Sr. Construction Engineer

All current City of Sarasota employees must apply to job postings on the internal career site.

Come work at a place where employees of the City serve with Excellence and Pride!

NOTE: The City of Sarasota is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Veteran, E-Verify and Drug Free Workplace employer. Click to view the City's Veterans Recruitment Plan. Click to view a the City's Educational Equivalency Statement.

Department:

Engineering

Employee Type:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time

Salary Range:

$43.4849 - $57.6175 Hourly / $90,448.66 - $119,844.47 Annually

Job Posting Period:

May 05, 2026 - May 20, 2026 12:00 A.M.

Job Description:

Overview

To perform advanced professional engineering, construction administration, and project management work for the City's most complex and high-profile capital improvement projects. Work involves the planning, review, design coordination, permitting, procurement support, construction administration, inspection oversight, grant compliance, reimbursement documentation, payment certification, and closeout of major public infrastructure projects, including roadway, drainage, utility, resiliency, vertical construction, streetscape, transportation, and other capital improvement projects. This position provides senior technical leadership and construction oversight for Citywide infrastructure initiatives and serves as a lead resource for grant-supported project delivery, contract administration, consultant and contractor coordination, alternative construction delivery, and public-facing project communication. The position also performs or oversees professional engineering review and may sign and seal certifications, payment-related engineering documents, permit-related certifications, and other project documents in accordance with Florida law and City requirements. The Capital Projects template already includes management of complex capital projects, consultant participation, contract administration, budget oversight, GIS use, and grant administration, while the Senior Utilities Engineer template includes engineering review, compliance, permitting calculations, and inspections.

Essential Functions

• Manages complex, high-profile, and technically sensitive capital improvement and construction projects from initiation through final acceptance and closeout.

• Participates in and leads the planning, scoping, and implementation of roadway, drainage, utility, resiliency, complete streets, vertical construction, streetscape park, transportation, and other related capital projects.

• Performs or directs technical review of engineering plans, specifications, reports, calculations, design submittals, shop drawings, as-builts, schedules, cost estimates and related construction documentation for completeness, constructability, compliance, and engineering soundness.

• Provides oversight of project design, permitting, bidding, construction administration, field coordination, inspection activities, startup, warranty review, and project performance.

• Administers construction contracts, consultant agreements, work authorizations, purchase orders, task orders, and related project documents.

• Participates in the preparation of bid packages, requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, scopes of work, technical specifications, cost estimates, and procurement documents for capital and construction projects. 

• Evaluates bids, proposals, qualifications, and construction alternatives and makes recommendations regarding award, constructability, risk, value, schedule, and delivery approach. 

• Oversees and coordinates construction activities of contractors, consultants, CEI personnel, utility companies, testing firms, surveyors, inspectors, and related project participants. 

• Reviews contractor progress, schedules, pay applications, change orders, claims, supplemental agreements, time extensions, requests for information, substitutions, and field issue resolutions. 

• Reviews, certifies, and supports progress payments, final payments, reimbursement requests, grant payment packages, supporting engineering documentation, and project closeout records for accuracy and compliance. 

• Signs and seals certifications of compliance, permit-related engineering certifications, payment certifications, grant support documents, contract-related engineering documents, and other technical documents when required and authorized under Chapter 471, Florida Statutes, and City procedures. The FDOT construction posting specifically includes review and approval of progress and final payments and sign-and-seal certification of compliance for permits and contract documents. 

• Serves as engineering and construction lead for grant-funded projects and supports grant management throughout the City, including eligibility review, compliance tracking, documentation control, reimbursement coordination, audit readiness, and interdepartmental support. 

• Coordinates with Finance, Procurement, Engineering, Public Works, Planning, Utilities, consultants, contractors, regulatory agencies, grant agencies, and other City departments on assigned projects. 

• Ensures compliance with applicable City, County, State, and Federal requirements, including grant conditions, permitting requirements, contract provisions, environmental requirements, funding conditions, and construction standards. 

