Lead Construction Specialist - 90291007 - Onsite Hamden CT

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As we move America’s workforce toward the future, Amtrak connects businesses and communities across the country. We employ more than 20,000 diverse, energetic professionals in a variety of career fields throughout the United States. The safety of our passengers, our employees, the public and our operating environment is our priority, and the success of our railroad is due to our employees.

Are you ready to join our team?

Our values of ‘Do the Right Thing, Excel Together and Put Customers First’ are at the heart of what matters most to us, and our Core Capabilities, ‘Building Trust, Accountability, Effective Communication, Customer Focus, and Proactive Safety & Security’ are what every employee needs to know and do to be most impactful at Amtrak. By living the Amtrak values, focusing on our capabilities, and actively embracing and fostering diverse ideas, backgrounds, and perspectives, together we will honor our past and make Amtrak a company of the future.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES:
The Lead Construction Specialist plays a pivotal role in the success of our Connecticut River Bridge Project.  As a Lead Construction Specialist you will be assisting, overseeing and/or managing construction projects from conception to completion. You will collaborate with a diverse team to ensure the safe and cost-effective delivery of this vitally important project. With your extensive experience in managing complex heavy civil and/or rail force account projects, you will be able to demonstrate your expertise and become a collaborative team member in this exciting project. Under the direction of the Sr. Manager Capital Construction, the successful candidate will execute all aspects of construction management for construction and design support. The incumbent will also interface with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. The incumbent is responsible for assisting the Sr. Manager Capital Construction as well as the Project Director to deliver projects that provide improved system safety and security, state of good repair, facility upgrades and enhancements, Contractor’s project support and system expansions. In addition, the incumbent coordinates the force account construction efforts of the program within Amtrak forces.   
 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Support capital construction efforts by providing technical support to contractor, force account and supervision as well as helping to satisfy scope, schedule, cost, quality, and safety requirements on the project. Initiate action when necessary to ensure the project is being built per approved plans and specifications. 
• Work with contractor, force account and supervision to ensure the project is executed in accordance to agreed upon scope, costs, and schedule. 
• Evaluate, select, and apply standard construction engineering techniques, procedures, and criteria, using solid engineering judgment in making decisions.  
• Communicate effectively with audiences that include but are not limited to management, coworkers, clients, vendors, contractors, and visitors. apply knowledge of applicable local, state/province, and federal/national statutes and guidelines to various area of responsibility. 
• Support the Program/Project Manager with review potential change requests from the field and, if appropriate, prepares a potential change notice with appropriate justification for submission to PM. 
• Assist and/or lead on coordinating and assuring adherence to Site Specific Safety Work Plans with Contractors and Amtrak Personnel.  
• Coordinate applicable track and ET outages. Prepare outage plans.  
• Interact with Amtrak personnel leadership for resource planning.  
• Conduct project site visits to assess project feasibility, determine scope requirements and potential challenges.  
• Coordinate the work of contractors to include engineers, technicians, and other personnel who help on specific project activities and assignments. 
• Monitor and report on various production metrics/units to provide the required data to best meet the goals of the project. 
• Maintain knowledgeable of requirements for applicable codes and standards on a project. 
• Coordinate the completion of construction activities. 
• Provide weekly updates (construction reports) to the project and construction manager on the status of project, including any issues that occurred.   
• Coordinate the preparation and revision of technical work procedures consistent with project design and construction requirements. 
• Analyze and make recommendations regarding solutions to problems with varying complexity in accordance with CAPD, Amtrak and/or project objectives and guidelines. 
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner, set priorities, and meet deadlines. 
• Attend progress meetings and report on project status. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

 
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Thorough understanding of SSSWP Requirements and SSSWP approval process to ensure timely approval to maintain construction contractor and project schedule. 
• Prior satisfactory job performance required. 
• Must have minimum of five (5) years’ experience in heavy civil construction and/or rail force account construction experience or relevant experience (e.g., / construction and field production methods, operations, and procedures) sufficient to plan and direct activities. 
• Demonstrated project management and supervisory experience. 
• Demonstrated planning, scheduling, budget, and finance/cost control experience.  
• Knowledge of FRA regulations, OSHA requirements, and other federal, state, and local regulations and standards sufficient to ensure compliance. 
• Extensive experience in infrastructure improvement planning 
• Demonstrated ability to work under tight time constraints, pressure, and multiple priorities. 
• Demonstrated experience in managing complex programs in an operating environment. 

