Structural Plans Engineer, Senior Unreinforced Masonry - Seattle, United States - City of Seattle, WA

Description

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) Engineering Services Division is hiring a Senior Structural Plans Engineer (Sr. SPE) to serve as part of our dynamic Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Program Subject Matter Expert (SME) team. This URM-focused Sr. SPE will serve as the primary technical resource, working with the URM Program Manager, for the development and implementation of a mandatory URM retrofit program. The anticipated impact of this program will be a milestone in Seattle's Pathway to earthquake resilience, culminating in a mandatory URM retrofit program, the first of such program outside of California. Seattle has approximately 1100 URM buildings and plans to require their retrofit over the next 15 years, increasing the safety for building occupants and the public. This program, which will require and support retrofits, is currently in development and the successful candidate will play a primary role in the shaping of permit, plan review, and compliance processes.

The successful candidate will serve as the primary point of contact with building owners and the public for engineering and technical questions regarding compliance with the URM Retrofit Technical Standard for minimum seismic requirements. They will be responsible for providing technical training to internal stakeholders for review and process alignment. They will also be responsible for providing technical guidance to external customers on the requirements of the 2023 Draft URM Retrofit Technical Standard. Additionally, the URM-focused Sr. SPE will lead pre-submittal conferences and review retrofit project applications and plans for compliance and opportunities for process improvement.

This Sr. SPE position is part of SDCI's Ordinance and Structural (O/S) review team. The successful candidate will also be participating and fulfilling the basic job responsibilities of a Senior Structural Plans Engineer including plan review and other related tasks. The level of plan review duties will fluctuate depending on the URM Program needs.

Responsibility of the URM-focused Senior Structural Plans Engineer includes:

• Serve as the primary technical resource to the URM Program Manager for the:
• Finalization of the 2023 Draft URM Retrofit Technical Standard
• Development of the URM Retrofit Ordinance
• Development, implementation, and management of the URM Retrofit Program
• Serve as the primary point of contact for technical alignment of internal staff:
• Interpretation and consistent enforcement of the URM Program technical requirements
• Coordinate pre-permit application processes, including pre-submittal conferences
• Develop process for ensuring compliance with applicable historic preservation requirements
• Alignment of level of review for URM retrofit project under the Program.
• Serve as the primary point of contact providing technical guidance to external customers:
• Responding to technical inquiries
• Representing SDCI as technical resource at professional events and outreach efforts

In addition to the above, basic job responsibilities for a Senior Structural Plans Engineer includes:

• Review plans, reports, and calculations for a full range of construction permit applications, from single-family homes to high-rise towers (based on successful candidate's experience)
• Ensure structural and ordinance compliance with adopted construction codes (such as the Seattle Building and Residential Codes) and generally accepted construction principles
• Prepare written correction letters
• Meet with applicants to clarify requirements, and approve applications for permit issuance
• Coach architects, designers, contractors, and the public regarding construction codes and processes
• Advise inspectors on field related concerns
• Investigate materials and methods of construction
• Prepare reports and assist in clarifying code interpretations
• Prepare and provide internal training to staff on structural-related topics

Senior level SPEs will be capable of working independently on the most complex structural code issues utilizing a wide range of construction materials and practices.

Senior Structural Plans Engineer Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in civil engineering or a closely related field that includes significant structural engineering coursework and five years of professional engineering experience, including two years of structural plans review (or a combination of education, training and/or experience that provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class).

Registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Washington

Successful candidates for this URM-Focused Senior Structural Plans Engineer will possess the following skills, abilities, experience, and knowledge:

• Structural engineering experience focused on seismic retrofit of existing buildings, preferably URM buildings.
• Familiarity with SDCI's URM retrofit technical standards
• Strong knowledge base with relevant existing building codes and evaluation/retrofit standards (eg Seattle Existing Building Code, ASCE 41, etc.)
• Basic understanding of Seattle's seismic hazards as it relates to existing buildings
• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex information effectively and clearly with technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Demonstrated good judgment and balanced approach in administering codes and policies
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and proactively resolve issues
• Ability to read construction plans, read and apply code language, perform applicable mathematical calculations and understand structural engineering principles.
• Ability to work well in a fast-paced, results-oriented, team environment, think quickly and independently
• Strong communication skills, collaborative working style and the ability to handle stressful situations in a positive manner
• International Code Council (ICC) Certification as a Building Plans Examiner

The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections is a proud participant in the Race and Social Justice Initiative, a citywide effort to realize the vision of racial equity.

We require a strong commitment to customer service and a demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and cultures. The City of Seattle values diverse perspectives and life experiences; people of color, women, LGBTQ, people with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.

Benefits

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattlegov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-members/most-employees-plans

The full salary range for this position is $ $66.65 per hour. Current City employees starting rate of pay will be based on Personnel Rules regarding promotions.