Civil Engineer – Highway Construction

Location: New Kensington, PA
Job Type: Full-Time
Work Arrangement: Onsite
Salary: $155,000

About the Organization

Our client is an established heavy highway and transportation construction company with a strong presence in Pennsylvania. The organization specializes in complex infrastructure projects, including bridges, roadways, structural construction, and other major transportation infrastructure.

The company has built a strong reputation for delivering technically challenging construction projects while maintaining high standards for safety, quality, engineering, and project execution. This position offers an opportunity to join the organization in a senior engineering capacity and play a key role in strengthening its engineering capabilities.

Position Overview

The organization is seeking an experienced Civil Engineer / Chief Engineer to oversee construction engineering activities for heavy highway and transportation infrastructure projects, including bridges, roadways, and complex structural operations.

This is a succession opportunity for the current Chief Engineer. Following a structured training and transition period, the selected candidate will assume full responsibility for the organization's construction engineering function.

The role will provide technical leadership across projects, oversee engineering standards and risk, work closely with field and project teams, and ultimately serve as the organization's senior engineering authority.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead planning, design, review, and approval of temporary works for heavy highway construction projects.

• Provide engineering oversight for cofferdams, concrete forms, temporary supports, shoring, falsework, and demolition sequencing.

• Work directly with project managers, field personnel, and construction teams to ensure engineering plans are implemented safely and correctly.

• Establish and maintain engineering standards, procedures, and quality-control processes.

• Provide technical oversight of constructability, engineering risk, and safety impacts related to construction means and methods.

• Ensure compliance with PennDOT, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, OSHA, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

• Review, approve, sign, and seal engineering drawings, calculations, and technical documents as required.

• Serve as the primary engineering liaison with PennDOT, owners, design engineers, consultants, third-party reviewers, and regulatory agencies.

• Lead, mentor, and develop engineering staff and strengthen internal engineering capabilities.

• Support preconstruction, estimating, and bid reviews with technical input and construction sequencing plans.

• Evaluate engineering risks and constructability during project planning.

• Work closely with project management and field leadership to resolve complex technical issues.

• Provide technical guidance and leadership throughout project execution.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering.

• Strong background in steel and concrete structural design and geotechnical engineering.

• Professional Engineer (PE) License – Required.

• Minimum 10 years of construction industry experience.

• Heavy highway, bridge, roadway, or transportation infrastructure experience strongly preferred.

• Experience overseeing engineering activities for major DOT or infrastructure projects.

• Proven engineering leadership or management experience.

• Strong knowledge of structural and geotechnical analysis.

• Experience with STAAD, AutoCAD, MathCAD, or similar engineering/CAD platforms.

• Strong understanding of construction means, methods, sequencing, and field operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• PennDOT experience preferred.

• Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission experience preferred.

• Experience with major DOT or transportation infrastructure projects.

• Bid preparation, estimating, and preconstruction experience.

• Practical, hands-on construction experience.

• Strong mechanical aptitude.

• Private-sector construction experience is a plus.

Succession Opportunity

This position is specifically designed as a succession role for the current Chief Engineer.

The selected candidate will receive training and work through a transition period with the current Chief Engineer. Following the transition, the candidate will assume full responsibility for the organization's construction engineering program and become the senior engineering authority.

Additional Requirements

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without current or future visa sponsorship.

• Must successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen.

• Must successfully pass a background check.

• Strong communication, leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills are required.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will currently be working in a role such as:

Chief Engineer | Senior Civil Engineer | Construction Engineer | Engineering Manager | Senior Project Engineer

Candidates should have strong experience with:

• Heavy highway construction

• Bridge and roadway projects

• DOT infrastructure projects

• Structural and geotechnical engineering

• Pennsylvania construction projects

• Temporary works and construction means/methods

• Engineering leadership and project execution

Pennsylvania-based candidates with PennDOT or Pennsylvania Turnpike experience are strongly preferred.