Assistant Area Engineer (Professional Engineer I ) - Denver

Salary: $93,432.00 - $102,756.00 Annually
Location : Denver, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number:
Department: Department of Transportation
Division: Chief Engineer's Office
Opening Date: 10/02/2026
Closing Date: 10/16/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address: 2829 W. Howard Pl, Denver, CO 80204
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information: Lynn Livingston LynnR.Livingston@state.co.us
Type of Announcement: A residency waiver has been granted for this announcement. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
Hiring Pay Rate: The 2026 Step Pay Program may increase the salary range for employees with time in the class series.
How To Apply: Please submit an online application for this position at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/colorado. Reach out to the Department Contact to apply using a paper application, including any supplemental questions. Failure to submit a complete and timely application may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by the appropriate Human Resources office before the closing date and time listed.

Department Information
Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
New employees to the State will be paid biweekly. There are 26 biweekly pay periods in a year.
Description of Job
About the Unit

The Assistant Area Engineer (PE I) works in The Colorado Department of Transportation's (CDOT's) Construction Engineering Services Branch, Area Engineers Unit. The Unit provides technical assistance, engineering support, subject matter expertise, training, and Quality Control/Quality Assurance functions for the Chief Engineer, Deputy Chief Engineer, the Construction Engineering Services Branch Manager, the five CDOT Engineering Regions, contractors, consultants, and local agencies on all matters related to project development and contract administration of construction projects.

About the Position

This position assists the Area Engineer in the following:

• providing technical assistance, engineering support and subject matter expertise on all matters related to construction and contract administration of construction projects.
• providing technical engineering design and construction guidance and expertise to improve the quality of design and construction, which includes project development, contract administration, contract modification, disputes and claims and training.
• creating, developing, issuing and implementing policies, procedures and specifications to assure effective and efficient project development and contract administration of highway construction projects by the five CDOT Engineering Regions, contractors, consultants and local agencies.
• identifying, conducting and facilitating training to meet the needs of the CDOT Regions, CDOT Head Quarters Brances, contractors, consultants and local agencies.
• gathering compiling and reporting on engineering project development and construction practices' data for multiple reporting requirements.

This position will participate in the administration of the statewide QC/QA program per the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)/CDOT Oversight Stewardship Agreement. The duties may include performing research for a Task Force or assisting with annual CDOT Engineering Residency visits and annual traffic control reviews.

Your duties and responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Uses engineering knowledge and expertise to assist the Area Engineer in providing technical assistance and engineering support throughout CDOT as well as to external stakeholders on all matters related to construction contract administration of construction projects. This involves responding to questions and concerns, suggesting solutions to problems, researching concerns or unresolved issues and recommending acceptable solutions.
• Assists the Area Engineer to create, develop, issue and implement policies, procedures and specifications, and to revise, update and distribute procedural directives, procedure manuals to assure effective and efficient project development and contract administration of highway construction projects by the five (CDOT) Engineering Regions, contractors, consultants and local agencies.
• Gathers, compiles and reports on engineering project development and construction practices data for multiple reporting requirements for CDOT Executive Management and FHWA. *State law and CDOT guidelines require reporting on many aspects of CDOT's project development and construction practices.
• Performs periodic review of the administration of construction projects and makes recommendations or assists the CDOT Regions as needed to ensure compliance with FHWA, State law, and CDOT guidelines.
• Assists in implementing, delivering and maintaining CDOT's quality assurance program to ensure consistent statewide compliance of standards and specifications for construction projects.
• Identifies, conducts, and facilitates training to meet the needs of the CDOT Regions, Staff Branches, contractors, consultants and local agencies to assure that policies, procedures, and specifications are clearly understood and uniformly applied during project development and contract administration of construction projects.
• Other duties as assigned.

