PROJECT ENGINEER GEOTECHNICAL

Code: 10455 State Competitive Range: S29 (FY 2027)

Salary: $95,955.4 - $141,386.2/year FY 2027 schedule (last updated 2026-07-27)

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under the direction of a supervisory officer in the Department of Transportation, supervises the work programs and staff of a section concerned with the foundations of structures, or supervises the soils design work for roadways and pavements; does related work as required.

Examples of work

• Supervises the work programs concerned with the design of all soils work pertaining to foundations for structures, (including bridges, walls and buildings) or to roadways (including swamp crossings, earthwork or subsurface drainage).
• May supervise the work programs concerning the structural design of pavements and projects involving resurfacing, reconstruction and rehabilitation of highways.
• Supervises the review and checking of all plans and specifications.
• Attends and conducts meetings with consultant engineers and other design forces regarding methods used in treating foundation or soil problems.
• Assigns staff to projects and maintains work schedules to ensure timely completion of plans and specifications.
• Resolves conflicts between competing needs (for example, environmental versus traffic growth) in negotiation and advisory efforts with state and federal agencies, with local municipalities, and the public.
• Resolves conflicts between state and federal procedures, where usually no precedent for such resolution has been established.
• Keeps abreast of current devleopments in methods of design structure foundations, design practice and pavement design.
• Makes recommendations regarding procedures and/or research and evaluation aimed at improving methods of design.
• Prepares, presents, and supervises the presentation of technical papers as required.
• Supervises the preparation of clear, technically sound, accurate and comprehensive soils engineering reports containing findings, conclusions and recommendations.
• Prepares budget requests of the section.
• Plans, organizes and assigns the work of the organizational unit and evaluate employee performance and conduct, enabling the effective recommendation of the hiring, firing, promoting, and disciplining of subordinates.
• Supervises the establishment and maintenance of essential records and files.
• May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
• <b>REQUIREMENTS
• EDUCATION:</b>
• Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor's degree in engineering, including or supplemented by three (3) college credits in soils mechanics.

Experience

Four (4) years of experience in soils engineering including one (1) year in a supervisory capacity.

License

Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of the fundamental, theoretical and practical concepts of soils mechanics as applied to highway design and construction.
• Knowledge of the purposes, procedures and standards of the interstate highway system maintenance program.
• Knowledge of modern laboratory and field test procedures as applied to soils and pavements components.
• Ability to understand and interpret state and federal policies and procedures related to the work of the department.
• Ability to understand the purposes, policies, procedures, and standards of the department concerned with soils design for roadways, and to apply them to the work of the unit.
• Ability to organize and carry out all types of required soil investigations.
• Ability to assign and instruct employees, effectively preparing and/or overseeing their performance appraisal.
• Ability to determine the proper tests required for particular problems encountered in design and construction.
• Ability to interpret laboratory data and to apply them to a particular design problem.
• Ability to obtain, record, store, and/or disseminate to proper persons, all technical information and data obtained by subordinates or outside personnel.
• Ability to compile data and prepare the budget request of the section.
• Ability to perform and supervise the review of plans and specifications regarding soils, foundations and pavements.
• Ability to prepare and present technical papers.
• Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
• Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.
• Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
• <b>NOTE: FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES ONLY</b>
• Employees hired by the Department of Transportation on or before July 1, 1999, who do not possess the Bachelor's degree listed above, may substitute education and experience as indicated below to meet the education requirements:
• EDUCATION:
• An Associate's degree in Engineering or Engineering Technology.
• OR
• Completion of forty-five (45) semester hour credits of specialized college level/non-remedial engineering education from an accredited college in an engineering or engineering technology program. Acceptable specialized education must include a minimum of 24 credits in Engineering/Engineering Science and a minimum of 21 credits in general science and higher-level math courses. Information regarding acceptable courses may be obtained from DOT/Human Resources.
• You must attach a copy of your transcript(s) to your application. Foreign degrees/transcripts must be evaluated by a recognized evaluation service. Failure to do so will result in rejection from the examination process.
• AND
• Three and one half (3 ') years of full time experience in engineering related work.
• Applicants who have more than the required forty-five (45) engineering related credits may substitute additional credits for the required experience on a pro-rated basis, thirty (30) credits equaling one (1) year of experience, up to a maximum of two and one half (2 1/2) years.
• CODES: S29- MER 7/18/09

Note

A Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology (BSET) in a field related to civil engineering from an accredited college having a curriculum approved by the Accreditation Board of Engineering Technology (ABET) including or supplemented by three (3) college credits in soil mechanics.

Possession of a valid Professional Engineer's license issued by the New Jersey State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors may be substituted for the Bachelor's degree in engineering.

A Master's degree in soils mechanics may be substituted for one (1) year of non-supervisory experience.