Sr Construction Field Specialist

HNTB Corporation•Miami, FL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

At HNTB Corporation, you can create a career that is meaningful to you while building communities that matter to all of us. For more than a century, HNTB has delivered solutions for some of the nation’s largest, most complex transportation and infrastructure programs. With continued growth across the rail and transit market, this is an exciting time to join our team of employee-owners. This opportunity entails serving as a Railroad Track Project Administrator responsible for overseeing and coordinating railroad track construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, and infrastructure improvement projects throughout all phases of construction. The selected candidate will provide senior-level construction administration, inspection oversight, and field coordination to ensure compliance with railroad standards, contract documents, project specifications, safety requirements, and agency procedures. Responsibilities include monitoring contractor operations, reviewing schedules and work plans, coordinating track outages and flagging activities, verifying quality control and testing documentation, and supporting project delivery within established budget and schedule constraints. The Railroad Track Project Administrator will work closely with rail owners, transit agencies, freight rail operators, contractors, utility stakeholders, and project management teams to maintain safe railroad operations while construction activities are underway. The role includes oversight of track installation activities, special trackwork, ballast, drainage, grading, turnouts, crossings, signal coordination, maintenance of traffic/phasing, and coordination with dispatch and railroad operations personnel. The candidate will also support constructability reviews, change order evaluations, progress meetings, claims documentation, and resolution of field issues to minimize impacts to active rail operations. This position may serve as the primary on-site liaison between the Client, HNTB personnel, contractors, and railroad stakeholders, assisting in the resolution of complex project issues and ensuring adherence to FRA regulations, railroad standards, safety procedures, and project-specific requirements. The role may function under the direction of a Resident Engineer or Project Manager on large and complex rail infrastructure programs or may independently lead field coordination efforts for track-related construction activities. Strong leadership, communication, and coordination skills are essential, particularly in environments involving active rail corridors, multiple stakeholders, and accelerated construction schedules.

Requirements

Associates degree in Engineering, Construction Services, or related field and 14 years relevant experience, or Bachelor’s in engineering, construction services or related field and 12 years of relevant experience, or In lieu of degree, 16 years of relevant experience.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated ability to build and maintain collaborative working relationships with clients, contractors, railroad operators, project stakeholders, and multidisciplinary project teams to support successful project delivery.
Proven experience leading construction progress meetings, coordinating field activities, and driving resolution of technical and operational issues to achieve schedule, quality, safety, and client satisfaction goals.
Ability to lead and manage complex railroad track construction activities in the absence of the Resident Engineer or Project Manager, including oversight of contractor performance, field coordination, and construction compliance.
Serves as a primary point of contact between the client, railroad stakeholders, contractors, and HNTB project teams for day-to-day project coordination and issue resolution.
Experience coordinating construction activities across multiple project sites, active rail corridors, and phased work environments while minimizing impacts to ongoing railroad operations.
Strong knowledge of railroad track construction methods, maintenance of traffic/phasing, track outages, special trackwork, ballast and surfacing operations, grade crossings, and rail safety procedures.
Experience interpreting railroad standards, contract documents, construction plans, specifications, and applicable FRA and agency requirements.
Excellent communication, leadership, organizational, and documentation skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in fast-paced construction environments.
Ability to coordinate closely with dispatch, flagging personnel, signal teams, utility stakeholders, and operating railroads to support safe and efficient construction operations.
15+ years of progressively responsible experience in railroad construction with a strong emphasis on track construction, rehabilitation, maintenance, and rail infrastructure projects.
Experience working on active freight rail, commuter rail, passenger rail, or transit corridors with coordination involving railroad operations and track outage planning.
Experience with railroad owner standards and procedures, including agencies such as CSX Transportation , Brightline , South Florida Regional Transportation Authority , Federal Railroad Administration , or other Class I and transit rail operators.
Experience supporting CEI, construction management, or project administration services for rail infrastructure programs.
Familiarity with railroad safety certifications, roadway worker protection requirements, and railroad coordination protocols.

Responsibilities

Inspects, observes, documents, and verifies work in progress by the construction contractor to ensure compliance with project schedule, contract documents and plans.
Confirms procedures are followed and material used conforms to specifications.
Advises Contractor Superintendent or Project Manager of necessary actions to ensure conformance with plan, specs and contract.
Reviews and resolves quantity disputes with contractor.
Utilizes engineering inspection practices to perform sophisticated and complicated mathematical calculations, constructability and biddability reviews, and measurements of completed work to date.
Reviews and check calculations for Inspector's daily report of assigned work activities, contractor labor and equipment, quantity of material received and verified.
Performs on-site material testing and produces as-constructed sketches.
Leverage relationships with peers for project discovery and talent acquisition.
Maintains as-built record drawings.
Performs contract close-out documentation.
Performs construction schedule reviews, contractor pay estimate reviews, and change order management.
Prepares and leads project progress meetings.
Serves as field technical subject matter expert.
May lead daily assignments, mentor, and train employees.
Performs other duties as assigned.