Structural Materials Lab Technician I

State of North Carolina • Wake County, NC

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Engineering Technician I position is in the Structural Materials Lab at the Materials and Tests (M&T) Unit Central Laboratory in Raleigh. The role performs routine material tests and evaluations in a laboratory environment to provide quality assurance for materials used in North Carolina roadways. The technician follows standard operating procedures and test methods developed by AASHTO, ASTM, or the Department, and works hands-on with laboratory equipment and test materials. The position also requires maintaining qualifications and conducting testing associated with the laboratory’s accreditation. Materials tested include concrete cylinders, concrete cores, other hardened concrete products, metal reinforcement, structural steel, and metal hardware. Testing may include compression, tensile, absorption, hardness, and rotational capacity tests. Specimen preparation may involve cutting, grinding, power tools, and handling high-temperature materials. The position requires legal ability to operate a motor vehicle. This is an internal posting open only to temporary or permanent NCDOT employees and qualifying layoff candidates.

Requirements

• Associate's degree in Civil Engineering Technology, Survey Technology, or the assigned discipline from an appropriately accredited institution, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must be able to legally operate a motor vehicle.
• Ability to work hands-on with laboratory equipment and handle materials being tested.

Nice To Haves

• Experience performing field- or laboratory-based tests on engineered materials.
• Experience using applicable software, including Microsoft Office products and databases.
• Experience interpreting data and communicating results effectively.
• Experience scheduling, tracking, and completing tasks independently with limited supervision.
• Experience operating and calibrating testing equipment.
• Time-management, organizational, equipment-maintenance, cleanliness, and attention-to-detail aptitudes.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine laboratory material tests and evaluations to provide quality assurance for materials used in North Carolina roadways.
• Use standard operating procedures and applicable AASHTO, ASTM, or Department test methods.
• Maintain qualifications and perform testing associated with maintaining laboratory accreditation.
• Prepare specimens, potentially using cutting, grinding, power tools, and high-temperature materials.
• Perform tests such as compression, tensile, absorption, hardness, and rotational capacity testing.
• Coordinate time-sensitive testing and track samples and testing tasks.
• Maintain laboratory equipment and cleanliness.
• Identify and correct issues to support accurate testing.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree