Stormwater Specialist (Engineer IV)

Fairfax County boasts a top-notch school system, safe neighborhoods, thousands of acres of parkland, and bustling town centers. County government sits at the heart of this dynamic community of almost 1.2 million residents and seeks employees eager to bring their energy, enthusiasm and skills to serve Fairfax residents and to shape the county’s future. Land Development Services (LDS) is the steward of the county’s land development and building construction codes and regulations, and its staff members embrace their essential role as “first preventers.” Every day, through careful review, permitting and inspection of site and building construction, our staff protect the health, safety, welfare, and environment for those who live in, work in, and visit Fairfax County. Our department also serves as the gateway to much of the county’s economic development, reviewing over 30,000 building and site plan submissions, issuing nearly 70,000 building permits, and conducting over 220,000 building and site inspections each year. If you would like to join a creative, collaborative, innovative team doing meaningful work, then LDS is the place for you.

Under the supervision of the Branch Chief, Site Development and Inspection Division (SDID), serves as a Stormwater Specialist. Responsible for advanced level review and approval of various applications to ensure compliance with state and local codes, regulations and policies and good engineering practice related to drainage and stormwater management. Uses good engineering judgement to balance code requirements with LDS goals. Provides timely resolution of design and construction issues in collaboration with others before they cause project delays. Provides expert opinion on stormwater management-related matters. Researches and prepares special engineering studies and reports pertaining to stormwater management facilities and code amendments. Reviews, comments and proposes stormwater-related amendments to codes, ordinances and the PFM. Prepares and presents complex reports to the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, and various authorities and committees. Serves as an expert witness in court cases.
*A $5,000 signing bonus is available to new county employees hired in the Engineer IV position.

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)
Depending on the functional area of assignment:

• Responsible for advanced level review and approval of various applications to ensure compliance with state and local codes, regulations and policies and good engineering practice related to drainage and stormwater management;
• Performs overall project management and contract administration for multiple complex multimodal transportation improvement projects throughout the county from scoping through final design, utility coordination, land acquisition, permitting, and construction phases;
• Secures all reviewing/permitting agencies’ approvals and permits as required in a timely manner;
• Administers design or construction contracts of large and complex projects;
• Performs advanced specialized engineering in the preparation and review of Hydrologic and Hydraulic engineering studies as required to achieve certification of the State regulated dams maintained;
• Applies advanced engineering and scientific techniques in evaluating complex solutions;
• Negotiates or oversees the negotiation of contracts for the full range of engineering/architectural, environmental and construction services;
• Coordinates County facility design or construction work with various architects, engineers, contractors, and consultants; supervises work performed under contract and maintains professional control of projects to completion;
• Estimates staffing, budget, schedules and resources needed to meet completion dates;
• Supervises subordinate staff of engineers and/or technicians working multiple smaller projects, utilizing either internal staff or external consultants or contractors;
• Supervises the review and acceptance of subdivision plans;
• Reviews all subdivision plat revisions concerning access, street location, site distance and traffic safety;
• Reviews and approves (or rejects with explanation) shop drawings and third party quality control inspection reports submitted pursuant to “Special Inspections Requirements” under the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code and the Fairfax County Special Inspections Program;
• Reviews the work of other engineers for complex permit applications, environmental analysis, design or construction of Capital Projects;
• Reviews and approves plans in accordance with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code;
• Conducts field inspections of commercial construction projects to verify compliance with associated building code requirements of the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code;
• Identifies and rewrites deficient and obsolete sections of national, state or local codes;
• Trains/mentors lower level engineers;
• Conducts preliminary meetings with design professionals to discuss code issues related to complex projects;
• Proposes and prepares revisions to technical design standards and ordinances;
• Prepares and presents detailed reports, studies and complex technical material to diverse groups of stakeholders to gain support and consensus;
• Prepares and presents reports to political boards and commissions at public hearings;
• Attends project and administrative meetings and conferences, and makes recommendations concerning budget issues;
• Serves as a technical advisor in specialty area;
• Signs off on the work of others that are supervised and signs off on own work as a Professional Engineer or Registered Architect.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for “Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to”) Graduation from a four-year college or university accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technologies with a bachelor’s degree in the appropriate engineering or architectural field; plus, four years of progressively responsible professional experience in the appropriate engineering or architectural field.
CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

• A valid driver’s license.
• Possession of a valid Virginia Professional Engineer license.
• Virginia DEQ Stormwater Management Plan Reviewer Certification within 11 months of hire.

An individual who possesses a valid Professional Engineer (PE) license in another state will be granted a temporary exemption for up to 180 days from the date of hire to obtain a PE license in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background, pre-employment medical evaluation and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong knowledge of land development processes, regulations and construction techniques used in site development particularly in Northern Virginia.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, while being solution-oriented and decisive.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible professional experience in the civil engineering field.
• Five or more years of full-time experience and knowledge in the local government regulatory environment.
• Experience with Stormwater Routing software and design of stormwater facilities.
• Knowledge in local and state stormwater regulations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to be mobile in order to visit inspection sites, to include traversing through rough and uneven terrain. Ability to operate keyboard driven equipment. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.
SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include practical exercise.
BONUS ELIGIBILITY:
Positions within this classification that are general merit may be eligible for a one-time hiring incentive bonus for new county employees only. This bonus program requires a signed payback agreement between the department and employee.
Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.
Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.
Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during Application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. DHREmployment@fairfaxcounty.gov EEO/AA/TTY.
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