CPW Professional Engineer I / Regional Project Manager (Grand Junction, CO)

Salary : $93,432.00 - $112,116.00 Annually
Location : Grand Junction, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: PMA 01036 10/26
Department: Department of Natural Resources
Division: Colorado Parks & Wildlife
Opening Date: 10/23/2026
Closing Date: 11/8/2026 11:59 PM Mountain
FLSA: Determined by Position
Primary Physical Work Address: 711 Independent Ave, Grand Junction, CO 81505
FLSA Status: Exempt; position is not eligible for overtime compensation.
Department Contact Information:
Salary Note: Although the full salary range for this position is provided, appointments are typically made at or near the range minimum.
Type of Announcement: The primary duties of this position are located within 30 miles of the state border; therefore, this position is exempt from the residency requirements. Applications will be considered from residents and non-residents of Colorado.
Hiring Pay Rate: Please note that all employees new to the State Personnel System are paid on a bi-weekly basis.
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.

COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFEOur Mission is to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system, and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado's natural resources.
The Northwest Region of Colorado Parks and Wildlife has 13 State Parks and more than 90 State Wildlife Areas and exists to provide outdoor recreation and wildlife management in the northwest region of Colorado. The Northwest Region Capital and Trails unit exists to manage capital development and trail development in Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Northwest Region. Engineers (Regional Project Managers) in the unit execute all the planning, design, engineering, budgeting, contract documents and project and construction management for capital projects on CPW-owned lands including State Wildlife Areas and State Parks.
Description of Job
The position is a licensed professional engineer responsible for overseeing all aspects of capital development and infrastructure projects ranging in scope and budget from small projects ($5,000) to large projects ($1,000,000 or more). This position may prepare and provide engineering designs for projects and will use sound engineering judgement to make field adjustments during construction to ensure capital projects are constructed to meet engineering standards and codes. As a professional engineer, this position handles all aspects of projects, including preliminary investigations, project planning, surveying, developing and choosing project alternatives, cost analysis, design calculations, development of construction drawings, specification preparation, contract and bid documents preparation, and design consultant selection, contracting, and oversight. This position also provides construction management services including construction contract management, ensuring the project construction is in compliance with contract documents, preparing construction contract modifications, providing construction quality assurance, contractor payment processing, writing contractor claims for adjustments and disputes, handling contract terminations, closing out construction contracts, and designing and administering purchase order and invoice work.
CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING/MANAGEMENT

This position administers and oversees multiple design and construction projects and contracts. This includes the responsibility to act as the fully authorized representative of CPW for the project. Ensure contractor performance and compliance with plans and contract specifications. This requires engineering and project management expertise to read and interpret engineering drawings, interpret contract specifications, ensure code/regulation compliance, environmental compliance, and contractually decipher the relationship between general requirements and covenants for capital construction, the bid schedule, contract specifications, contract drawings, procurement rules, and current Colorado Revised Statutes. This position may create engineering designs as part of this job duty. This also requires project communication with stakeholders (Area Wildlife Managers, Property Technicians, Park Managers, Park Resource Technicians, Deputy Regional Manager, Central Capital staff, and other Regional Project Managers). Act as a fully operational Professional Engineer (licensed) to inspect construction including stamping the as-built drawings with Professional Engineer stamp and signing across it. Take project to completion so that project is a high quality addition to State resources and has reasonable maintenance requirements for field staff.

ADMINISTRATION
Prepares detailed budget spreadsheets for each project. Uses the state's accounting and purchasing system to procure all materials necessary and to initiate bids and contracts. Responsible for payments to contractors and keeping detailed records of invoices, work accomplished, inspections, etc. Understands state's fiscal rules and contracting requirements to ensure that bidders, contractors, internal stakeholders are informed of requirements and that contractors comply. Keeps detailed project updates in CPW's capital database. Keeps detailed project documentation on state's network drives to ensure adequate documentation for audit purposes and historical purposes.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

Provides engineering technical guidance and input to proposed ideas from Northwest Region field managers and hatchery managers. Participates in capital request process to provide estimates, technical expertise and guidance. Determines project requirements and desired function. Discusses possible alternatives with field staff.
Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Minimum QualificationsCurrent, valid licensure as a Professional Engineer from the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors OR the ability to attain it within 90 days.

Substitutions

• None

Required Competencies

• Strong analytical, inductive and deductive reasoning
• Trouble shooting, problem solving, and critical thinking, with keen attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills including building collaborative environment
• Customer service mindset, respectful
• Ability to effectively communicate both orally and in writing
• Proactive, takes initiative, self motivated
• Ability to prioritize and manage a large volume of workload
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity and appreciated for diverse viewpoints as well as different communication and work styles in a multi-cultural and intergenerational environment
• Enthusiastic, energetic, optimistic, positive attitude
• Adaptable and open to change
• Team player who proactively ensures the success of other teammates
• Open to new ideas, with innovative thinking

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current or former State experience relevant to this position
• Current or former Colorado Parks & Wildlife work or volunteer experience
• Knowledge of construction engineering principles, theories and concepts
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings
• Ability to interpret contract specifications
• Ability to apply engineering sciences and mathematics to analyze projects or programs with engineering components
• Ability to decipher the relationship between the general requirements and covenants for capital construction
• Ability to negotiate a cost difference with contractors
• Ability to conduct surveys
• Experience with budget management
• Experience with property/facility maintenance and/or construction of dam structures, buildings, utilities, roads, or other structures
• Experience with hydraulics or water resources projects
• Experience with aquatic habitat restoration

Conditions of Employment

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license if operating a State vehicle.
• Statewide travel will be required to visit construction sites and for field surveys. Approximately 3 to 10 times per month.
• Current valid licensure as a Professional Engineer from the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers and Professional Land Surveyors OR the ability to attain it within 90 days.
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position. (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).
• Pursuant to the DNR-120 Fleet and Driving Standards Administrative Directive, any worker who will be expected to drive a State-owned vehicle is responsible for maintaining a safe driving record and a valid driver license prior to driving any State-owned vehicle.
  
  To be compliant with the new fleet vehicle policy, Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) will be pulled for review for workers who:
  
  • Have an assigned State fleet vehicle
  • Are required to operate a vehicle as part of the position
  • Utilize a State fleet vehicle as a pool vehicle

Supplemental Information
The Assessment Process

• All applications received by the closing of this announcement will be reviewed by an HR Specialist against the Minimum Qualifications in this announcement.
• Colorado Revised Statutes require that state employees are hired and promoted based on merit and fitness through a comparative analysis process. Part of, or all of, the comparative analysis for this position will be a structured application review by Subject Matter Experts.
• Resumes, cover letters and other attachments are not considered as part of initial reviews, therefore, it is important to document in your application your education, experience, minimum qualifications, and preferred qualifications as outlined in the job announcement
• Please thoroughly answer all supplemental questions (if listed) since question responses may be evaluated for content, writing ability, spelling, grammar, and effective communication.
• This recr