Work Environment:

• Your schedule will primarily be 8:00 am - 5:00 pm work hours, Monday-Friday, but we are flexible to meet your work/life balance needs while ensuring CDOT business needs are met.
• You will likely work a hybrid schedule with a combination of in-office and remote work.
• Daytime travel during business hours to meetings and trainings.
• Occasional overnight travel to throughout the state to provide training, technical assistance and/or to conduct compliance reviews.
• Will be required to drive CDOT vehicles.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights
Minimum Qualifications

• Current, valid licensure as a Professional Engineer from the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors

OR

• Current, valid licensure as a Professional Engineer from another U.S. state's Board of Licensure. If meeting qualifications with an out-of-state PE license, it is a condition of employment to obtain a Colorado PE license within six months of hire.

Conditions of Employment

• Must pass a pre-employment screening which may include social security number trace, criminal records check, public court records check, educational records, and driving records checks. More information in the supplemental information section.
• A current valid driver's license is required for all Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) positions which require operating a state or personal motor vehicle to perform one or more essential functions of the position.
• If meeting qualifications with an out-of-state PE license, it is a condition of employment to obtain a Colorado PE license within six months of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

Theexceptional applicantwill be an experienced Professional Engineer with proven ability or accomplishment in the following:

• Demonstrated success with the duties listed in the Description of the Job section;
• Years of State service experience related to the duties of this position;
• Highest work/personal ethics and integrity;
• Maintaining current working knowledge of engineering processes, theories, laws, principles, conceptual models, and best practices;
• Knowledge and experience in civil engineering design and construction;
• Experience resolving construction contract disputes and claims;
• Extensive knowledge of applicable Federal and State rules and statutes;
• Familiarity with the CDOT Construction Manual, CDOT Materials Manual, CDOT Project Development Manual, CDOT Standards & Specifications Manual, CDOT's Standard Specifications for Road & Bridge Construction, CDOT M&S Standards, and MUTCD;
• A passion for safety;
• Consultant/contract management experience;
• Ability to partner with professionals, consultants, vendors, stakeholders, staff, with sensitivity to their needs and priorities to accomplish the organization's goals;
• Strong, analytical, decision making, reasoning, and problem-solving skills and experience;
• Excellent planning, time, project management, and organizational skills;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including facilitation and presentation skills and experience;
• Ability to take initiative to solve problems in an innovative manner;
• Leadership roles over teams, including participation in committees;
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and be adaptable to changing assignments;
• Negotiating with individuals or groups to find mutually acceptable solutions; building consensus through give and take;
• Strong attention to technical detail;
• Experience identifying training needs and developing and conducting training;
• Strong mathematical skills;
• Working effectively in independent and collaborative team situations;
• Being open to change and new information; adapting behavior and work methods in response to changing conditions or unexpected obstacles;
• Fluency in Microsoft Office Suite; SAP and AASHTOWare Project suite of software, including, Site Manager and the ability to quickly learn other software systems.

Supplemental Information
Applicant Checklist
Complete Applications must include the following documents:

1. A complete CDOT Application for Announced Vacancy (please submit online using the green 'APPLY' button at the top of this announcement)
2. A complete Supplemental Questionnaire (The questionnaire is part of the online application. You will be prompted to answer them as you are completing your online application.)
3. A cover letter that describes your interest in this position, how your experience aligns with the minimum and preferred qualifications of this position. Cover letters must be uploaded as an attachment to your online application. Cover letters will not be accepted after the closing date and time of the announcement.
4. A detailed chronological resume. Resumes must be uploaded as an attachment to your online application.
5. If you are a veteran, a copy of your DD214. Please submit this as an attachment to your online application.

Please note that you may redact information on your attachments that identifies your age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
Only complete applications submitted by the closing date for this announcement will be given consideration. Every effort must be made to submit all application materials by the announcement close date. Where unusual circumstances prevent timely acquisition of transcripts, they must be submitted within five business days of the announcement close date. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application. Failure to submit properly completed documents by the closing date of this announcement may result in your application being rejected.