Transportation Engineer 1/Transportation Civil Engineer

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) oversees building and maintaining the nation’s 5th largest interstate system and the 2nd largest number of bridges. We take pride in providing safe and efficient roadways for the people of Ohio and to the people traveling within our great state. And in order to achieve that, we do A LOT! From Planning, Engineering, Construction to Law, HR, Communications, IT and everything in between, ODOT has a career for just about everyone. ODOTers are hardworking, passionate, and dedicated to public service. We strive to achieve our agency’s vision every day: To be a long term, reliable, professional, and highly productive organization.

 

To provide easy movement of people and goods from place to place. We will:

    -Take care of what we have

     -Make our system work better

    -Improve safety

    -Enhance capacity

 

ODOT’s Transportation Civil Engineering (TCE) Program offers Engineering college graduates a great opportunity to begin, or continue, their career in the Civil Engineering field. The TCE Program provides a thorough introduction to the department’s core engineering disciplines with hands on training in all concentrations of Civil Engineering. ODOT engineers develop traffic models, environmental mitigation documents and create construction plans for upcoming roadway, bridge, culvert, safety, drainage and other projects. ODOT engineers are in the field overseeing projects being constructed. Whether it is a simple roadway resurfacing or the construction of a new bridge, ODOT engineers make sure contractors follow specifications so all projects are properly built. ODOT engineers develop simple and complex traffic management designs, manage ODOT’s motor vehicle fleet and oversee winter operations, a function that is critical to keeping Ohio’s economy moving forward.

TCEs are provided 12 months experience & training with a Professional Engineer in the department’s core engineering disciplines: Construction, Design, Planning and Highway Management. Training opportunities include: GEOPAK Micro[1]station, Surveying/CADD, Project Manager Training, Bridges, Safety, plus hundreds of other training options.

 

-Extensive benefits including medical, vision, dental and basic life insurance

-11 paid holidays per year

-Paid time off with vacation, sick and personal leave accruals

-At least a 14% employer contribution in to your OPERS pension plan

-Pay increases pursuant to the OCSEA Collective Bargaining Agreement (i.e., 3% cost of living increase yearly)

-Employee Tuition reimbursement programs

-Work/Life Balance

-The opportunity to work on an important mission

 

Employee works for a Registered Professional Engineer in order to accomplish assignments. Individual project assignments will be made by a licensed engineer in the assigned District/Central Office location. An evaluation report is completed denoting employee performance by a licensed engineer at the completion of each assignment.

Over a time period of approximately 12 months, TE1s participate in a work based training program (i.e., receives on-the-job training) intended to provide comprehensive experience of the engineering functions within the Ohio Department of Transportation. TE1s will each rotate to participate in projects/assignments in each of the following work units: Construction, Highway Management, & Planning & Engineering. Participants will facilitate operational efficiency in each of these work units by performing the following tasks, including but not limited to, representing the department acting as a liaison to relay project information between &/or to departmental offices, engineers, or inspectors, contractors, etc.; developing professional, productive internal & external customer service relationships; practicing evaluating the impact of decision(s) on project scope, coworkers, contractors, public safety, & public image of agency overall, etc., along with other related administrative tasks.

The rotation assignments will include duties prescribed by the work unit assignment as follows:

Travels & inspects existing simple & standard projects (e.g., guardrail, two-lane resurfacing, striping, ditch lay-overs, bridge overlays, culvert replacements) to ensure contractor compliance to plans, notes, & guidelines (e.g., examines plans; verifies calculations; checks quantities; estimates costs) & approves use of contingencies (i.e., quantity & plan design changes). Maintains project records using a computer & related software (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel); performs surveying functions using surveying equipment; identifies necessary engineering changes which include: field operations, summarized engineering analysis & specific suggestions for remedies. Performs materials testing assignments (e.g., durability of specific mixes for bituminous concrete, evaluations of newly marketed construction materials).

Conducts traffic studies & researches specific locations (e.g., high accident areas); reviews lighting plans; assists in planning improvement & reconstruction projects to ensure public roads meet reasonable standards within limitations of regulations (e.g., maintenance of traffic control, sign control, traffic safety, minor structures); establishes characteristics of sewage treatment plants & their operations at roadside rest areas; formulates designs; researches previously implemented projects to identify if materials & original intent resulted in anticipated outcome. Work with county operational activities. Assists with activities involved in bridge painting, waterproofing, & annual bridge inspection to determine structural adequacy & condition.

Using prescribed methods, a computer & related software (e.g., MicroStation), performs specific portions of a broad assignment (e.g., drafts detailed construction drawings used in planning & construction of highways; applies standard techniques to adjust data). Identifies discrepancies in results; corrects by following operations through a series of related steps; plans, designs, & coordinates development of drainage systems utilizing knowledge of soils, slope of land & availability of existing drainage; designs structures using established precedents to meet estimated load requirements, to be more efficient, safe, economical, acceptable; reviews highway & bridge plans (i.e., minor structures), contracts & cost estimates for technical & legal accuracy. Reviews environmental documents (e.g., water & air reports) & engineering source documents in the preliminary development stage for accuracy & compliance to specifications.