MIMINUM KSA (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities):

• Ability to learn and apply knowledge of applicable local, state/province, and federal/national statutes and guidelines. 
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities under tight constraints. 
• Must have the ability to coordinate efforts with other technical disciplines and have knowledge of scheduling, budgeting, and estimating. 
• Possess strategic and tactical skills required for planning and executing complex project work. 
• Strong leadership required, encompassing effective communication, motivation, and team building/team performance skills. 
• Strong Safety Focus. 
• Demonstrated experience in using PC-based word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) sufficient to prepare effective business analyses and presentations. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Ability to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders. 
• Meet expectations on attendance and punctuality 
• Valid driver’s license 
• Ability to work days, nights, and weekends in all-weather environments. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Extensive construction and railroad project management and supervisory experience 
• Knowledge of Amtrak policies, NORAC operating rules, RWP, AMT2, and MW1000 sufficient to ensure compliance. 
• Knowledge of applicable labor agreements sufficient to ensure compliance. 
• Strong interdepartmental leadership with the ability to identify problems and develop solutions. 
• Extensive experience in railroad maintenance and construction 
• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering or construction management. 
• Engineer in Training (EIT) 
• Professional Engineer (PE) 
• Certified Construction Manager (CCM) 
• 7+ years’ experience preferred. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Exposure to field environment and all-weather conditions. 
• Combination of office building and jobsite environment.  
• Work in cubicle setting; stand, sit, bend, twist, use file drawers.  
• Sit at computer to complete assignments, projects, and majority of tasks.  
• Ability to work under pressure.  
• Travel requirements: expectation is that this position will be on-site of active construction project (when in construction) 5 days per week. 

COMMUNICATIONS AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

Must have excellent oral and written communication skills.

The salary/hourly range is $94,300-$122,256.  Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, etc. Depending on an employee’s assigned worksite or location, Amtrak may consider a geo-pay differential to be applied to the employee’s base salary. Amtrak may offer additional incentive and pay programs to recognize and reward our employees, including a short-term incentive bonus based upon factors such as individual and company performance that is commensurate with the level of the position and/or long-term incentive plan compensation. In addition to your salary, Amtrak offers a comprehensive benefit package that includes health, dental, and vision plans; health savings accounts; wellness programs; flexible spending accounts; 401K retirement plan with employer match; life insurance; short and long term disability insurance; paid time off; back-up care; adoption assistance; surrogacy assistance; reimbursement of education expenses; Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility; Railroad Retirement sickness and retirement benefits; and rail pass privileges. Learn more about our benefits offerings here.

Requisition ID:163852
Posting Location(s):Connecticut

Work Arrangement:06-Onsite Click here for more information about work arrangements at Amtrak. 
Job Family/Function:Engineering 
Relocation Offered:No 
Travel Requirements:Up to 25% 

You power our progress through your performance.
 

We want your work at Amtrak to be more than a job. We want your career at Amtrak to be a fulfilling experience where you find challenging work, rewarding opportunities, respect among colleagues, and attractive compensation. Amtrak maintains a culture that values high performance and recognizes individual employee contributions. 

Amtrak is committed to a safe workplace free of drugs and alcohol. All Amtrak positions requires a pre-employment background check that includes prior employment verification, a criminal history check and a pre-employment drug screen. 

Candidates who test positive for marijuana will be disqualified, regardless of any state or local statute, ordinance, regulation, or other law that legalizes or decriminalizes the use or possession of marijuana, whether for medical, recreational, or other use. Amtrak's pre-employment drug testing program is administered in accordance with DOT regulations and applicable law.  

In accordance with DOT regulations (49 CFR § 40.25), Amtrak is required to obtain prior drug and alcohol testing records for applicants/employees intending to perform safety-sensitive duties for covered Department of Transportation positions. If an applicant/employee refuses to provide written consent for Amtrak to obtain these records, the individual will not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions.

In accordance with federal law governing security checks of covered individuals for providers of public transportation (Title 6 U.S.C. §1143), Amtrak is required to screen applicants for any permanent or interim disqualifying criminal offenses. 

Note that any education requirement listed above may be deemed satisfied if you have an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Amtrak is an EOE/Affirmative Action Minority/Female employer, and we welcome all to apply. We consider candidates regardless of race/color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions), national origin/ethnicity, age, disability (intellectual, mental and physical), veteran status, marital status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, genetic information, citizenship or any other personal characteristics protected by law.