PRINCIPAL ENGINEER MATERIALS (NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING)

Definition

Under direction of a project engineer or other supervisory official in the Department of Transportation, has charge of team leaders responsible for an engineering subsection including supervision of the work force engaged in a full range of complex engineering work concerned with the field, laboratory, and facilities where the department is responsible for nondestructive testing; does other related duties as required.

Examples of work

• Organizes, assigns, plans, and supervises activities of inspection team leaders at the point of fabrication of structural steel and prestressed and post-tensioned concrete.
• Evaluates materials, inspection, and testing activities at the fabrication and project site to determine if procedures and specifications are understood and followed.
• Assigns, instructs, and supervises activities of team leaders in the x-ray testing of steel and aluminum utilized for department projects.
• Supervises calibration of ultrasonic testing equipment and evaluates weld splices in built up steel structures.
• Supervise and/or performs administrative activities of coordinating and monitoring private testing agencies under contract to the department.
• Confers with engineers within the department concerning mutual materials engineering problems related to highway and public transportation facility development, and recommends steps necessary for coordination.
• Supervises and/or maintains extensive records and reports pertaining to administration and operation of all assigned projects.
• Provides on-the-job guidance and training to new or subordinate personnel.
• Initiates requests for personnel action such as employment utilization, promotions, and discipline, and plans, coordinates, and participates in training programs for subordinates.
• Supervises work operations and/or functional programs and has responsibility for employee evaluations and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees
• Analyzes test results and prepares clear, sound, accurate, and informative reports of tests, inspections, and analyses containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Designs Portland Cement concrete mixes for structures and roadways according to requirements based on strength, durability, and atmospheric conditions.
• Performs welder certification testing and weld procedure qualification testing at metal fabricating facilities.
• Prepares detailed technical reports requiring use of engineering knowledge and judgment.
• Prepares progress reports and budget requirements for the subsection.
• Supervises the maintenance of official test data records.
• Reviews and/or prepares new specifications, revised specifications, operations bulletins, procedures, and related instructions to ensure up-to-date and efficient materials control operations.
• Approves various steel and aluminum welded structures for use on NJDOT sponsored projects.
• 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

Three (3) years of engineering experience in the inspection and/or supervision of nondestructive tests in the field on the fabrication of steel and aluminum weldments.

License

Applicants must be licensed by the American Welding Society as a Certified Welding Inspector and certified as American Society of Nondestructive Testing Level II or III in Radiography and Ultrasonics.

Appointees 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 materials and products used in construction and maintenance of highways and public transportation facilities.
• Knowledge of problems which arise when tests are made in the field or at the point of manufacture and of precautions to be taken to prevent breakage, deterioration, or waste of testing equipment, materials, samples, and supplies.
• Knowledge of methods, procedures, and techniques established for testing, inspection, and analysis of materials used in construction and maintenance of highway and public transportation facilities.
• Ability to relate results of physical and chemical tests to the inherent engineering properties of materials.
• Knowledge of varied types of laboratory and field apparatus and equipment used in physical and chemical testing of highway and public transportation facility construction materials and their proper use, maintenance, adjustment, and repair.
• Knowledge of specifications established for materials and products used in construction and maintenance of highway and public transportation facilities.
• Knowledge of American Welding Society Structural Welding Codes for Aluminum and Steel.
• Knowledge of methods, specifications, procedures, and techniques of nondestructive testing.
• Knowledge of the form and content of construction plans and shop drawings.
• Knowledge of welding metallurgy.
• Knowledge of use and operation of ultrasonic flaw detectors, magnetic particle dye penetrant testing equipment, conductivity meter, pachometers, and elcometers.
• Knowledge of welding processes and equipment, and welding consumables.
• Knowledge of use and operation of x-radiation generating equipment, licensing requirements for x-ray generating equipment for various states where NJDOT personnel are assigned.
• Knowledge of federal safety regulations governing the use of the nuclear density gauge and x-ray units.
• Ability to accurately calibrate ultrasonic testing equipment.
• Ability to establish x-ray procedures for a wide variety of materials to ensure that good quality radiographs will result.
• Ability to assign and train employees and supervise the performance of their work.
• Ability to interpret radiographs for the conformance of parts with welding codes and metals standards.
• Ability to adhere to established testing procedures, use good judgment in making minor deviations therefrom when circumstances warrant and to devise new testing methods, procedures, and techniques when no standard method is available.
• Ability to plan, organize, and carry out research and analyses of construction and maintenance materials for highways and public transportation facilities and their uses in the field and in the laboratory.
• Ability to interpret data from instrumental analysis of various materials.
• Ability to determine the suitability of currently used and/or proposed types of construction materials for specific projects.
• Ability to prepare clear, sound, accurate, and informative engineering reports of tests, inspections, and analyses containing findings, conclusions, and recommendations.
• Ability to supervise the maintenance of records, reports, 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 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: 25/R26 - MER 7/18/09

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.