Bridge Maintenance Engineer, Civil Engineer 3 (CE3)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Tumwater, WA

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Natural Resources is hiring a Bridge Maintenance Engineer for its South Puget Sound Region in Tumwater, Washington. Under the direction of the South Puget Sound Region Engineer, this position oversees the region’s bridge inspection and maintenance program and supports maintenance of nearly 2,000 miles of forest roads. The role works with heavy equipment operators, contractors, engineers, state agencies, and external partners to plan and complete bridge replacement, removal, maintenance, and other road projects. It also provides engineering expertise to timber sales and road maintenance programs and coaches and mentors other engineers in planning, surveying, design, and contract writing. The position works under the supervision of the licensed Region Engineer to gain experience toward a Professional Engineering License. This is a full-time, non-permanent, represented position, anticipated to run from December 2026 through June 2027. It is based at an assigned duty station in Tumwater, WA; partial telework flexibility may be available. Approximately 70% of work is in isolated, unimproved natural forestry settings, and approximately 50–75% of the time is spent traveling alone in the field between projects, work centers, and meetings. Occasional overnight travel may be required for training. Monthly salary is $6,384–$8,583.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Forest or Civil Engineering or a closely related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and professional experience demonstrating the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Four years of experience applying engineering principles to the design and construction of forest roads and bridges, including completion of five fish-passable stream-crossing structures or designs equivalent in complexity.
Three years of experience in Public Works contracting and understanding of Washington State contracting and purchasing laws and regulations.
Experience with site mapping and knowledge of surveying principles, including use of topographic survey equipment.
Knowledge of and experience in surveying and surveying principles.
Excellent communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
Commitment to fostering and supporting an environment that honors diversity, equity, inclusion, and environmental justice practices.
Perform assigned duties consistently with applicable laws, regulations, and public-records retention requirements, and ensure requests are followed.
Registration as an Engineer-In-Training.
Current, valid driver’s license and two years of driving experience; the license must not be suspended, revoked, or restricted. Driving is an essential job function, and finalists or interview candidates must provide a driving record from every state where they held a license during the past three years.
Ability to traverse uneven terrain in all weather conditions and travel alone in the field.

Nice To Haves

WSDOT Bridge Inspection certification.
Competency in Washington Forest Practice Rules, Hydraulic Code, and DNR’s State Lands Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP).
Proficiency in AutoCAD, ArcGIS, RoadEng, other engineering software, and Microsoft Office programs.
Registration as a Professional Forest Engineer or Civil Engineer in Washington, or in another state under registration requirements equivalent to Washington’s; this may substitute for either the education or experience requirements.

Responsibilities

Annually inspect all region bridges that are required under L&I and WACs and open to the public in the South Puget Sound region.
Keep bridge inventory, inspections, and database current, including updating load ratings when received.
Determine and maintain appropriate signage for each bridge based on load-rating reports.
Plan and design maintenance, prepare budget estimates, and coordinate routine maintenance and major repairs for bridges and culverts classified as bridges with the Region Engineer.
Provide engineering expertise and assistance to the region’s timber sales and road maintenance programs.
Design, coordinate, permit, implement, and comply with other engineering projects, including preparing and administering contracts.
Assist with Rights of Way road assessments and reviews.
Coordinate the region’s FEMA response.
Serve as Project Manager for Rock Pit Leasing.
Coach and mentor other engineers in planning, surveying, designing, and contract-writing phases of timber sales and public works contracts.
Communicate and network with agency staff at the region and division levels.