• Makes field inspections to verify existing conditions, monitor progress, confirm compliance with plans and specifications, assess safety and constructability issues, and support resolution of field conflicts. 

• Prepares written reports, technical memoranda, agenda items, project updates, grant support materials, presentations, public meeting materials, and executive summaries on active and proposed projects. 

• Represents the City with neighborhood associations, civic groups, elected officials, contractors, consultants, utilities, funding partners, and other public and private stakeholders concerned with assigned projects. 

• Communicates relevant information on project activities for City communications, public meetings, handouts, executive briefings, and web-based project updates. 

• Utilizes GIS, mapping tools, dashboards, exhibits, aerials, and other visual communication resources to support project analysis, public communication, grant documentation, and decision-making. The current Capital Projects profile specifically includes GIS use for maps and handouts. 

• Supports and evaluates alternative construction and project delivery methods, including design-build, CM at-risk, progressive design-build, phased construction, negotiated work, utility coordination sequencing, and other accelerated or risk-based delivery approaches when permitted and appropriate. 

• Coordinates utility conflicts, interagency issues, right-of-way matters, permitting constraints, schedule impacts, and stakeholder commitments affecting construction delivery. 

• Oversees assigned project budgets, schedules, contingencies, cash flow, reimbursement status, and contract encumbrances. 

• Provides technical direction and may supervise engineers, inspectors, technicians, survey crews, CEI staff, CAD support personnel, and other assigned employees or consultant resources. 

• Responds to complaints, inquiries, emergency issues, and time-sensitive construction or infrastructure matters. 

• May be required to work overtime, respond to emergencies, and support urgent field decisions during active construction or storm/event response. 
  The above expands the existing City templates by preserving project management, grant administration, inspection, and coordination duties while adding stronger construction-delivery, payment certification, and alternative delivery language.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in Civil Engineering, Construction Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related engineering field,

• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible civil engineering, construction engineering, public works engineering, or capital project delivery experience, preferably related to complex municipal infrastructure or public works projects,

• Experience in project management, construction administration, consultant coordination, permitting, and contract compliance,

• Or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities,

• Possession of and ability to maintain a valid State of Florida Driver’s License is required,

• Registration as a Professional Engineer in the State of Florida is required, or ability to obtain Florida licensure within a timeframe acceptable to the City if otherwise approved. 

Job Based Competencies

• Knowledge of civil engineering principles, concepts, design methods, construction practices, project delivery methods, and public works operations, including roadway, drainage, utility, site development, vertical construction, and resiliency projects. The Senior Utilities Engineer template already includes civil engineering principles and site development/drainage design, while the Capital Projects profile includes complex project management and construction oversight. 

• Knowledge of construction contract administration, inspection and testing procedures, scheduling, claims evaluation, change order review, and construction closeout. 

• Knowledge of alternative construction delivery methods, including design-build, CM at-risk, phased procurement, and other risk- and schedule-based approaches. 

• Knowledge of federal, state, and local codes, ordinances, regulations, standards, permits, grant requirements, and funding conditions relating to public infrastructure design and construction. 

• Knowledge of contracts and legal documents relating to consultant services, construction, project approval, procurement, grant compliance, environmental compliance, and reimbursement. 

• Knowledge of methods of collecting, analyzing, and presenting engineering, construction, financial, schedule, and grant data. 

• Knowledge of critical path scheduling, cost estimating, budget control, cash flow, reimbursement tracking, and project controls. 

• Knowledge of grant management principles, reimbursement documentation, audit support, and compliance monitoring for state and federal funding programs. 

• Knowledge of GIS, mapping applications, dashboards, CAD systems, and related tools used for project analysis, planning, handouts, exhibits, and public communication. 

• Knowledge of potential safety hazards and applicable safety precautions associated with construction and infrastructure work. 

• Skill in the use of engineering tools, instruments, computer systems, and standard office software. 

• Ability to review engineering plans, specifications, estimates, schedules, calculations, permits, and technical reports for completeness, accuracy, and compliance. 

