Highway Engineer

About the role

Dane County Highway and Transportation in Madison, WI has a full-time (1.0 FTE) vacancy for a Highway Engineer. The eligibility list created may be used to fill future vacancies over the next six months. This position is on-site and fully in-person (not remote).

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of comprehensive construction plans, geometric layouts, and technical specifications for highway projects.
• Establish optimized route locations, determine appropriate design standards, set vertical and horizontal alignments (laying grades), and accurately calculate bid quantities.
• Determine precise right‑of‑way requirements and draft formal legal descriptions for property acquisition.
• Partner with Highway and Transportation personnel to communicate technical engineering requirements to property owners, ensuring all acquisition documents are properly and legally executed.
• Assign, supervise, and review the work of survey crews, design technicians, and junior engineering staff to ensure project accuracy and alignment with timelines.
• Calculate detailed engineering estimates for diverse highway assets, incorporating pavement design and structural requirements.
• Provide technical counsel and cost estimations for local municipal projects.
• Serve as the primary liaison for Federal‑aid projects, collaborating closely with State engineering staff and external consultants to ensure strict adherence to state and federal specifications.
• Oversee the comprehensive lifecycle of highway construction projects, including initial planning, bid preparation, scheduling, and contract administration.
• Verify contract quantities and approve contractor payments.
• Manage on‑site operations to interpret complex plans, technical specifications, and design standards.
• Oversee and execute rigorous material testing and quality inspection procedures to ensure structural and regulatory compliance.
• Coordinate closely with the Highway Maintenance Supervisor to strategically allocate personnel, survey crews, and heavy equipment for department‑led construction projects.
• Direct the activities of field survey crews, actively participating in surveying tasks on construction sites as required to maintain project schedule.
• Conduct structural condition inspections of highway bridges in strict accordance with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidelines.
• Conduct annual road rating inventory and comprehensive bridge inspections in strict compliance with federal mandates.
• Leverage condition data to strategically forecast, plan, and prioritize multi‑year roadway construction projects.
• Provide data for critical long‑range financial and planning documents, including the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
• Review, approve, and issue utility permits for utility work within the highway right‑of‑way, ensuring municipal infrastructure integrity is maintained.
• Evaluate developer plans, Certified Survey Maps (CSMs), and zoning applications to enforce engineering standards.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree in civil engineering or related field and six (6) years of highway construction and design experience; OR a Bachelor's degree in civil engineering or related field and four (4) years of highway construction and design experience.
• Ability to operate Civil 3D Computer Aided Design (CAD) software or similar engineering design software.
• Wisconsin or other State Professional Engineer Registration required (may be able to obtain Wisconsin registration through reciprocity within six months).
• Must attend and pass a federal Certified Bridge Inspector 40‑hour class within one (1) year from the date of hire (Dane County will schedule and pay for training).
• Must have a valid driver’s license and access to reliable personal transportation.
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