Transportation Principal Engineer (Construction Engineering)
Division of Construction Operations - Quality Assurance Unit
Recruitment # 260514-8737FQ-001
Location Newington, CT
Date Opened 5/20/2026 12:00:00 AM
Salary $126,491 - $177,234/year(New hires to state service start at the minimum)
Job Type Open to the Public
Close Date 6/3/2026 11:59:00 PM
Go Back Apply View Benefits (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/jobs/?b=Benefits)
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Introduction
The State of Connecticut (https://portal.ct.gov/) Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is accepting applications for Transportation Principal Engineer (Construction Engineering) (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/specs/classspecdisplay.asp?ClassNumber=8737FQ&R1=undefined&R3=undefined) position in our Division of Construction Operations (DCO), in the Quality Assurance Unit at our Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut.
The DCO is the central construction engineering and administrative office for the Office of Construction. The Office of Construction administers construction projects statewide from design to final acceptance. The Quality Assurance Unit is responsible for Work Zone Safety, Value Engineering, Records Examination and Project Closeout, Constructability Plan Reviews, Construction Manual and Procedural updates, Standard Specifications revisions, and other related assignments.
What We Can Offer you:
Visit our new State Employee Benefits Overview (https://www.jobapscloud.com/CT/jobs/?b=Benefits) page!
Professional growth and development opportunities
A healthy work/life balance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6n9M1Qd5fo) to all employees
Join an award winning agency! CTDOT has been recently awarded the Employer of the Year award by the Connecticut Society of Civil Engineers ( CSCE (https://sections.asce.org/connecticut/awards) ) and named the Women's Transportation Seminar ( WTS (https://user-qiydjxo.cld.bz/WTS-CT-2023-Year-in-Review-Newsletter/4-5/) ) CT Employer of the Year for 2024!
Position Highlights:
Full-time, 40 hours per week
Monday through Friday, first shift
Location: Newington, CT
Hybrid (in office/telework) available following successful completion of the initial training/review period.
The Role:
This position reports to the Division of Construction Operations Division Chief. Responsibilities include support of the Division Chief by leading and supervising the staff and activities of multiple sections within the Division of Construction Operations. The operational areas this position will oversee include Value Engineering and Constructability, Records Examining and Contract Closeout, Specifications, Construction Manual, Construction Advisory, and Workzone Safety.
The selected candidate will provide effective oversight and delivery of the Construction Capital Program across the areas described above, as well as assigned special initiatives. The primary focus of this position is the supervision and leadership of Quality Assurance Unit personnel, along with coordination across CTDOT units, external stakeholders, and CTDOT Leadership to ensure successful program delivery. The role is responsible for advancing continuous improvement in construction contract administration policies and procedures and supporting the development and growth of staff.
The ideal candidate for this role will be highly experienced in construction project management and related processes, with preference and familiarity with CTDOT policies and procedures. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to assess emerging issues and trends, and to independently and collaboratively identify, develop, and recommend creative, compliant solutions within established State and Federal requirements.
This individual will have a proven track record in leading the development and refinement of written procedures, technical specifications, and training materials. They must demonstrate proficient organizational skills, a cooperative working style, and a strong commitment to continuous process improvement. The ideal candidate will remain focused on achieving goals established by CTDOT Leadership and supporting the advancement of high-quality, consistent project delivery.
In addition to daily staff supervision of the operational areas noted previously, the current highlights of the role are the establishment and delivery of the Work Zone Speed Camera program, updating and streamlining of Office of Construction procedures, improving collaboration across the Office of Construction units, and change management related to evolving policies and regulations considering the evolving workforce, technology, and workplace.
Selection Plan
FOR ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING:
Check out our Applicant Tips on How to Apply! Need more resources? Visit our Applicant Toolkit (https://jobapscloud.com/CT/jobs/?b=KIT) for additional support throughout the recruitment process.
BEFORE YOU APPLY:
Meet Minimum Qualifications: Ensure you meet the Minimum Qualifications listed on the job opening by the job closing date. You must specify your qualifications on your application. The minimum experience and training requirements listed must be met by the close date on the job opening, unless otherwise specified.
Educational Credits: List your earned credits and degrees from accredited institutions accurately on your application. To receive educational credits towards qualification, the institution must be accredited. If the institution of higher learning is located outside of the U.S., you are responsible for providing documentation from a recognized USA accrediting service which specializes in determining foreign education equivalencies to the contact listed below by the closing date listed on the job posting.
Resume Policy: Per Public Act 21-69 (https://www.cga.ct.gov/2021/act/pa/pdf/2021PA-00069-R00SB-00056-PA.pdf) , resumes are not accepted during the initial application process. As the recruitment process progresses, candidates may be required to submit additional documentation to support their qualification(s) for this position. This documentation may include: a cover letter, resume, transcripts, diplomas, performance reviews, attendance records, supervisory references, licensure, etc., at the request and discretion of the hiring agency.
Preferred Shift/Location: Select all location(s) and shift(s) you are willing to work on your application. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for vacancies in that specific location or shift.
