CPW PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER III / Capital Development Program Manager (Denver, CO)

Salary : $119,244.00 - $143,088.00 Annually
Location : Denver Metro, CO
Job Type: Full Time
Job Number: PMA 01032 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
Type of Announcement: This position is open only to Colorado state residents.
Primary Physical Work Address: 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216, USA
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.
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 Capital Development Program Section manages professional engineering, asset management, facility design, environmental/water resource engineering, structural maintenance, and landscape architecture programs statewide for the Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife (CPW). The Section provides expert technical oversight in civil, structural, geotechnical, and environmental engineering, including dam safety monitoring, site engineering, water infrastructure, fish hatcheries, and building systems. The Section establishes and enforces agency-wide engineering design standards, ensures compliance with building codes and delegated State Buildings authority, and manages complex capital development budgets.
Description of Job
This position serves as the Statewide Capital Program Manager for CPW. The position is responsible for the overall strategic direction, engineering governance, tactical planning, and administration of CPW's capital construction, infrastructure improvement, dam safety, and asset management programs. Operating as a Professional Engineer III, this position applies advanced engineering principles to establish statewide design standards, review and approve complex engineering plans, ensure statutory compliance (CRS 12-25-101), and oversee technical risk management for physical assets across Colorado. The position acts as a 2nd-level supervisor (Manager), directly managing unit supervisors and work leads over professional engineering design, dam safety, capital asset tracking, and complex facility operations.
Strategic Engineering Program Governance & Tactical Planning

Establishes statewide engineering objectives, technical guidelines, and tactical plans for all CPW infrastructure, dams, hatcheries, state parks, and wildlife facilities. Interprets complex engineering needs, statutory requirements, and environmental mandates to create agency-wide engineering standards and specifications where pre-existing guidelines do not exist. Develops and maintains a systematic asset condition assessment protocol using advanced engineering analysis to evaluate, prioritize, and justify capital infrastructure projects statewide. Formulates capital construction funding proposals, engineering cost estimates, and risk analyses for presentation to the CPW Executive Management Team, Parks and Wildlife Commission, and external funding bodies (e.g., GOCO, federal partners).
Engineering Supervision & Technical Unit Management

Serves as a second-level supervisor (Manager) over a multi-disciplinary technical section comprising ~20 FTE. Supervises unit supervisors over the Design Engineering Group, Dam Safety Group, Capital Asset Group, and facility maintenance operations. Holds direct accountability and signature authority for employee performance plans, appraisals, hiring, promotion, corrective actions, and grievance resolutions. Directs work allocation, monitors technical deliverables for correctness and engineering soundness, and fosters professional development for subordinate engineering and technical staff.
Code Compliance, Delegated State Authority & Professional Seal Oversight

Acts as CPW's official delegate to the State Architect, ensuring all capital projects adhere to building, life/safety, and engineering codes. Provides authoritative engineering interpretation of international building codes (IBC), local environmental standards, and statutory engineering mandates. Serves as responsible charge engineer reviewing and approving engineering contracts, structural calculations, change orders, pay requests, and closeout documents. Determines when specialized engineering analyses (geotechnical, hydrologic, structural, environmental) are required for project execution.

Engineering Project Management Standards & Consultant Oversight
Establishes agency-wide project management standards for capital development and capital improvement projects. Directs the qualification-based selection (QBS), negotiation, and contracting of professional engineering and architectural consultants. Establishes technical standards for design plans, specifications, construction cost estimating, field observations, and quality assurance protocols. Represents CPW in technical claims, contractor dispute resolutions, and complex engineering contract negotiations.
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

AND

Three (3) years of professional experience in engineering, construction management, program management/project management or an occupational field related to the work assigned to the position one (1) of which must have been at the level of a unit supervisor, staff authority, or equivalent.

Substitutions

• Appropriate education in addition to that required for the professional engineer license will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis

Required Competencies

• Capital program management
• Strategic prioritization
• Leadership and staff development
• Financial management
• Project delivery and risk management
• Contracting and procurement
• Technical judgment
• Collaboration and relationship management
• Communication and decision support
• Accountability and continuous improvement

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current or former State experience relevant to this position.
• Experience managing a portfolio of capital construction, facility improvement, or infrastructure projects across multiple locations.
• Experience supervising and developing professional or technical staff, including setting priorities, managing workloads, and evaluating performance.
• Experience developing multiyear capital plans and prioritizing investments based on asset condition, risk, operational needs, and available resources.
• Experience managing capital budgets supported by multiple funding sources, including cost estimating, expenditure forecasting, and financial reporting.
• Experience with public-sector procurement and construction contract administration, including consultant selection, scope development, change orders, and contractor performance management.
• Experience coordinating project delivery with operational staff, design professionals, contractors, regulatory agencies, and executive leadership.
• Experience delivering projects in parks, outdoor recreation settings, wildlife facilities, remote locations, or other geographically dispersed operations.
• Experience establishing or improving project management procedures, portfolio reporting, and performance measures.
• Proficiency with project management and financial analysis tools, such as scheduling software, Microsoft Excel, and reporting dashboards.
• Demonstrated success communicating complex project issues and presenting clear recommendations to senior leaders and nontechnical audiences.

Conditions of Employment

• State of Colorado residency is required at the time of application.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state of Colorado driver's license for operating a State vehicle.
• Statewide travel to various construction projects. This includes visiting current or future projects. On average travel will be approximately 12 times per year.
• Current, valid licensure as a Professional Engineer from the Colorado State Board of Licensure for Architects, Professional Engineers, and Professional Land Surveyors.
• 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