• Ability to analyze constructability issues, negotiate technical solutions, evaluate contract claims, and recommend cost-effective project delivery decisions. 

• Ability to make engineering computations and review engineering calculations involving hydraulics, drainage, grading, profiles, utility coordination, and related infrastructure elements. 

• Ability to certify progress payments, final payments, grant support documentation, and other construction-related records consistent with engineering responsibility and City procedures. 

• Ability to prepare complete, accurate, coherent, and technically defensible reports, memoranda, presentations, and recommendations. 

• Ability to supervise, direct, manage, and evaluate subordinate staff, consultant teams, inspection personnel, and technical support staff. 

• Ability to communicate effectively and clearly, both orally and in writing. 

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with City officials, City staff, governmental agencies, vendors, consultants, contractors, developers, utilities, neighborhood groups, funding partners, and the public. 

• Ability to work overtime and/or be on call.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten (10) or more years of progressively responsible experience in civil engineering, construction engineering, CEI, public works, municipal infrastructure, or major capital project delivery. 

• Experience with complex, high-profile, multi-agency, or grant-funded public infrastructure projects.

• Experience with roadway, drainage, utility relocation, vertical construction, resiliency, complete streets, or transportation infrastructure projects. 

• Experience with alternative construction delivery methods such as design-build, CM at-risk, progressive design-build, or other accelerated delivery approaches. 

• Experience with grant administration, grant reimbursement, funding compliance, and audit documentation. 

• Experience reviewing pay applications, certifying quantities, negotiating change orders, resolving claims, and administering public construction contracts. 

• Experience using GIS, CAD, project management systems, dashboards, and related engineering software. 

• Supervisory experience over engineers, inspectors, or consultant teams. 

• FDOT, CEI, MOT, CTQP, stormwater, or related technical certifications are desirable. 

Responsibility

Under the direction of and responsible to the Department Head or designated representative. Supervises or provides lead direction to engineers, project inspectors, engineering technicians, survey crews, CEI personnel, CAD support staff, and other related personnel as assigned. Exercises substantial independent judgment in the management of complex construction and capital projects, technical review, contractor coordination, grant compliance support, and engineering documentation.

Physical Requirements

This is light work requiring exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and up to 10 pounds of force frequently. Work requires walking, standing, reaching, fingering, talking, hearing, climbing, stooping, crouching, and other physical activity associated with office and field responsibilities. Incumbent is subject to inside and outside activities with varying weather conditions, construction site hazards, noise, and traffic conditions. Position requires visual acuity for reviewing, checking, preparing, and maintaining written, digital, mapping, and computer files. Manual dexterity to operate standard office, data entry, engineering, and field equipment is required.

Public Contact

Contacts are an essential component of this position. Frequent contacts are required with contractors, consultants, developers, utility providers, regulatory agencies, grant agencies, testing firms, and governmental entities concerning project design, construction, permitting, grants, reimbursement, and compliance matters. Contacts with City departments and offices involve issues related to project coordination, funding, procurement, scheduling, engineering review, field implementation, and public communication. Other public contacts may be required to explain City construction projects, project impacts, grant-funded work, schedules, and alternatives, and to respond to complaints or stakeholder concerns. The existing City templates already emphasize regular contact with contractors, consultants, government agencies, and the public.

Retirement Benefit

The City of Sarasota made the transition to become a Florida Retirement System (FRS) employer effective December 1, 2021. To learn more about what this benefit may mean for you, please visit MyFrs.com. Please note that if you are hired to work for the City of Sarasota as an FRS employer, you will be asked to complete a form to certify your FRS status, as there may be an impact to any FRS benefit you are already receiving.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to Jake Brown our ADA Coordinator. Jake can be reached via email at Jake.Brown@sarasotafl.gov or via phone at 941-263-6299.

For questions pertaining to general employment or job application status, please call 941-263-6476, or email HR@sarasotafl.gov