Engineer III - Project Development

State of North Carolina•Durham, NC

9d•$70,478 - $123,336•Hybrid

About The Position

This position will coordinate with private engineering consultants, NCDOT Project Managers, Division Management, technical subject matter experts, planning organizations, transit agencies, municipal and county staff, the Federal Highway Administration, and regulatory agencies to ensure our projects comply with NEPA/SEPA regulations, environmental laws, local, State, and Federal policies as well as NCDOT guidance relevant to the resources present within the context of each project as we perform planning, engineering and environmental studies for projects within Division 5. This includes the investigation and evaluation/review of studies related to streams and wetlands, endangered species, historic architecture, community impacts, multi-modal accommodations, voluntary agriculture districts (VAD), prime farmland, the Clean Water Act, and other studies necessary to comply with policy and to make informed decisions regarding project scope and alternatives. This position will be responsible for guiding project managers and upper management in key decisions for the development and evaluation of all reasonable and feasible alternatives for transportation projects. The position will also provide expert guidance on major aspects of a project such as level of NEPA/SEPA documentation, purpose and need, scope of improvements, location of alternatives, and compatibility of the project with the surrounding community. The position will perform various technical evaluations such as review of wetland delineations and stream assessments, review and assessment of community impacts, review and recommendation of multi-modal accommodations, local coordination and project team guidance on potential VAD impacts, and identification and evaluation of other potential environmental impacts to develop avoidance, minimization, and mitigation options for projects. The position will also work to generally identify and reduce risk associated with policy compliance and will review project specific environmental documents to ensure they contain sufficient information and analysis to support project decisions and are legally sufficient to withstand the scrutiny of court litigation. The position will also review plans to ensure compliance with applicable guidelines and environmental policies to ensure they have been incorporated into the design before construction, he/she will assist with the public involvement process for projects where support is needed and will be responsible for environmental permitting of select Division projects. The level and scope of involvement varies according to the nature of each project and judgment must be exercised to identify the appropriate approach. This position will contribute to a variety of projects from more simple to complex and may require significant coordination with public interest groups, planning organizations, and elected, and elected officials and staff professionals on the federal, state and local levels of government. The selected candidate will work with the Division’s Project Development offices in Durham and Wake Counties and will be required to travel between locations in Raleigh and Durham on a regular basis for in-person meetings with team members. The office location for this position may be in Raleigh or Durham.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in an applicable field of engineering from an appropriately accredited institution and four (4) years of progressively responsible experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Knowledge of the principles and practices of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA), environmental regulations, civil engineering, construction and maintenance methods, as they apply to highway and traffic engineering and transportation planning.
Skilled in the development of NEPA/SEPA documents for NCDOT projects.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively for coordination with private engineering firms, technical writing, public speaking, and communication with people of various technical and non-technical educational backgrounds.
Experience maintaining effective working relationships with NCDOT staff, consultants, contractors, and public officials while managing conflicts and deadlines.
Experience with computers using MS Word, Excel, MicroStation, and Bluebeam.
May require registration as a professional engineer by the North Carolina Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors.

Responsibilities

Coordinate with private engineering consultants, NCDOT Project Managers, Division Management, technical subject matter experts, planning organizations, transit agencies, municipal and county staff, the Federal Highway Administration, and regulatory agencies to ensure projects comply with NEPA/SEPA regulations, environmental laws, local, State, and Federal policies, and NCDOT guidance.
Investigate and evaluate studies related to streams and wetlands, endangered species, historic architecture, community impacts, multi-modal accommodations, voluntary agriculture districts (VAD), prime farmland, the Clean Water Act, and other studies necessary for informed decisions.
Guide project managers and upper management in key decisions for the development and evaluation of all reasonable and feasible alternatives for transportation projects.
Provide expert guidance on major aspects of a project such as level of NEPA/SEPA documentation, purpose and need, scope of improvements, location of alternatives, and compatibility with the surrounding community.
Perform technical evaluations including review of wetland delineations and stream assessments, community impacts, multi-modal accommodations, VAD impacts, and other potential environmental impacts to develop avoidance, minimization, and mitigation options.
Identify and reduce risk associated with policy compliance.
Review project-specific environmental documents to ensure sufficient information and analysis to support project decisions and legal sufficiency.
Review plans to ensure compliance with applicable guidelines and environmental policies before construction.
Assist with the public involvement process for projects.
Responsible for environmental permitting of select Division projects.
Contribute to a variety of projects from simple to complex, requiring coordination with public interest groups, planning organizations, and elected officials and staff professionals on federal, state, and local levels.