Transportation Engineer IV or V (Lead Geotechnical Engineer)

Are you passionate about shaping the future of Houston’s infrastructure and advancing geotechnical engineering practice? TxDOT’s Houston District Bridge Design and Geotechnical Section is seeking a Lead Geotechnical Engineer to join our team. This position will lead a small design team of engineers, technicians, and engineers in training. You and your team will plan, model, design, and details in-house geotechnical analyses and design, manage geotechnical-related consultant contracts, scour evaluation and mitigation, develops retaining wall design, bridge foundation design, and plan production, implements research, slope failure evaluation, and mitigation for a variety of transportation projects throughout the Houston District's 6-county area. Apply if you have previous geotechnical design background! 

The Texas Department of Transportation reserves the sole right in determining the level of position based on the applicant's work experience, education, skill level, and all other appropriate factors, and based on business needs. 

At TxDOT, we value work-life balance and are committed to providing our employees with a comprehensive range of benefits and programs, including:

• Retirement Plans
• Alternative and/or Flexible Work Schedules
• Paid Leave and Holidays
• Health Premiums paid at 100% for Full-Time Employees
• On-the-Job Training
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Holistic Wellness Program with Leave Incentives
• Career Development and Advancement Opportunities
• Family-Friendly Policies and Programs

In 2024, TxDOT was recognized as a Best Place for Working Parents, and many of our offices statewide are also designated as Texas Mother-Friendly Worksites. These recognitions reflect our dedication to supporting families and promoting a healthy work-life balance.

• For a complete list of our total compensation package please visit our website at: Total Compensation Package
• To view benefits available to all State of Texas employees visit: Benefits at a Glance | ERS (texas.gov)

Transportation Engineer IV and V
Performs highly advanced and complex transportation engineering work in one or more functional areas such as planning, project development and design, construction, transportation/traffic operations, and maintenance. Ensures compliance with applicable federal and state laws, policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines. Work requires contact with governmental officials and private entities. Employees at this level are virtually self-supervising and assume direct accountability for the work product.

Essential Duties:

Transportation Engineer Iv

• Coordinates and/or monitors consultant contracts related projects.
• Monitors contract performance, evaluates contract deliverables, reviews billing documentation, monitors the consultant's compliance with the terms of the contract, and/or prepares and delivers a written evaluation of the consultant's performance.
• Serves as a project manager overseeing consultants performing advanced and complex engineering work.
• May serve as a lead worker by serving as a resource for complex questions; presenting workflow and operational updates to the supervisor/manager; providing input on team members’ career conversations; and approving leave requests to ensure operations coverage.
• Develops and/or reviews engineering related documents, correspondence, reports and remediation plans.
• Drives/travels to project/work locations to make on-site engineering reviews, analyses, tests and to provide technical support.
• Monitors consultants' progress and work quality; checks invoices and associated documents; prepares supplemental agreements.
• Negotiates fees and budgets, develops and negotiates scopes of work, negotiates contract work schedules, and negotiates other contract agreements.

• Trains Engineering Staff.

• Performs other job responsibilities as assigned.
• Transportation Engineer V
• Includes all essential duties listed for Transportation Engineer IV, as well as:
• Oversees and develops plans for complex project(s) related to their resource assignments, schedules, scope, communication, quality, and/or procurement, while utilizing available resources and maintaining the agency's project objectives. 
• Leads/Trains professional and administrative staff.
• Makes presentations and represents TxDOT.
• Performs highly advanced and complex engineering design work such as development of layouts, sketches, plans, specifications, estimates and contracts.
• Reviews, processes and certifies project design plans developed by consulting engineers.
• Performs other job responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Transportation Engineer Iv:

Education: Bachelor's Degree in engineering or related science bachelor's or higher degree accepted by TX PELS.
Experience: 7 years of engineering, transportation engineering, or related engineering experience (Experience can be satisfied by full-time or prorated part-time equivalent). Related graduate-level education may be substituted for experience on a year-by-year basis. Substitutions for Minimum Qualifications
Licenses and Certifications:

• Valid driver’s license. This position requires driving a state vehicle.
• Licensed Prof Engineer**Professional engineers licensed in another state in the United States, but not currently licensed in the State of Texas, must (1) meet the license requirements of the State of Texas Engineering Practices Act, (2) obtain a professional engineering license from the State of Texas within six (6) months of the date of hire, and (3) sign an agreement to that effect as a condition of employment.

