Specification Writer 2 - Civil Engineering (EI)

DOWL • Bellevue, WA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Specification Writer 2 is responsible for creating and maintaining technical documents that outline the requirements and standards for a variety of civil and environmental projects. The specification writer works in close collaboration with engineers, project managers, and other stakeholders to ensure that all specifications are clear, accurate, and aligned with both client and company expectations. Duties may include ensuring specifications are compliant with client standards, revising existing specifications to meet current project needs, interpreting technical drawings to incorporate relevant details, performing quality control within DOWL’s quality program and the project contract, facilitating meetings with engineers, project managers, clients, and other stakeholders, creating and managing client‑specific templates, calculating construction quantities, estimating construction costs, and preparing project correspondence. The person in this position is expected to exercise a strong work ethic, a desire to learn new design and documentation concepts, and strong organizational and communication skills. A successful Specification Writer 2 should demonstrate developing proficiency with editing special provisions for at least one Pacific Northwest DOT and be able to quickly learn DOWL’s other client specification requirements. A successful employee is expected to work well with others, absorb and apply constructive criticism, and seek guidance from more experienced members of the team as necessary. This position will work under the guidance of a licensed professional engineer.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree required
• 2 years of experience required
• 1 year of experience required with advanced degree
• EIT/EI required
• Driving is an essential job function or a valid driver’s license is required to support legitimate business purposes
• Previous experience in specification writing, technical writing, or a related field
• Solid understanding of technical fundamentals
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other documentation tools
• Ability to manage multiple projects and meet tight deadlines
• Performs basic technical tasks with market sector with limited oversight
• Performs quality control of basic deliverables
• Eager to learn and expand skill set, advanced understanding of technical writing skills
• Reviews, interprets, and employs appropriate design guidance from technical memos and reports
• Understands how specifications influence construction methods, bid items, quantities, and cost estimates
• Team player who follows the direction of others, ask goods questions, retains information provided, and shares information with those less experienced.
• Moderate understanding of scopes, schedules, and budgets.
• With guidance, predicts the level of effort for individual tasks and successfully deliver tasks within that level of effort.
• Monitors results on moderately complex projects.
• Understands and employs AASHTO and FHWA design codes - Moderate.
• Understands and employs Local Client design codes - Moderate.
• Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel) - Developing
• Market Sector Software (AutoCAD C3D) - Developing
• Market Sector Software (Microstation Connect and OpenRoads) - Developing (if applicable)
• Task Specific (e.g., AutoTurn, GuideSign) - Basic

Nice To Haves

• Developing proficiency with editing special provisions for at least one Pacific Northwest DOT
• Able to quickly learn DOWL’s other client specification requirements

Responsibilities

• Creating and maintaining technical documents that outline the requirements and standards for a variety of civil and environmental projects.
• Ensuring specifications are compliant with client standards.
• Revising existing specifications to meet current project needs.
• Interpreting technical drawings to incorporate relevant details.
• Performing quality control within DOWL’s quality program and the project contract.
• Facilitating meetings with engineers, project managers, clients, and other stakeholders.
• Creating and managing client‑specific templates.
• Calculating construction quantities.
• Estimating construction costs.
• Preparing project correspondence.
• Producing technical reports and memos.
• Producing design documents and construction plans.
• Producing exhibits.

Benefits

• High Deductible Health Plan with a Health Savings Account (HSA) (including employer contribution)
• flexible spending account
• dental
• vision
• life and AD&D insurance
• short- and long-term disability insurance
• dependent care account
• employee assistance program
• a 401(k) plan with discretionary employer contributions for matching
• profit sharing
• student debt repayment
• paid time off
• paid holidays

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level