Transportation Engineering Specialist ($4000 Hiring Incentive)

Arizona Department of Administration • Holbrook, AZ

9d • $64,804 - $74,804 • Onsite

About The Position

This position leads the Holbrook Materials Laboratory and supervises technicians performing materials acceptance testing for highway construction projects. Provides technical analysis, product approval, disseminates test results, and serves as a technical expert and consultative resource. Provides leadership, supervision, training, and coaching to the lab staff. Ensures personal protective equipment is utilized correctly and all laboratory safety features and equipment are routinely inspected and functioning properly. Assists the Regional Materials Engineer in implementing new test procedures, training, and general improvements in quality and efficiency. Tracks the utilization of vehicles, equipment, expendables and other supplies, and costs associated with such to establish and operate the Lab within a budget, and actively seeks ways to modify protocol to improve safety and efficiency. Coordinates with District staff to assist with snow removal operations.

Requirements

• Engineering-related mechanical and chemical properties of soils and highway construction materials, and associated computations.
• Methods and techniques used in highway construction and materials testing laboratory procedures including those under the jurisdiction of AASHTO, ASTM, and ADOT.
• ADOT Standards, the ADOT Materials Quality Assurance Program, Sampling Guide, Practice and Procedure Guidance, ADOT FAST, Soil and Aggregate, and Concrete Cylinder Report (CCR) materials databases.
• Federal and State regulations involving construction procedures and the environment.
• Lab safety protocol.
• Skill in researching, reading, and interpreting a variety of technical engineering documents such as standard drawings, design documents, specifications, printouts of test data, materials research report and technical bulletins to effectively interpret acceptability of test results.
• Effective oral and written communication skills to accurately convey ideas.
• Time management, task prioritization, and interpersonal relations to facilitated the lab's fulfillment of ADOT's objectives.
• Plan and prioritize work assignments within the laboratory to effectively accomplish the goals and objectives of the Department within established timeframes.
• Lead by example and gain the trust of technicians in the laboratory to establish and maintain a productive work environment.
• Obtain state-of-the-art information from manuals, research papers, or other technical publications regarding complex materials testing-related issues and discuss with experts in order to solve problems.
• Exercise considerable engineering-based judgement when dealing with non-routine situations.
• Operate a computer and use specialized software to analyze test results.
• Ability to coach and develop employees, including continuous improvement practice and principles.
• Valid driver's license - This position requires driving or the use of a vehicle as an essential function of the job, and the following requirements apply. Any employee operating a motor vehicle on State business must possess and retain a current, valid class-appropriate driver’s license, complete all required training, and successfully pass all necessary driver’s license record checks. The license must be current, unexpired, and neither revoked nor suspended. Employees who drive on state business are subject to driver’s license record checks, must maintain acceptable driving records, and must complete all required driver training. An employee who operates a personally owned vehicle on state business shall maintain the statutorily required liability insurance (see Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R2-10-207.11).
• Arizona Technical Testing Institute - Field, Soils & Aggregate, and Asphalt certifications
• American Concrete Institute - Concrete Field Testing Technician Grade 1 and Concrete Strength Testing Technician certifications
• All newly hired State employees are subject to and must successfully complete the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).

Nice To Haves

• Bachelors of Science Degree in a highway construction related field and two years of supervisory experience in an AASHTO Accredited Lab
• 5 years of supervisor experience in an accredited lab.
• Completion of the ADOT EIT Program or having passed the Field Engineer Exam, and two ears of progressive materials testing experience in an accredited lab.
• Eight years of progressive laboratory experience equivalent to a TCT4 Lead lab Technician.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership, supervision, and coaching to staff to meet Department objectives including hiring, appraising, promoting, and disciplining.
• Managing equipment, inventories, vehicles, other fixed assets, and all operations performed by the lab in transporting, receiving, preparing, and testing materials, proficiency and round-robin samples, and recording, analyzing, and reporting test results.
• Leads by example and maintains competency by performing testing of highway construction materials in accordance with AASHTO, ASTM, and Arizona test methods and procedures, and verification and calibration of testing equipment, all alongside the other technicians in the lab.
• Gathers and supplies data for input in order to perform precise calculations to determine materials test results, associated pay factors, and statistical outliers.
• Approves or disapproves of work including reviewing calculations for accuracy and determining the acceptability of the material for respective projects.
• Notifies project personnel and Regional Materials Engineer of the results.
• Acts as a technical staff expert in providing materials testing related expertise to the Flagstaff Regional Materials Engineer and Northeast District.
• Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates technically difficult materials-related data and information to provide guidance to project level personnel on materials issues to ensure proper implementation of procedures and project specifications.
• Communicates with the Flagstaff Regional Materials Lab to discuss correlation results and resolve non-correlating test results. This includes verifying correct technician procedures and calculations, calibrated, standardized, and properly function equipment, and directing technicians to either re-run tests or prepare new split samples.
• Organizes and conducts staff meetings.
• Represents ADOT Materials Group at partnering workshops, pre-construction conferences, issues resolution meetings, task forces, and project reviews in order to provide technical assistance on materials-related issues.
• Attends seminars, workshops, meetings, and conferences as both a participant and representative of ADOT.
• Communicates with ADOT staff, consultants, contractors, and other agencies to both acquire and provide needed project information.
• Participates in problem solving and decision making relative to materials-related issues for both external and internal customers including construction projects, other labs, and other Regional Materials Engineers as needed.
• Coordinates with ADOT District staff to assist with winter snow removal.
• Including coordination of technicians schedules and work load to accommodate volunteer assignments as well as being an active on site volunteer as needed.

Benefits

• Sick leave
• Vacation with 10 paid holidays per year
• Paid Parental Leave-Up to 12 weeks per year paid leave for newborn or newly-placed foster/adopted child (pilot program).
• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement plan
• Life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Optional employee benefits include short-term disability insurance, deferred compensation plans, and supplemental life insurance

What This Job Offers

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