Design Lead

Stantec•Chicago, IL

About The Position

When you care deeply about the work you do, it’s rewarding to see it through from concept to completion. We partner with clients to provide both program management and construction management to strategize, plan, and implement projects that drive organizations forward. From hospitals and airports to university campuses, mass transit systems, water treatment facilities, mines, and wind farms, we've successfully managed thousands of projects. Joining our team, turning visionary ideas into reality, will shape your future—and the future of your community. We are strategizing, planning, and implementing projects that help clients achieve their organization’s objectives. Join our award-winning program management team and bring transformational project solutions to life. We are seeking a highly experienced civil engineering professional with a strong background in transportation design and project delivery, this role is responsible for reviewing design submittals for compliance with Tollway, IDOT, and AASHTO standards while leading constructability, quality assurance, and value-engineering efforts. The position supports multiple project managers across concurrent projects, ensures adherence to budgets, schedules, and design intent, and plays a key role in client engagement, proposal development, and winning new work. With over 10 years of industry experience and a PE license in Illinois, the ideal candidate demonstrates exceptional technical knowledge, leadership, communication, and negotiation skills, while mentoring junior staff and driving projects forward with minimal supervision.

Requirements

Extensive project design experience supports in the ability to win work during proposal response.
Capable of simultaneously supporting one or more PMs on multiple projects.
Excellent understanding of accessibility codes, life-safety codes, building construction systems, means and methods, materials, and industry associated standards.
Proactively takes appropriate action without requiring continued direction or guidance.
Effectively manages multiple deadlines and priorities.
Team player with the client, entire project team and contractor.
Excellent negotiator and communicator.
Requires understanding of Microsoft Office Suite, Newforma
Professional Engineer (PE) licensed in Illinois
10 years of experience in industry

Nice To Haves

Prefer experience with Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUP.

Responsibilities

Review design submittals for conformance with Tollway design standards (Tollway Design Manual, Tollway Plan/Standard details, ICAPP) and applicable IDOT and AASHTO criteria.
Operate the submittal-review pipeline, leveraging AI-enabled triage from the PMO Innovation & Technology Lab to prioritize critical reviews and accelerate routine ones.
Maintain quality-assurance independence — ensure QA reviewers are separate from any team performing the underlying design work.
Lead constructability and value-engineering coordination with the Construction Monitor, the Central Tri-State CCM/OR, and the CMs.
Support errors-and-omissions review on design contracts, including root-cause classification (design error, scope change, owner-directed change, unforeseen condition).
Effectively participates and helps to win work in interviews for potential projects.
Plans, organizes, and directs the work throughout the life of the project to successfully deliver the project to the client.
Keeps the Project Manager informed of progress on project expectations, deadlines, and deliverables and understands the limits of the decision-making responsibilities of the role and respects the boundaries of the PM’s responsibilities.
Leads the client and project team to assure that the project design meets the client budget, schedule, program, and design intent.
Assists in the negotiation and development of project agreements.
Mentors junior team members and motivates project teams.
Assures that Project Management Framework tasks are timely completed and properly documented.
Leads project coordination and owner/site meetings with internal team members and/or external consultants, owner and contractor and sub-contractors.
Works with Project Manager in determining project staffing needs and recommending personnel.