division of Aeronautics administers the federal AIP in part through a cooperative memorandum of agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) known as the State Block Grant Program (SBGP) agreement. Airports throughout the state are eligible to receive federal, state, and local program funds to plan, create, develop, and improve airport facilities.

Job Responsibilities Continued

Typical problems encountered by the incumbent include reviewing all Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) submittals for scope and cost estimates, designing site procedures for proper execution of construction activities known as the Construction Safety Phasing Plan (CSPP) while maintaining a high degree of safety for the flying public, establishing and requiring a minimum standard of performance for acceptable airport construction practices within the contract documents, and investigating new state-of-the-art equipment and materials under the direction of the Section Chief of Airport Design. Other problems encountered by the incumbent involve directing the development of projects and performing the necessary coordination between contractual parties with the required justifications and documentation; approving engineering reports, project plans, and specifications; recommending to the Section Chief of Airport Design approval of payments made to engineering firms for the design phase of the project; assuring maximum federal participation by working closely with FAA representatives; scheduling all necessary meetings with appropriate parties such as pre-design conferences; ensuring the accuracy of the development of plans; and certifying to the FAA that the plans and specifications meet the state of Illinois and federal criteria and standards. The greatest challenge to the incumbent is resolving the many complex design problems to the satisfaction of all contractual parties while remaining within the budget. In doing so the incumbent must strive to provide and maintain a cooperative working relationship with engineering consulting firms, airport sponsors, the FAA, and other state officials both inside and outside the department.

The objectives and responsibilities of this position are accomplished through working directly with the consultants’ engineers, FAA representatives, and the airport sponsors. The incumbent ensures that the consultant engineering firms have properly designed the project plans and specifications to certify that the project can be constructed in accordance with state and federal criteria and standards. The incumbent's responsibilities are fulfilled by visiting airport sites and making inspections as required with the project engineer, an FAA representative, and an airport owner's representative. The incumbent initiates pre-design conferences between the consultant, the FAA, and the airport representative to discuss the overall project scope, contract requirements, unique problems anticipated, and the general work sequence to ensure that quality plans are developed. Pre-bid conferences are arranged by the incumbent with all appropriate parties to render any clarification of the plans, specifications, and special provisions prior to contractors submitting their bids.

Job Responsibilities Continued

The incumbent exercises independent judgment on decisions concerning complex engineering problems. The incumbent directs adaptation of new methods and procedures and represents the Division of Aeronautics in all matters involving the design phase of airport projects. The incumbent has complete freedom on technical matters within established engineering codes, standards, and the Airport Design section's policies. All matters dealing with the interpretation of policy, elements of precedence, regulatory changes, and other areas of controversy are referred to the Section Chief of Airport Design for final decision. The incumbent performs other duties within the broad departmental guidelines and regulations as directed by the Section Chief of Airport Design.

The incumbent maintains frequent contact with other department offices and bureaus, the FAA, cities, counties, contractors, and consulting engineers in performing these duties. This position requires frequent daytime travel intermittently, with occasional statewide travel that may include overnight stays.

The effectiveness of this position is measured by the incumbent's ability to provide safe, timely, well-designed, cost-effective airport construction projects to serve the public. Other indicators of effectiveness are the timeliness of resolving problems and maintaining a high level of cooperation with all contractual parties.

Principal Accountabilities

1. Reviews all TIP submittals for scope and cost estimates to ensure their accuracy and adequacy for later project development.
2. Conducts pre-design and special coordination meetings.
3. Provides guidance to all consulting engineers during the design of airport projects.
4. Reviews and approves the engineering report prior to allowing the consultant to start work on the final plans and recommends appropriate solution methods for all complex designs.
5. Performs reviews of all plans and specifications, approves these upon completion, and certifies to the FAA that they conform to the required state and federal criteria and standards.
6. Reviews and recommends approval of engineering agreements to the Section Chief of Airport Design for airport design which may include preliminary and special services, construction engineering services, and payments of subsequent design invoices.
7. Recommends to the Section Chief of Airport Design all projects ready for letting and prepares contract documents.
8. Performs bid reviews and analysis and makes recommendations to the Section Chief of Airport Design on contract awards or bid rejections.
9. Prepares post letting documents which include the detailed project budget, detailed pay items list, bid tabulations, and all appropriate letters to the sponsors, consultants, bidders, and the FAA providing detailed results of the letting.
10. Assists the Section Chief of Airport Design in developing, writing, updating, publishing, and republishing of all section documents including the Illinois Standard Specifications for Construction of Airports, Policies and Procedures Manual, and standard agreements for engineering services.
11. Assists the Section Chief of Airport Design in pre-qualifying consulting engineering firms in the various categories of airport work.
12. Performs duties in compliance with departmental safety rules. Performs all duties in a manner conducive to the fair and equitable treatment of all employees.
13. Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Position Requirements

• Current registration as a Licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Illinois
• Four years of experience in civil engineering
• Frequent daytime travel intermittently, with occasional statewide travel that may include overnight stays
• Valid driver’s license
• Successful completion of a background screening

Position Desirables

• Comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices of civil engineering
• Experience developing and supervising civil transportation and capital improvement projects
• Experience in financial management of multiple large civil transportation projects and programs
• Strong organizational and leadership skills and experience
• Ability to self-motivate
• Strong oral and written communication skills

Work Hours: 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. Monday - Friday
Work Location:  1 Langhorne Bond Dr, Springfield, Illinois, 62707

Office: Office of Intermodal Project Implementation/Division of Aeronautics/Airport Engineering
Agency Contact:  

Posting Group:  Transportation ; Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

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