Bridge Inspection Practice Lead

The Bridge Inspection Practice Leader will lead the operational aspects of Clark Nexsen’s Bridge Inspection practice in the Roanoke office. This practice consists of planning and coordination of bridge safety inspections and the completion of the bridge safety inspection reports. The practice includes supporting federal, state, municipal, and private infrastructure clients including building and maintaining client relations and leading project development and project delivery. The practice leader will mentor mid- and junior-level staff across a variety of disciplines. The position will participate in and provide oversight of bridge inspection projects locally and nationally.

General responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

• Develop and enhance key internal relationships across technical practices, business lines, and geographies, as well as develop and enhance external relationships with key clients; support building and leading a team of passionate and skilled bridge inspection practitioners.
• Act as the representative of the bridge department outside of the company to clients.
• Assist in the writing of RFP/RFQ responses, preparation of Statements of Qualifications, and development of shortlist presentations for municipal, state, federal, and private clients.
• Perform Senior Project Manager duties as required.
• Serve as an Assistant or Inspection Team Leader for NBI bridge safety inspections as required.
• Facilitate communication of the impact of inspection/scope decisions on the level of effort, project schedule, cost and quality of the final product to PICs and PMs.
• Review performance, status, budgets, and organization of the project documents.
• Monitor inspection activities and provide lessons learned.
• Assure that the company standards are being utilized efficiently.
• Lead, review and monitor scope and fee proposals and participate in contract negotiations.
• Work with other Practice Leaders to assign staff to projects.
• Monitor workload to maintain staff utilization rates and control excessive workload.
• Monitor professional development of staff members to assure that individuals are being technically challenged in a productive manner and maintain their technical abilities.
• Mentor mid- and junior-level staff.
• Evaluate and encourage the use of software tools to enhance the efficiency of the team.
• Work to ensure the quality management process (QA/QC) is followed and, as appropriate, update or develop new procedures to enhance the effectiveness of our processes.
• Encourage “lessons learned” and internal communication to help prevent recurring issues. Discuss project reviews with inspectors and reviewers to identify quality trends.
• Ability to travel is required.
• Human Resources responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
  • Identify, promote, and develop skills and professional development programs for team members to enhance job performance and career progression.
  • Actively participate in the hiring process with the bridge team Principal(s) to facilitate building a technical staff with the skills and capabilities needed.
  • Complete employee evaluations, as needed, to convey performance on projects and develop individual team members technical skills.

Education, Technology and Experience

• Graduate of an ABET-accredited college or university in one of the following disciplines: Civil Engineering (structural emphasis), Civil and Environmental Engineering (structural emphasis), or Civil Engineering Technology (structural emphasis).
• Fully licensed Professional Engineer or Structural Engineer in at least one US state, preferably in the local jurisdiction.
• Successful completion of NHI Course #130055 Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges and NHI Course #130053 Bridge Inspection Refresher Training as required.
• Successful completion of NHI Course #130078 Fracture Critical Inspection Techniques for Steel Bridges, and/or #130087 Inspection and Maintenance of Ancillary Highway Structures is desirable
• Knowledge and familiarity of the National Bridge Inspection Standards, AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation, and the Bridge Inspector’s Reference Manual
• NCEES Record to facilitate licensure through reciprocity is desirable.
• Other Engineering related certifications are desirable.
• Active participation in NSPE, ASCE, ASHE, or other related professional organizations is desirable
• A Practice Leader should have a minimum of 12 years of significant inspection experience in a leadership role with a consulting engineering firm or within a municipal, state, or federal agency. Previous experience on federal, state and local municipal projects in the state or region the job is located in will be given additional consideration.
• Prior experience in the design and/or construction of bridges is desirable
• Prior experience on VDOT and/or Federal bridge inspection projects is desirable
• A Practice Leader should be able to effectively utilize current company software programs for word processing, e-mail, accounting, and information management. Working familiarity with analysis, design, and production software including but not limited to Microsoft Excel and Access, AASHTOWareBrR, and Microstation, to a point of being able to understand the capabilities and limitations of the programs and interact with the support staff in their use of the software is highly desirable.

Additional Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Ability to make presentations to a variety of groups.
• Ability to prepare effective and concise documents and correspondence.
• Have an enthusiastic, client-oriented, can-do attitude with a desire to provide outstanding professional services.
• Be dedicated to his or her professional development as well as the success of colleagues and the firm as a whole.
• Demonstrated recognized leadership within the firm and/or outside the firm.
• Possess team leadership abilities and capabilities.