Timely Submission: All application materials must be received by the job posting deadline. You will be unable to make revisions once you officially submit your application to the State. Late submissions are rarely accepted, with exceptions only for documented events that incapacitate individuals during the entire duration of the job posting. Request exceptions by emailing DAS.SHRM@ct.gov.
Salary Calculations: For current state employees, salary calculations are not necessarily comparable from one of the three branches of state government (i.e., Executive, Legislative, Judicial) to the other.
Note: The only way to apply to this posting is via the 'Apply' or 'Apply Online' buttons on the official State of Connecticut Online Employment Center job posting.
AFTER YOU APPLY:
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Referral Questions: This posting may require completion of additional Referral Questions (RQs), which must be completed by the questionnaire's expiration date. If requested, RQs can be accessed via an email sent to you after the job close date or by visiting your JobAps Personal Status Board (Certification Questionnaires section).
Prepare For An Interview: Interviews are limited to those whose experience and training are most aligned with the role. To prepare, review this helpful Interview Preparation Guide to make the best impression!
Stay connected! Log in daily to your JobAps Personal Status Board to track your status and check email (including spam/junk folders) for updates and tasks.
The immediate vacancy is listed above, however, applications to this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in this job class.
Note: This position will be filled in accordance with contractual language, reemployment, SEBAC, transfer, promotion and merit employment rules. Candidates who are offered and accept a position with the State of Connecticut are bound by the State Code of Ethics for Public Officials and State employees, available at www.ct.gov/ethics.
QUESTIONS? WE'RE HERE TO HELP:
Due to high volume, we are unable to confirm receipt or provide status updates directly. For recruitment updates, please check your Personal Status Board and review our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have additional questions about the recruitment process, reach out to Hayley Newhouse at hayley.newhouse (hayley.newhouse@ct.gov) @ct.gov.
Join the State of Connecticut and take your next career step with confidence!
PURPOSE OF JOB CLASS (NATURE OF WORK)
In the Department of Transportation this class is accountable for supervising the staff of a major construction engineering, surveying or railroad operating unit.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
Schedules, assigns, oversees and reviews work of staff;
Provides staff training and assistance;
Conducts performance evaluations;
Determines priorities and plans unit work;
Establishes and maintains unit procedures;
Develops or makes recommendations on development of policies and standards;
Acts as liaison with other operating units, agencies and outside officials regarding unit policies and procedures;
Prepares reports and correspondence;
Supervises work of engineers, technicians and other technical and/or clerical personnel in any one of several organizationally specialized construction, operations, surveying or railroad sections;
Reviews detailed plans, specifications or studies of complex transportation construction engineering problems related to areas such as highway, bridge, facility or geometric design and construction, electrical engineering, highway operations, geo-technical engineering, contract and project development, surveying or railroad engineering;
Coordinates construction projects;
Prepares special reports, cost estimates, standards and specifications and fee schedules for consultant engineers, surveyors or contractors;
Reviews progress reports;
Performs related duties as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITY
Considerable knowledge of
principles and practices involved in transportation construction engineering such as construction, surveys, geodetic surveys and materials testing;
administrative and financial controls with respect to transportation construction engineering plans, contracts, projects and reports;
relevant agency policies and procedures;
relevant state and federal laws, statutes and regulations;
latest techniques and procedures employed in field of engineering or land surveying as applied to Department of Transportation;
Considerable
interpersonal skills;
oral and written communication skills;
Considerable ability to
interpret and apply principles of information systems and technologies;
analyze and review engineering reports and plans;
Supervisory ability.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - GENERAL EXPERIENCE
Nine (9) years of experience in in land surveying or transportation construction engineering projects.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS - SPECIAL EXPERIENCE
One (1) year of the General Experience must have in a supervisory capacity over complex transportation construction engineering projects.
NOTE: For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of a Transportation Supervising Engineer.
OR
Two (2) years of the General Experience must have been in a lead capacity over complex construction engineering projects in surveying.
NOTE: For state employees this experience is interpreted at the level of a Transportation Engineer 3.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Experience with Construction project management, with preference to State and Federally funded transportation projects.
Experience related to supervising a large and diverse staff.
Experience and/or training related to staff development and strategic planning.
Experience with the following: developing and maintaining operating procedures, procedural manuals, and specifications.
Experience with the administrative and financial controls of transportation projects using state and federal funding.
Experience analyzing complex issues and developing solutions that consider stakeholders.
Experience related to CTDOT processes for design and construction.
Experience in the relevant areas the position supervises.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Incumbents must possess Land Surveyor (LS) licensure or Professional Engineer (PE) licensure from the Department of Consumer Protection State Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors consistent with C.G.S.§20-302.
Incumbents may be required to possess appropriate certification from the NorthEast Transportation Training and Certification Program (NETTCP).
Office of Property and Facilities: Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a Building Official license issued by the Connecticut Department of Public Safety.
Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain a valid Motor Vehicle Operator's license.
Incumbents may be required to travel.
Conclusion
AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
As defined by Sec. 5-196 of the Connecticut General Statutes, a job class is a position or group of positions that share general characteristics and are categorized under a single title for administrative purposes. As such, a job class is not meant to be all-inclusive of every task and/or responsibility.
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