PROJECT ENGINEER, CONSTRUCTION

Code: 10895 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 direction of a supervisory official in a state department or agency, has charge of staff operations for a bureau or special unit or has charge of a portion of the construction operations in a region; does other related duties as required.

Examples of work

• Has charge of the construction engineering staff operations of a bureau or of a construction inspection unit in a region for the Construction Maintenance Service.
• Directs and supervises work of construction resident engineers who are responsible for inspection of construction work performed on specified construction projects in a region to ensure that work is completed in accord with contract specifications, policies, and procedures required by department rules, regulations, and policies, and to ensure uniform construction methods are applied on all construction projects.
• Collaborates and cooperates with supervisory officials and other department personnel with federal government engineers, with officials and engineers of state political subdivisions, public utility companies, contractors, property owners, and with others to coordinate public transportation facility construction activities.
• Reviews operations schedules proposed by contractors to determine if proper methods will be used to complete construction within specified contract time.
• Supervises and makes periodic field inspections of construction projects and advises department personnel and contractors about proper interpretation and application of plans and specifications.
• Reviews changes of plan, contractors' requests for time extensions, and contractors' requests for permission to sublet portions of the work, and submits them to superior officials with recommendations for disposition.
• Analyzes field and laboratory reports and initiates action required to correct unsatisfactory conditions related to construction operations.
• May assist in making final inspections, preparing status of contract report, and recommending acceptance of completed construction contracts.
• Supervises preparation of estimate certificates for completed work and certifies them for payment.
• Prepares budget requests for personnel, supplies, and materials.
• Resolves conflicts between competing needs (environment versus traffic growth) in negotiation and advisory efforts with new or expanded state and federal agencies, with local municipalities, and the public at interest.
• Resolves conflicts between state and federal procedures when no precedent for such resolution has been established.
• Makes engineering determinations that take into account details of diversified facts of consideration which include social, economic, safety, and environmental aspects in the areas of Critical Path Method Scheduling and railroad bridge and grade crossing construction.
• Contracts consultant firms to perform construction management services with the department to include interviewing, selecting, contract writing, and supervision of the contract.
• Serves on a board of inquiry to solve contractor-department disputes.
• Interprets Urban Mass Transit administration rules and regulations to be applied to federal grant programs for railroad improvements.
• Investigates, reviews, and makes comprehensive reports concerning contractors' claims for additional compensation and complaints of property owners, public officials, and the general public.
• Prepares correspondence in the course of official duties.
• Prepares clear, technically sound, accurate, and informative reports of department construction matters containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Plans, organizes, and assigns work of the organizational unit and evaluates employee performance and conduct, enabling the effective recommendation of the hiring, firing, promoting, and disciplining of subordinates.
• Supervises the establishment and maintenance of records and files.
• Will 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.

Education

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Engineering.

Experience

Four (4) years of engineering experience in the design, construction, and maintenance of civil engineering projects, one (1) year of which shall have been 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 essential duties of the position.

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Knowledge of standards, specifications, policies, procedures, physical layout, regulations, and functions of a state department or agency after a period of training.
• Knowledge of economic, engineering, administrative, and other problems encountered in supervising and directing work of an engineering office involved in inspection and construction of public facilities.
• Knowledge of principles, practices, equipment, and procedures of civil engineering and their most effective use in solving construction problems.
• Knowledge of rules and regulations of the Federal Highway Administration to be applied for the provision of federal aid for public transportation facility construction.
• Knowledge of office practice and procedure, civil engineering design, and preparation of construction plans for public transportation facilities.
• Knowledge of Critical Path Methods Scheduling and railroad bridge and grade crossing construction.
• Knowledge of related state and federal policies and procedures after a period of training.
• Knowledge of social, economic, environmental, and safety engineering considerations.
• Knowledge of Urban Mass Transit Administration rules and regulations after a period of training.
• Knowledge of the application of computer programming after a period of training.
• Knowledge of capabilities and applications of computers in engineering situations and projects.
• Ability to interpret construction plans and specifications and apply the results to specific construction operations for public facilities.
• Ability to give assignments and instructions to engineers, inspectors, and office personnel working on public facility construction projects and to supervise the performance of their work.
• Ability to comprehend, analyze, and interpret standards, regulations, policies, specifications, and procedures of a state department and apply them to specific public facility construction problems.
• Ability to coordinate field work and staff work of the Division of Construction with the other department units and the Federal Highway Administration.
• Ability to establish working relations and maintain effective liaison with associates, municipal officials, and contractors on all Division of Construction projects.
• Ability to give talks before professional, civil, business, and other groups concerning existing and proposed state department construction projects.
• Ability to prepare and supervise the preparation of engineering and other detailed reports containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Ability to supervise the establishment and maintenance of records and files.
• Ability 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, and communicate in English sufficiently to perform 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 twenty-four (24) credits in Engineering/Engineering Science and a minimum of twenty-one (21) credits in general science and a higher level math course. Information regarding acceptable course may be obtained from DOT/Human Resources.
• You must attach a copy of your transcript(s) to your application. Foreign degree/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 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 ') years.
• CODES: 28/S29 - MER 07/18/09

Note

The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed.

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) meets the above education requirement.

Possession of a valid Professional Engineers' 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 Civil or Transportation Engineering may be substituted for one (1) year of nonsupervisory experience.