Engineering Technician - Jackson, TN

The Engineering Technician provides engineering assistance working with landowners, groups, and local governments to apply and maintain a variety of conservation practices. This job also includes the responsibility of designing engineering practices, preparing engineering drawings, computing quantities, and preparing cost estimates. This position does not require an engineering degree. Duties may include:

• Inventorying and evaluating potential new project sites;
• Assist and complete required engineering surveys for future designs;
• Assisting with development of engineering drawings, specifications, etc.;
• Assist and complete surveys for project construction layout;
• Assist and complete construction inspection of construction projects during construction and report findings;
• Evaluate and assist with evaluating construction materials to verify that they meet or exceed specifications – this shall occur during construction activities but shall also include going to rock quarries to verify required material size requirements and material quality requirements;
• Develop, maintain, and complete construction project job diaries as required;
• Communicate daily, or as needed with Engineers, Geologists and others on construction projects for progress updates, project coordination, potential problems, substandard construction work, potential needs for contract design, cost, or specification modifications;
• Keep track of ongoing quantities for construction projects, and make Engineers, Geologists, and others aware of potential quantity overruns;
• Assisting with non-inherently governmental and non-sponsor payment processing and activities;
• Verify that all construction projects assigned are following the required construction specifications and are following all required TDEC, COE, TVA, permit regulation requirements and keep files that document these activities.

The successful candidate will be able to:

• Use AutoCAD, Civil 3d 2016, and similar technical drawing software (actual experience and formal educational training are desirable when available);
• Develop and complete engineering drawings, modify drawings to the point of completing many standardized NRCS drawings, modify and develop new drawings when needed;
• Interpret these and other construction drawings, explain these interpretations to contractors, landowners, agency personnel, material providers, regulatory personnel, local government Sponsors, Engineers, other Construction Inspectors, and various county and district employees;
• Independently download survey data, and produce contour maps/drawings when needed, as well as analyze data to produce profile views and sections views from the surveyed data;
• Use and troubleshoot various forms of surveying equipment, self levelling levels, total station equipment, data collectors, GPS total stations, etc;
• Independently work with SharePoint sites and other computer systems;
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing;
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of OSHA rules and regulations for construction projects, shall follow these rules and regulations, and shall inform others present what the regulations are, and when they are not being followed;
• Travel as a passenger in ATV’s and UTVs in the various areas;
• Assist with typing, generating, assembling, reviewing, updating, completing, and distributing reports, paper or digital, for inventory, dam assessment, dam inspection, project inspection, quality reviews, progress, and other reports required by any NRCS Program, initiative, database, or policy;
• Assist with maintenance, repairs, inspections, licensing and emissions testing of motor vehicles;
• Utilize a variety of computer hardware and software applications and small office machines, NRCS business tools and locally developed Excel spreadsheets and Access databases to extract information needed to develop reports, maintain schedules, track work progress, and complete assignments.