Senior Engineering Specialist

Senior Engineering Specialist

Print ()

Apply

Senior Engineering Specialist

Salary

$63,242.00 - $98,103.00 Annually

Location

Durham, NC

Job Type

Full time with benefits

Job Number

25-05545

Department

Planning & Development

Opening Date

09 / 30 / 2025

Closing Date

Continuous

Description

Benefits

Questions

Position Description

Work. Serve. Thrive. With the City of Durham

Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.

Hiring Range : $ 63,242 - $75,890

Hours : 8 : 00am - 5 : 00pm

This is a repost to fill a second opening. Those who previously applied do not need to reapply.

A flexible work environment, top-notch management, highly qualified, competent staff and opportunities for career advancement and professional success make the Planning & Development Department a great place to work. We help plan and direct Durham’s growth to support a high quality of life, a robust economy, and a sustainable, equitable, and accessible Durham for generations to come. We work collaboratively with other agencies and the community in a fast- paced, innovative environment looking for solutions to today’s land-use, community planning, and infrastructure challenges. If you’re talented, creative and focused on serving the community, join our team!

Devoted to providing engineering support, inspection and professional civil engineering for a variety of public works, utilities, storm water, and transportation facilities / projects as well as review of public and private development projects. Provide specialized and technical activities in support of an engineering function. Decision-making includes how and when tasks are carried out within an operational process and is limited by the selection of the process and establishment of deadlines and outcomes. Work involves specialized administrative and technical assistance in utility account management, contract administration, project management, design and permitting.

Responsible for producing engineering and construction drawings and documents, processing field survey data, participating in special projects, working with inspectors and survey crews to collect data and document findings, assisting with project and budget management, ensuring accuracy of databases and entering and updating data, producing reports and correspondence, calculating fees, interpreting policies and procedures, and providing customer service.

Duties / Responsibilities

Coordinates contract, project, and / or program operations and participates in special projects; compiles information to prepare and submit contracts, agreements, and work plans; prepares, submits, and tracks City Council agenda items; monitors, tracks, and investigates public requests, inquiries, and complaints; serves as a liaison to and coordinates with internal and external agencies to facilitate projects; and interprets and ensures compliance with contract, project, and applicable policies, procedures, and specifications.

Assists higher-level staff by preparing engineering, construction, and other technical drawings, documents, and reports; researches information; conducts field investigations and inspections; collects, documents, and processes field survey data; troubleshoots issues or makes recommendations to resolve issues; and performs related duties.

Assists with preparing and managing project, program, or other departmental budgets; performs billing duties; prepares and submits payments; prepares and submits budget transfers; prepares invoices and deposits; processes purchase orders; ensures project funds are appropriated and applicable accounts, set up; and prepares and submits reimbursement packets.

Processes, reviews, updates, and / or maintains applications, files, records, reports, plans, maps, contracts, agreements, certificates, logs, and other documentation; prepares reports, work orders, and correspondence; reviews and issues permits; work involves compiling, reviewing, verifying, and / or reconciling information to facilitate departmental operations; making technical and regulatory-related recommendations; and documenting project, program, and other departmental operations.

Maintains databases and websites; prepares and updates web content, guiding staff on using websites, troubleshooting issues, and performing basic database server maintenance duties.

Fielding service requests from city residents and businesses, routing them and / or providing services directly as appropriate.

Performing technical reviews of utility excavation permits. Performing inspections of privately-owned utilities and facilities within the public way.

Creating reports, corresponding with applicants, operating tracking software (databases), assisting other group staff, interpreting and preparing maps and work plans, and special projects as assigned.

Performs field inspections to ensure requirements of permits, city code, state law, and federal regulations are met. Creates field reports of inspections findings. Communicates findings and reports to external contractors, engineers, business owners and residents and to other city staff as applicable.

Observes problems in the field and makes recommendations for remedying field issues to supervisor. Executes problem solutions under the direction of supervisor.

Optimizes field presence by formulating efficient routes for site visits.

Assists other departmental programs with inspections and permitting tasks as assigned.

Notes trends in work deficiencies and utility damage and reports them to group management.

Identifies process inefficiencies, ideates improvements, and shares findings with group management.

Eventually all of these tasks will need to be performed independently with minimal assistance.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

Associate’s degree in engineering or a directly related field OR equivalent experience.

Three years of paraprofessional engineering support experience in the area of assignment.

Some assignments may require a valid North Carolina Class C Driver’s License with a satisfactory driving record acquired within a time frame established by the City.

Additional Preferred Skills

Engineering inspections experience.

Comfortable with interacting with the public and contractors (City residents and business owners).

Willing and able to work in the office daily.

Benefits – General Full-Time Employees

12-13 paid holidays per year

13 standard work days of vacation per year

13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement

2 weeks paid military leave per year

Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans

State and City retirement plans

Short and long term disability plans

Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions

City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System

Paid funeral leave

Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling

Paid life insurance equal to annual salary

48 hours for volunteer work each year

4 hours parental leave each year

Workman's Compensation Insurance

457 Deferred Compensation Plans

Benefits - Part-Time (1,000 hours or more per year)

401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)

State retirement plan

Benefits Part-Time (Average 30 hours per week over 12 month period)

401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)

State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire

Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire

Dental and life insurance, after one year of service

Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service

01

Where did you first hear about this opportunity?

City of Durham Website

Walk in

Job fair

Employee referral

Professional organization Please list the organization in "other" box below

Internet posting Please list the specific web site in the "other" box below

Craig's List

Facebook

LinkedIn

GlassDoor

governmentjobs.com

Monster.com

Employment Security Commission

Magazine / Newspaper

Other

02

If you listed "other" above please give specific web site, organization, or publication.

03

Please select your highest level of COMPLETED education.

Less than a High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)

High School Diploma or Equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC)

Associates Degree

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Doctoral Degree (PhD, Juris Doctorate)

04

How many years of paraprofessional engineering support experience do you have?

No related experience

Less than 1 year of related experience

1 year but less than 3 years of related experience

3 years but less than 7 years of related experience

7 or more years of related experience

05

Do you have a valid, unrestricted, North Carolina driver's license? (If you have a valid license from a State other than North Carolina, you must be willing and able to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days of hire).

I have a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license.

I have a valid license from another State and I am willing to obtain a valid, unrestricted NC driver's license within 60 days.

I do not have a valid, unrestricted driver's license.

06

How many years of engineering inspections experience do you have?

No related experience

Less than 1 year of related experience

1 year but less than 3 years of related experience

3 years but less than 5 years of related experience

5 or more years of related experience

07

What is your comfort level in daily in-person interaction with contractors and the public (city residents and business owners)?

I am not comfortable working with people.

I am comfortable working with the public, but not with contractors.

I am comfortable working with contractors, but not the public.

I am comfortable working with contractors and the public.

08

What is your minimum requirement for being allowed to work from home or other remote location?

I require three or more days per week remote work.

I require two days per week remote work.

I require one day per week remote work.

I do not require remote work.

Required Question