SENIOR DIRECTOR, PROJECT ENGINEERING (CONSTRUCTION)

The Senior Director of Project Engineering at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority is responsible for managing project engineering activities for Metro projects, including planning, design, and construction. Key duties involve overseeing engineering teams, coordinating with consultants, ensuring compliance with regulations, and directing major facility projects. The role requires strategic and tactical leadership, as well as communication with management and stakeholders.
Responsible for the management and performance of the strategic and tactical activities of a Project Engineering group supporting planning, design, and construction for Metro projects.
Recruitment Timelines: Interviews are projected to be scheduled for the week of June 30, 2025. These dates are subject to change. We encourage you to monitor your governmentjobs.com profile and emails for the latest updates.
• Prepares Project Engineering Facilities or Systems group work plan and administers the group's work for compliance with authorized budget and schedule
• Coordinates with other Engineering Directors to plan, prioritize, update, and monitor the Department's work and to assign staff to each project
• Directs the activities of Project Engineering Facilities or Systems group to monitor and review the work of consultants, subconsultants, cost and schedule proposals, negotiations, and development of consultant workplans
• Develops work scopes and negotiates consultant services contracts and contract changes; coordinates and supervises consultants' engineering design activities
• Directs engineering and architectural activities related to the design and construction or modification of major bus and rail facilities, guideways, tunnels, and structures
• Directs coordination with other environmental engineering activities, including site assessments, ground water remediation, soil remediation, liquid waste testing and disposal, permitting, water conservation, and regulatory compliance
• Directs and oversees management of projects related to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), Clean Air Act, and others as mandated by federal, state, and local regulatory agencies
• Directs engineering activities related to the systems design and construction of new and existing transit systems facilities, including mechanical, electrical, and communications work
• Investigates project problems and makes recommendations to prevent future occurrences
• Resolves conflicts between designer and project requirements and or regulatory requirements
• Validates that the designs perform as expected by detail testing
• Evaluates system's manufacturers recommended component overhaul schedules
• Assures that state-of-the-art engineering approaches are applied during design and construction of engineering projects and work complies with Metro Standards and Criteria
• Contributes updates to the Metro Design Criteria, as necessary, based on lessons learned on other projects
• Ensures work complies with federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and rules
• Assists in planning, developing and implementing departmental policies and procedures and recommending improvements
• Assists in establishing and implementing Construction Project Management's goals and objectives
• Prepares reports, test plans, presentations, and white papers; presents reports to management and Board of Directors
• Confers with Metro management, staff, government officials, contractors, and consultants regarding engineering matters relating to systems improvements
• Directs a staff of professional engineers, architects, and associates directly and through subordinate management
• Communicates and implements safety rules, policies, and procedures in support of the agency's safety vision and goals; and maintains accountability for the safety performance of all assigned employees
• Leads design team for plan check with city, county, Caltrans, public utilities, SCAQMD (South Coast Air Quality Management District), and other regulatory agencies
• Contributes to ensuring that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and programs of Metro are carried out

May be required to perform other related job duties

A combination of education and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Additional experience, as outlined below, may be substituted for required education on a year-for-year basis. A typical combination includes:

Education
• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Architecture, or a related field; Master's Degree in a related field preferred

Experience
• Five years of relevant management-level experience in facilities or systems engineering design and construction of major public agency transit projects or major public agency building projects

Certifications/Licenses/Special Requirements
• State of California registration as a Professional Engineer or Architect is preferred
• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications (PQs) are used to identify relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) as determined by business necessity. These criteria are considered preferred qualifications and are not intended to serve as minimum requirements for the position. PQs will help support selection decisions throughout the recruitment. In addition, applicants who possess these PQs will not automatically be selected.
The following are the preferred qualifications:
• Experience overseeing construction management of systems for rail transit, highways, bridges and stations
• Experience engaging suppliers for railroad systems for electric traction, train control, tunnel ventilation, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP)
• Experience coordinating Third Parties on construction contracts and working with multi-disciplinary teams
• Experience reviewing and maintaining project schedules and budgets, ensuring the timely processing of submittals, requests of information, contract changes, modifications, and claims avoidance

Knowledge of (defined as a learned body of information that is required for and applied in the performance of job tasks)
• Theories, principles, and practices of engineering and architectural planning, design, construction of transit system facilities, bus and rail transit systems, and vehicle engineering
• Contemporary construction methods, equipment, material, and construction costs
• Research techniques and report preparation
• Applicable local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations
• Project management
• Safety policies and procedures
• Public agency procurement procedures and contract administration
• Modern management theory

Skill in (defined as the proficient manual, verbal, or mental utilization of data, people, or things)
• Planning, organizing, and directing the overall functioning of an engineering department
• Managing engineering planning, design, and construction
• Following regulations, policies, and procedures
• Communicating effectively orally and in writing
• Analytics, troubleshooting, and decision making
• Interacting professionally with various levels of Metro employees and outside representatives
• Exercising sound judgment and creativity in making decisions
• Determining strategies to achieve goals
• Establishing and implementing policies and procedures
• Managing and directing subordinate staff

Ability to (defined as a present competence to perform an observable behavior or produce an observable result)
• Read and interpret civil engineering, mechanical, and electrical drawings
• Lead and share the vision/objectives
• Actively listen
• Determine risks and any long-term safety issues with a specific design
• Think and act independently
• Understand, interpret, and apply laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, contracts, budgets, and labor/management agreements
• Prepare comprehensive reports and correspondence
• Plan financial and staffing needs
• Make financial decisions within a budget
• Travel to construction sites
• Read, write, speak, and understand English

Special Conditions

The physical demands described are representative of those that must be met by the employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Metro provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Working Conditions
• Typical office situation
• Close exposure to computer monitors and video screen

Physical Effort Required
• Sitting at a desk or table
• Operate a telephone or other telecommunications device and communicate through the medium
• Type and use a keyboard and mouse to perform necessary computer-based functions
• Communicating through speech in the English language required
(HT)