Design Project Engineer (Transportation Design Engineer V)

This is a position-specific recruitment for the Maryland Port Administration (MPA), located at the World Trade Center in Baltimore. The MPA is a 203-employee transportation business unit within the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and serves as the public face of the Port of Baltimore, a key economic generator and job creator in Maryland.

About the role

The MPA is seeking a motivated Design Project Engineer to join the Engineering Division. This role functions as a Maryland Licensed Professional Engineer and Team Leader overseeing multidisciplined engineering and construction projects of varying complexity, scope, and fiscal implications in support of MPA programs and operations.

Responsibilities

• Meet with representatives of various MPA departments (Operations, Property Management, Cruise Operations, Maintenance, Security, Safety, Environment & Risk Management (SERM), and Information Services) and A&E firms to discuss and review new project scopes or facility improvements proposed by MPA’s Executive Management.
• Request and submit draft documents from A&E firms for each proposed scope of work/project, including price proposals for design and construction phase services and schedules for drafting deliverables (e.g., contract technical specifications, plans, and engineer’s cost estimates).
• Review price proposals from A&E firms for scope of services, estimated staff hours, permitting requirements, and design submittal schedules.
• Recommend approval or revision of A&E task price proposals to the Engineering Division's Deputy Director for Design.
• Coordinate with A&E firms and the Deputy Director for Design to ensure applicable environmental approvals/authorizations are obtained from State and Federal regulatory agencies.
• Direct A&E firms to revise project scopes or modify proposed engineering services to expedite Contract Document development, reflect funding changes, or accommodate scope adjustments requested by other MPA departments.
• Draft Technical Specifications for projects not assigned to A&E firms.
• Perform detailed constructability and quality reviews of design document packages submitted by A&E firms.
• Direct A&E firms to submit Contract Plans to applicable agencies for state and/or federal permitting/approval and monitor progress, intervening if the process stalls.

This position reports directly to the MPA Deputy Director of Design. Employees are considered essential and may be subject to call 24 hours a day to maintain continuous facility operations.

Requirements

• Possession of a Maryland Professional Engineer (PE) license or a PE license from a state with comparable requirements in one of the following disciplines: civil, structural, mechanical, or electrical engineering. Evidence of licensure must be presented at the time of appointment. Preference for licensure in a marine environment.
• One (1) year of experience managing engineering projects as a licensed Professional Engineer. Preference for experience in a marine environment.
• Twelve (12) months of experience exercising professional engineering judgment as a licensed PE managing the development of designs or construction-phase services performed by engineering teams, including:
  • Signing and sealing engineering-level documents.
  • Team leadership/project management for the development of construction contract documents or work orders (for on-call agency-wide contracts), from scope development through completion of construction as-builts.
  • Performing constructability reviews of design submittals (e.g., contract plans/drawings, technical specifications, engineer’s estimates, schedules, technical memos/reports).
  • Collaborating with project stakeholders to ensure projects meet customer needs (e.g., conducting site meetings, resolving conflicts with operational/IT/security requirements, leading design review meetings, presenting project statuses).
  • Managing environmental regulatory permitting for projects.
  • Reviewing and approving task assignment price proposals and invoices from A&E firms.
  • Managing budgets and schedules of A&E task assignments.
  • Providing design support to construction management teams during the construction phase (e.g., reviewing RFIs, material/product submittals, contractor price proposals, and resolving unforeseen site condition conflicts).
• Capability to navigate active construction sites and industrial areas, including walking/driving on uneven surfaces or rough terrain, climbing ladders, and exposure to extreme temperatures/inclement weather.
• Possession of a valid motor vehicle operator’s license in the State of Maryland.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) for unescorted access to MPA facilities.

Benefits

• MDOT offers a generous and competitive benefits package. Learn more about MDOT benefits.
• Annual provision of high-quality boots at no out-of-pocket cost, with replacement coverage once per year.
• Continued training and development opportunities provided by the MPA.
• Tuition reimbursement and no-cost/no-debt employee development programs available per MPA policy.