Collection System Project Engineer/Specialist
About the Position
The Collection System Project Engineer/Specialist is a key member of the team responsible for collection system maintenance project coordination and engineering, along with other maintenance and reliability centered duties, specifically within the collection system. In general, this person provides support to the maintenance and reliability manager and maintenance staff to safely, reliably and efficiently complete infrastructure and equipment replacement projects. This position will work to identify and address infrastructure and equipment related problems in the collection system, improve maintenance staff experience with equipment upgrades and reliability improvements, aid in the commissioning process for new assets, and develop equipment documentation and standard operation procedures (SOP) as needed.
The Collection System Project Engineer/Specialist will be a key member of the District’s Operations and Maintenance team. This position will work under the direction of the Maintenance and Reliability Manager and works closely with O&M supervisors, staff engineers, the Operations Manager, and the Reliability Process Manager.
The Collection System Project Engineer/Specialist 1 is an entry-level professional position with the expectation that incumbents with an engineering degree will grow in experience and advance by obtaining a Professional Engineering (PE) License. Candidates without an engineering degree hired as a specialist can advance through greater experience (10+ years) and continuing education applicable to the position.
Entry Level Position Salary Range: $76,837.28 - $103,956.32
Advance Level Salary Range: $92,112.80 - $124,623.20
Who We Are
Established in 1930 to protect the lakes and streams of the upper Yahara watershed, the District is a wastewater collection and treatment utility serving about 429,000 people in 24 Madison-area owner communities covering about 187 square miles. Organized as a municipal corporation, the District is governed by a nine-member Commission appointed by the communities we serve.
The District owns and operates 145 miles of pipe and 18 regional pumping stations that convey approximately 37 million gallons of wastewater to the Nine Springs Wastewater Treatment Plant daily. Through the treatment process, we recover valuable resources from the wastewater we receive before returning clean water to the environment.
Our mission is to protect public health and the environment. The District is dedicated to service, reliability, and sustainability, and our tradition of innovation has positioned us as a leader among clean water utilities.
Working at the District is more than just a paycheck. It is about taking care of the communities we live in and giving back to the environment that surrounds us. We are trusted leaders working together to protect one of our most valuable resources-our water. When you think about your career and what you want to accomplish in your lifetime, make the choice to do Work Worth Doing!
Check us out here!
Duties
The successful Collection System Project Engineer/Specialist brings the following qualities to the work:
- Technically skilled and detail oriented. Has the ability to identify problems, research and analyze information, develop and present recommendations, and provide solutions. Skilled at generating and utilizing complex information for technical analysis and decision-making.
- Self-Starter. Strong initiative to identify, analyze and resolve issues in a timely manner.
- Critical Thinker. Digs into questions and problems. Looks for omissions, errors, and misinterpretations in the work. Habitually asks a variety of questions and uses a variety of thinking techniques. Sees new perspectives and new ways forward. Helps others think critically.
- Collaborative: Builds healthy, productive working relationships and thrives in a team environment.
- Adaptable: Is flexible and open-minded to change and new ideas. Can adjust and modify to fit the situation. Has the courage to make changes.
- Mission Driven: Has a passion for sustainability, the environment, improving the quality of local life, and protecting public health.
- Confident Communicator: Able to clearly and concisely articulate complex information externally and to all levels of the organization.
Results
Critical results are the most important product of the work that, once achieved, fulfills the purpose and meaning of this position by:
- Contributing to the development and execution of the District’s operational plan.
- Develop and manage infrastructure improvement and replacement projects that:
- Protects public health and the environment.
- Minimizes risks and increases reliability & resiliency.
- Fulfills the principles of sustainability.
- Achieves intended outcomes, schedules and budget.
- Can safely and effectively be operated and maintained.
- Supporting infrastructure growth and renewal programs to maximize performance, resiliency and capability over the long term.
- Supporting the reliability centered maintenance (RCM) program development by analyzing data and providing recommendations to the maintenance and reliability manager.
- Protecting infrastructure by playing a key role in the District’s utility coordination and locating program.
Duties
The following duties are needed for the collection system project engineer/specialist to achieve results:
Project Management (40%)
- Lead, design and manage infrastructure and equipment replacement and improvement projects for the District’s collection system, including:
- Capital, maintenance and emergency projects.
- Review planning and design reports.
- Prepare, review and/or approve contract drawings and specifications.
- Conduct project advertising and bidding, including pre-bid meetings, review of bids, and recommendations of contract award.
- Lead and participate in project meetings, including meetings with the general public and the design team.
- Coordinate all outreach to project stakeholders.
- Perform all construction administration activities associated with operations improvements, including, but not limited to, conducting job progress meetings, scheduling, submittal review, construction inspection or site visits as applicable, review of pay requests, negotiating change orders, commissioning assets, and acceptance of work.
- Prepare record drawings.
- Work with regulatory agencies and municipalities to obtain necessary project permits and ensure compliance with permits and codes.
- Evaluate the condition, capacity and reliability of existing District assets and assess the need for operational improvement projects.
- Develop business cases for projects, including cost estimates.
- Make presentations to District staff, the Commission and other agencies.
- Administer professional service contracts with Consultants, including developing Requests for Proposals, assistance with selection of consultants and coordination of the work performed by consultants.
- Prepare planning and design reports as assigned, including engineering calculations, alternatives analysis and economic estimates.
- Manage the annual televising/cleaning of district interceptors and force mains. Includes storing deliverables in database, determining what should be televised/cleaned, coordinating work with City of Madison and/or bidding the work externally, obtaining Commission approval, processing contractor pay requests, and inspection of the work. Based on the televising results, develop a summary report indicating key defects and recommendation for further action.
