STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE BRANCH JOBS

Transportation Engineer Trainee - Soils and Foundations

Division of Bridges

Recruitment #230511-8741FS-002

Introduction


Are you passionate about shaping the future of transportation in Connecticut?
If so, come join our great team of engineering professionals and make an impact!
Current students who will be graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Engineering by the end of December 2023 are strongly encouraged to apply!

The State of Connecticut, Department of Transportation (DOT), is now accepting applications for Transportation Engineer Trainee positions in the Bureau of Engineering and Construction, Division of Bridges, in the Soils and Foundations section.


WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU

  • Competitive starting salary
  • Industry leading health benefits, including medical and dental coverage
  • Extensive pension plan and supplemental retirement offerings
  • Paid time off including 13 paid holidays per calendar year
  • A culture that encourages work/life balance
  • Professional growth and development opportunities
  • On-site low-cost fitness center, on-site cafeteria and Electric Vehicle (EV) charging
  • Ample free parking with easy access from major highways or by public transportation
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Working for a Forbes top company: State of Connecticut Ranked One of the Best Employers of 2023 - State of CT Receives National Recognition for Offering Job Growth, Competitive Benefits, and Flexible Schedule

POSITION HIGHLIGHTS

  • Full Time, 40 hours per week
  • Monday through Friday
  • Location: Newington
  • Hybrid (office/telework) may be available
  • Join an award winning agency! CT DOT has been recently awarded the Employer of the Year award by the Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers (CSCE)!

APPLICATION DETAILS
Please list your Driver's license number, expiration date, and issuing State, Engineer in Training license number (if applicable) and any other job-relevant licenses or certifications you hold, in the Licenses and Professional Certifications section of your application.

    DISCOVER THE OPPORTUNITY TO
    • Problem solve, recommend and implement effective solutions in a timely manner
    • Contribute to providing safe and efficient transportation improvements for the traveling public
    • Utilize computer aided design software (MicroStation) and other applications such as Microsoft Excel and Word
    • Showcase your oral, written, organizational, and interpersonal skills
    Engineers in the SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS (S&F) section:
    • provide design and review services related to soil, rock and foundations for the planning, design, construction and maintenance of roads, bridges and facilities
    • conduct subsurface exploration programs to characterize subsurface conditions
    • determine representative samples for soil and rock laboratory testing
    • perform laboratory soil testing and interpret results from soil/rock laboratory testing
    • select/design the most appropriate foundations for structures
    • prepare geotechnical reports and other technical documents
    • review geotechnical work prepared by consultant engineering firms
    • provide technical support to Maintenance personnel involving rock slopes and roadway instability
    • provide specialized engineering support during construction involving review of working drawing submissions, responses to Requests for Information (RFI’s), and responses to Requests for Change (RFC’s)
    Applicants must be available to travel for training, conferences, meetings, field reviews, etc. both within and outside of normal working hours, when necessary. A valid motor vehicle operator's license is required and must be maintained.

    *Salary Note: New hires to State service start at Paygrade FS 18, step 5, currently $69,128 annually.

    PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITY
    Transportation Engineer Trainees receive training to develop technical engineering skills and knowledge. After successfully completing your one-year training program, you will be promoted to the target class of Transportation Engineer 1 (Engineering). The target class has a minimum qualification of a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and one (1) year of experience in transportation engineering or transportation construction engineering. For State employees, the one (1) year of experience must have been at the level of a Transportation Engineer Trainee. After successfully completing two years as a Transportation Engineer 1, you will be promoted to Transportation Engineer 2 (Engineering).

      ABOUT US

      The mission of the DOT is to provide a safe and efficient intermodal transportation network that improves the quality of life and promotes economic vitality for the State and the region. To learn more about our mission, vision and values, please click here. Visit our website to learn more about the Connecticut DOT! 


      Watch the video below to learn what Transportation Engineers do at the Connecticut DOT!