Transportation Engineer V:

Education: Bachelor's Degree in engineering or related science bachelor's or higher degree accepted by TX PELS.
Experience: 8 years of engineering, transportation engineering, or related engineering experience (Experience can be satisfied by full-time or prorated part-time equivalent). Related graduate-level education may be substituted for experience on a year-by-year basis. Substitutions for Minimum Qualifications
Licenses and Certifications:

• Valid driver’s license. This position requires driving a state vehicle.
• Licensed Prof Engineer**Professional engineers licensed in another state in the United States, but not currently licensed in the State of Texas, must (1) meet the license requirements of the State of Texas Engineering Practices Act, (2) obtain a professional engineering license from the State of Texas within six (6) months of the date of hire, and (3) sign an agreement to that effect as a condition of employment.

Preferred Qualifications:

Transportation Engineer IV and V

• Previous geotechnical design experience.
• Ability to work well in a team environment and communicate professionally.
• Ability to designs highly complex bridge foundation and retaining wall projects and performs specialized design.
• Ability to self-manage and train others
• Ability to remain organized while working on multiple tasks and projects.
• Ability to work within a CAD model environment and geotechnical analysis software.
• Self-motivated to learn new skills and solve challenging projects.
• Ability to performs advanced and complex engineering design work such as development of layouts, sketches, plans, specifications, estimates, and contracts.

Competencies:

• Transportation Engineer IV:
• Considerable knowledge of
• Hydrologic, hydraulic, and geotechnical design activities and principles
• Structural engineering terminology, principles, practices, and methods, and the application of engineering theory

• Foundation Analysis Programs

• Standards and specifications for bridges and other transportation structures
• Bridge construction and evaluation methods, procedures, and regulations
• Performing basic design and drafting
• Performing calculations to include material and labor estimates, expenses, technical survey data, and engineering calculations
• Applying engineering principles, practices, and methods in job responsibilities
• Leading, assigning, reviewing, and monitoring the work of others
• Developing and giving presentations
• Transportation Engineer V:Includes all competencies listed for Transportation Engineer IV, as well as:

Expert Skill In

Proficient Skill In

Extensive Knowledge Of

• Hydrologic, hydraulic, and geotechnical design activities and principles
• Standards and specifications for bridges and other transportation structures
• Bridge construction and evaluation methods, procedures, and regulations

• Foundation Analysis Programs

Expert Skill In

• Establishing plans and setting objectives and goals that support overall business strategy/results; anticipating and adjusting for problems/roadblocks
• Applying engineering principles, practices, and methods in job responsibilities
• Leading, assigning, reviewing, and monitoring the work of others
• Developing and giving presentations

Physical Requirements And Working Conditions:

Transportation Engineer IV or V

• Subject to inside and outside environmental conditions. 
• Required to wear protective gear - respirator, hard hat, or other devices
• Light work: Lift up to 20 lbs. at a time and frequently lift or carry objects up to 10 lbs.
• Climbing - ascending/descending ladders, stairs, scaffoldings, ramps, etc.
• Balancing - walking, standing, crouching on various surfaces without falling
• Stooping - bending body downward and forward by bending spine at waist
• Crouching - bending body downward and forward by bending leg(s) and spine
• Reaching - extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction
• Talking - expressing or exchanging ideas by spoken words
• Hearing - perceive sound at normal speaking levels; receive information by oral communication
• Close Visual Acuity - work includes data/figures; view a computer screen; extensive reading
• Visual Acuity - determine work quality/make general observations of facilities/structures

Other Conditions:

• This position will require occasional responses to evaluate bridge foundation, slope failure and retaining wall failure emergencies, within the Houston area, outside of normal business hours.
• Conditions of Employment:
• Please click this link to read the standard conditions of employment for all positions: Standard Conditions of Employment (TxDOT)
• This job has been identified as physically demanding and will require a pre-employment physical. 
• Must pass a drug test prior to employment for safety impact positions. This is a Safety Impact position and will be subject to random drug testing.
• Please note that the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulation – 49 CFR Part 40, at 40.151(e) – does not authorize “medical marijuana” under a state law to be a valid medical explanation for a positive drug test result for an employee in this position.

TxDOT is committed to hiring veterans. To assist in determining whether your military experience may pertain to the minimum requirements for this position, Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces have been assigned to each state classification code/title where applicable. The MOS codes are grouped by occupational category. 

To view the MOS codes please click on link below and click on the appropriate occupational category.

https://hr.sao.texas.gov/CompensationSystem/JobDescriptions

The Texas Department of Transportation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If requested, reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities for any part of the employment process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Action of 1990.

Please click this link to read the information for applicants: Additional Applicant Information