- Maintain condition assessment databases for collection system assets. Provide data to the Engineering and Planning departments for project development and overall collection system asset management.
- Manage the district’s annual manhole rehabilitation program. Includes using the manhole inspection database to identify manholes to be coated/rehabbed, budgeting, bidding the work, coordinating construction, etc.
Collection System Operations (40%)
- Overall management of the collection system locating program. Includes coordinating with Diggers Hotline as needed, administration of the utility locating management system, working with the Collection Systems Service group, investigating opportunities for improvement, and making appropriate changes.
- Serve as a district point-of-contact for external utility coordination and coordinate with staff from the Engineering department. Includes customer communities and coordination with other agencies (e.g., WisDOT, Dane County, UW-Madison etc.) and private companies working near district facilities.
- Coordinate complex construction and maintenance activities, working closely with O&M workgroups and outside contractors.
- Troubleshoot collection system problems and provide engineered solutions as needed.
- Assist the district’s collection system supervisor with odor complaints and investigate corrective actions as needed.
- Remain current on new technologies and developments in the engineering field.
- Assist with conducting condition assessments for all District collection system assets and work with asset management team defining district needs.
- Review drawings from a maintenance perspective for new facilities and equipment and comment on plans and specifications for pumping station projects.
- Assist in updating the District’s CMOM annually or as needed.
- Assist with the preparation of annual budget requests for maintenance needs.
Collection System Monitoring (20%)
- Daily monitoring of district and non-district pump stations. This includes reviewing and monitoring trends and alarms for potential issues.
- Be familiar with the operation of the regional collection system, including District’s collection system and the collection systems of satellite communities.
- Identify and document maintenance needs within the district’s computerized maintenance management system.
- Compile, analyze, and distribute operational data from District pumping stations (Q-book) and initiate corrective work orders when problems are noted.
- Perform the O&M Supervisor On-call duties on a rotational basis including responding to emergency situations at the treatment plant and pumping stations.
- Assist with the management of flow monitoring in District interceptors for Inflow and Infiltration program. Troubleshoot flow meter issues with suppliers as needed.
- Perform related work as required.
Requirements
Entry Level Position Qualifications and Requirements
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in civil, environmental, mechanical, or related engineering discipline degree OR, a bachelor’s degree in construction management or related.
- In lieu of a bachelor's degree, formal preparation including certifications and work experience in project management equivalent to at least 4 years will be considered.
Preferred Qualifications
- Registered as an Engineer-In-Training in the State of Wisconsin within 6 months of hiring and the ability to become a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin when all pre-requisites have been met and eligible to do so.
- Experience in public water or wastewater conveyance and treatment systems engineering, design and/or construction.
- Experience in managing small construction projects.
Advance Level Position Qualifications and Requirements
Education and Experience
- Meet Entry Level requirements.
- Registration as a Professional Engineer OR A minimum of 4 years of related work experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Wisconsin.
- Experience in public water or wastewater conveyance and treatment systems engineering, design and/or construction.
- Advanced experience in managing a variety of construction projects including increased decision making and management of teams and interactions.
- Experience with state and federal public water or wastewater regulatory requirements.
Requirements
- Willingness to obtain an Envision Sustainability Professional credential from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure within one year of hire.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Knowledge of public water or wastewater treatment processes and equipment.
- Knowledge of public water or wastewater conveyance systems and how they operate.
- Knowledge of and the ability to apply various construction codes and standards.
- Knowledge of and the ability to apply state and federal public water or wastewater regulatory requirements.
- Skill in use of computers and computer programs, especially those involving spreadsheets and word processing, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).
- Ability to support the mission, vision, and values of the District by displaying integrity, creativity, teamwork, and balance.
- Confident, clear communicator in both written and verbal form and with a variety of people. This individual will be required to interact and maintain effective working relationships with other engineering staff, consultants, contractors, permitters, regulators, project stakeholders, the general public, etc.
- Demonstrate independent initiative and leadership as indicated by present and past job duties, assignments, and projects.
- Organized, self-managed, and self-motivated individual capable of initiating and completing projects, programs, and plans with supervision.
- For mechanical engineers, experience with pumping systems, process piping and valves, HVAC systems, and gas and energy systems.
- Ability to keep accurate and detailed records, field notes, and to contribute to detailed technical reports and records.
- Ability to read, interpret, and work with construction specifications and plans.
- Ability to apply knowledge of OSHA confined entry procedures to the safe completion of job duties.
Other combinations of education and experience which can be demonstrated to result in the possession of the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position may be considered.
Other- Candidates must possess a valid Wisconsin’s driver’s license or have the ability to legally drive in the State of Wisconsin.
Physical Demands & Work Environment
Work is performed in a combination of environments ranging from a standard office environment to field sites, tunnels, pumping stations, etc. This will require walking, bending, climbing stairs, standing. Must be able to safely use computer equipment for extended periods of time. Requires the ability to operate computer keyboard or other office equipment. Requires the ability to read and write words and numbers. Requires the ability to communicate in person, publicly or over the phone. Must be able to lift up to 40 pounds occasionally. The noise level varies from quiet to loud.
Work may occasionally require exposure to hazardous conditions and noxious chemicals. Work may require performance of tasks outdoors under varying climactic conditions. Work may occasionally require performance of tasks at elevated levels. Work may occasionally require performance of tasks in confined areas.
This position may be eligible for part-time remote work, consistent with District policy.