Job DescriptionSUMMARY OF JOB PURPOSE: The Senior Project Engineer will apply scientific methodology to investigate and determine the cause of complex failures of materials, components, and products and will be called upon to isolate the specific reason or reasons a product, device or substance failed, which may lead to legal activity, including both civil and criminal; potentially assisting a court or other parties to determine the facts of a failure or accident. Some assignments may include the analysis of property damage cause and origin, personal injuries, and design/installation issues related to design/construction, fire and explosion, catastrophic claims, and equipment/machinery failures.
PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Investigates the cause of failures, damages, or defects in the mechanical fields within industrial, commercial, and residential sites. Analyzes the failure of mechanical systems, determines the cause of failures, evaluates the quality of construction or reviews design or maintenance procedures.
- Participates in catastrophe responses such as hurricanes, tornados, floods, wildland fires, and earthquakes.
- Performs field investigations, leads multi-party examinations and documentation of damaged property.
- Researches failure modes and code requirements as needed, prepares recommendations for repair and/or remediation as appropriate.
- Prepares accurate, clear, thorough, and concise reports and letters outlining the cause and origin of the damages to clients. Follows established policies, procedures, and processes in preparing information, exercising sound judgment in applying these to potentially unusual or complicated situations, and submits reports and documents in a timely manner and in accordance with client's standards and expectations.
- Provides deposition or expert testimony as a fact or expert witness for product liability cases, for civil or federal court cases, and, occasionally, criminal cases, to investigate and testify in a deposition or courtroom setting, about the cause, extent or source of damages or professional liability.
- Maintains established relationships with current clients and consultants.
- Manages and/or works with multi-disciplinary teams on large and complex assignments ensuring a cohesive approach to the investigation while maintaining effective communication across the project team.
- Stays abreast of office and company policies, procedures, and practices; participates in ongoing training and development as assigned or approved to assure knowledge and skills remain current and comprehensive.
- Adheres to all applicable State Insurance Regulation requirements and other applicable laws, regulations, and standards.
- Performs all other duties as assigned.
Required Skills/Abilities/Experience:- 5 -7 years' experience evaluating mechanical failures.
- Skills in analyzing, interpreting, synthesizing, prioritizing, and reporting pertinent information, discerning the essential from the non-essential, and grasping complexities of unusual or complicated cases.
- Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
- Exemplary time management and organizational skills, including attention to detail and accuracy, to execute tasks and meet deadlines.
- Evaluate project schedule progress/performance and identify developing problem areas.
- Allocates resources appropriately in the face of competing demands.
- Dedicated to using a tactful and constructive approach in one's commitment to coaching team members.
- Committed to being an effective and collaborative team member.
- Sound written and oral communication skills, problem-solving, influencing, and critical thinking skills.
- Ability to work in catastrophic environments such as the aftermath of natural disasters, weather events, etc. for an extended period
- Expertise in Microsoft Office Suite (including but not limited to Word, Excel, Outlook) and CRM software.
- Commitment to confidentiality and to discreetly handle sensitive information.
- Safety mindset with the ability to foresee project risks associated with investigations.
- Willingness to obtain additional Professional Engineering Licenses as required by their Manager or Technical Director.
- Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle in a work capacity.
- Teamwork, compassion, and respect toward others, in keeping with our 5 Guiding Principles, as well as integrity, accountability and adherence to standards of ethical behavior and professional conduct, and open and honest communication.
Preferred Skills/Abilities/Experience: - Experience in a commercial or industrial setting preferred.
- Forensics experience is a plus.
- 1-3 years' experience working with law firms and insurance companies is preferred.
- Power systems experience (generators, transformers, and switchgear, etc.) is a plus.
- Electro-mechanical experience is desirable.
- Project Management and MEP experience desirable.
Education: - Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline is required.
- Active PE is required (in the state of employment is preferred).
WORKING CONDITIONS: Frequently requires work to be performed at the site of the property damage or loss, including locations where disasters or catastrophes have occurred; may require evening, overnight, and weekend travel and work; incumbent may be subject to outside weather and environmental conditions, including, but not limited to, extreme heat, cold, and precipitation; incumbent may be exposed to inside environmental conditions, including, but not limited to noise, vibrations, proximity to moving mechanical parts, electrical current, heights, chemicals, fumes, odors, dusts, mists, gases, or poor ventilation.
May be required to work in close quarters, crawl spaces, enclosed rooms, narrow aisles, passageways, or other enclosed areas, requiring physical agility. The incumbent may be required to work in high areas such as roofs or scaffolding, requiring physical agility, and balance.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES AND REQUIREMENTS: In addition to the working conditions and associated physical activities and requirements above, the incumbent may be required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, stand, walk, push, pull, lift, finger, grasp, or feel, especially in the course of investigating and assessing property damage; these requirements may include the need to lift weights of up to 50 pounds, including a ladder.
The work requires close visual acuity, with or without correction, to prepare reports containing words, symbols, and numerical figures; the incumbent is required to view a computer terminal, use a keyboard, read printed documents, make detailed visual inspections, perceive color, perceive depth, and have a sufficient field of vision to carry out all inspection and related duties.
Willingness to travel on average of +/-25-30% of the workweek to accommodate meetings, with increased two (2) week deployments during Catastrophe events, as well as attend other work-related activities that may be scheduled outside of normal daytime business hours.
*Above duties, skills, and responsibilities may be added, decreased, or changed to accommodate the company's requirements.
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