      Selection Plan

      TO APPLY
      • In order to be considered for this job opening, you must meet the Minimum Qualifications as listed on this job opening. You must specify your qualifications on your application.
      • The minimum experience and training requirements must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
      • Ensure that your application is complete and detailed before submitting it. In order to comply with Public Act 21-69, the State of Connecticut is no longer asking for resumes during the initial application process. You will not be able to make revisions once your application is submitted into the JobAps system.
      • In order to receive educational credits toward qualification for this job posting, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the recruiter listed on this job posting.
      • Please select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
      • All application materials must be received by the recruiting agency by the time specified on the job opening for the position for which you are applying. Late applications may not be submitted and will not be considered. Exceptions are rare and limited to documented events that incapacitate a candidate during the entire duration of the job posting time period. It is the candidate’s obligation and responsibility to request an exception and provide a legally recognized justification to accommodate such exception. Requests should be made to DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
      FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING
      IMPORTANT INFORMATION AFTER YOU APPLY
      • This posting may require completion of additional referral questions (RQs). You can access these RQs via an email that will be sent to you after the posting's closing date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section). Your responses to these RQs must be submitted by the questionnaire's expiration date. Please regularly check your email and JobAps Personal Status Board for notifications. Please check your SPAM and/or Junk folders on a daily basis in the event an email provider places auto-notification emails in a user's spam.
      • Although applicants will receive correspondence via email, as a backup they are also encouraged to sign on to their Personal Status Board on a daily basis to monitor their status, view all emailed notices and complete tasks required in the recruitment process.
      • Note: At any point during the recruitment process, applicants may be required to submit additional documentation which support their qualification(s) for this position. These documents may include: a cover letter, resume, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the discretion of the hiring agency.
      • Interviews will be limited to candidates whose experience and training most closely meet the requirements of the position.
      • The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
      CONNECT WITH US
      Due to the large volume of applications received, we are unable to provide confirmation of receipt or status during the recruitment process.  Updates will be available through your JobAps portal account. Should you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment, please contact Brittney Woodley at brittney.woodley@ct.gov.

      PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)

      In the Department of Transportation and the Connecticut Airport Authority, this class is accountable for receiving training in introductory professional engineering work for the development of technical and professional transportation engineering and transportation construction engineering skills and knowledge in order to qualify for advancement in the field of transportation engineering.

      EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

      In this role, you will be training to learn the following duties:

      • prepares detailed Geotechnical Reports and recommendations for structures and roadways;
      • analyzes soil and rock for foundation design;
      • reviews geotechnical work prepared by consultant engineers;
      • provides technical advice to Maintenance personnel on issues related to rock slope and roadway instability;
      • administers laboratory work on soil samples for determination of void ratio, water content, specific gravity, grain size distribution, plasticity limits, permeability, optimum moisture content, confined and unconfined compressive strength, direct shear and consolidation;
      • prepares exploration programs to characterize subsurface conditions;
      • oversees/inspects subsurface exploration programs;
      • provides specialized engineering support during construction involving review of working drawing submissions, responses to Requests for Information (RFI’s), and responses to Requests for Change (RFC’s);
      • prepares and oversees geophysical testing related to geotechnical project needs;
      • analyzes problems and recommends effective solutions;
      • assists in establishment of policy, procedures and methods;
      • assists in development and review of department contracts;
      • prepares scopes of service and negotiates manhours for consultant projects;
      • performs related duties as required

      KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY

      General knowledge of basic transportation engineering theories, principles and methods; skill in use of drafting and calculating instruments and other computer applications; considerable ability in performing mathematical computations, making neat and accurate drawings and preparing minor design and structural details.

      MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE

      Possession of a Bachelor's degree.
      NOTE:
      1. If the target job classification has a Minimum Qualification that requires specific licensure and/or the Bachelor's degree to be in a specific area(s), then these specific licensures and degree areas are required for appointment to the Transportation Engineer Trainee classification.
      2. Candidates cannot be appointed until all degree requirements are complete.

      MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SUBSTITUTIONS ALLOWED

      1. Possession of Professional Engineer (PE) licensure from the Department of Consumer Protection State Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors consistent with C.G.S.§20-302 may be substituted for the General Experience requirement.
      2. Possession of Engineer-In-Training (EIT) licensure from the Department of Consumer Protection State Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors consistent with C.G.S.§20-302 may be substituted for the General Experience requirement.

      PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

      • Possession of a Civil Engineering degree with course work relevant to the field of geotechnical engineering
      • Cooperative education/internship experience or work experience in the field of geotechnical engineering
      • 3.0 or higher grade-point average in relevant engineering courses
      • Academic, internship, or work experience utilizing engineering-related computer software
      • Experience with presentation skills
      • Experience with providing verbal and written communication to a diverse population
      • Completion of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam or Engineer in Training licensure
      • Experience using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Project, and Microsoft Access
      • Experience efficiently managing large workloads

      SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

      1. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator’s license.
      2. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.

      WORKING CONDITIONS

      Incumbents in this class may be exposed to some risk of injury or physical harm from highway, construction site, or on-site environments and a moderate degree of discomfort from year round weather conditions.

      Conclusion

      AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
      The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.