Assistant State Construction Engineer (WMS3)

About the role

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) seeks a senior construction leader to provide statewide leadership and technical oversight for the administration of WSDOT construction projects. The Assistant State Construction Engineer will direct and support multiple regions and Construction Project Engineers on complex construction, contract, and policy matters, including developing and updating department construction policies.

Responsibilities

• Maintain communication with industry to assess specification effectiveness and implement new products, materials, and research.
• Develop new and revised specifications, policies, and procedures; and assist in the dissemination of these to all statewide offices.
• Provide direct monitoring and oversight of activities in assigned field offices and assigned regions.
• Approve/disapprove change orders for construction contracts that are beyond the authority of the regions.
• Provide troubleshooting services to region managers and project engineers.
• Ensure compliance with WSDOT/FHWA stewardship agreement.
• Aid in training and ensuring compliance with Minority, Small, Veteran, and Women's Business Enterprise (MSVWBE) and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) programs.

Qualifications

• Construction Engineering & Contract Administration: Principles and practices of construction engineering, contract administration, and project delivery.
• AASHTO and ASTM standards, construction materials, and quality assurance practices.
• State and federal public contracting laws, including RCW, WAC, and federal regulations.
• Claims processes, and documentation standards.
• Construction practices, methods, and constructability analysis.
• Alternate dispute resolution processes, claim prevention, and resolution methods.
• Risk, Policy & Compliance: Risk assessment and risk-based decision-making principles.
• Policy development, specification writing, and implementation of statewide technical guidance.
• Industry & Interagency Collaboration: Knowledge of roles and functions of construction industry associations (AGC, WACA, WAPA, etc.).
• Policy, Specification & Procedure Development: Experience developing and revising statewide specifications, policies, and procedures based on industry needs, research, and observing program performance.
• Dispute Resolution & Negotiation: Demonstrated skills to facilitate dispute resolution between regions and contractors.
• Communication & Facilitation: Experience and skill in writing clear, technically accurate specifications, policy documents, and formal correspondence.
• Leadership & Mentoring: Skilled in providing coaching, mentoring, and technical guidance to regional construction personnel and peer managers.
• Compliance & Oversight: Demonstrated skills in determining compliance with state and federal contracting requirements and documentation standards.
• Growth Mindset: Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.
• Service-Oriented: Takes action to meet the needs of others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Licensed as a Professional Engineer in the state of Washington or licensed as a PE in another state with the ability to obtain licensure in Washington State within six (6) months of hire.
• Advanced Skills with: Federal funding participation rules and eligibility criteria, new and emerging construction technologies, materials, or methods, legislative processes or rulemaking related to construction programs, advanced skill in technical writing, including specifications and complex policy documents.
• Advanced Enterprise Construction Program Management and Federal Coordination: Experience administering or overseeing Design-Build, GCCM, or other alternative delivery contracts, experience leading statewide or agency-level policy development initiatives, experience serving as a liaison with FHWA, Attorney General’s Office, or federal oversight bodies, experience conducting construction audits, project reviews, or federal compliance reviews, prior leadership of industry committees, technical working groups, or multi-agency teams, experience negotiating complex contract changes, value engineering proposals, or high-cost construction disputes, experience managing or influencing large-scale construction programs exceeding $500M annually.
• Specialized training or certification in the following: Construction claims management, dispute resolution/mediation, risk management, specification writing.