Water Structures – Professional Engineer (Dam Safety)

Overview

Position Summary & Responsibilities:

These positions will remain posted until filled.

Location: KDA Headquarters – Riley County, Kansas preferred; or

Topeka Field Office – Shawnee County or

Stockton Field Office – Rooks County or

Garden City Field Office – Finney County or

Stafford Field Office – Stafford County

KDA Water Structures Program is filling two Professional Engineer positions (Dam Safety).

The duties of this position are professional engineering work, involving specialized aspects of engineering.  The work includes independent complex detailed reviews of engineering plans, specifications, and reports; conducting inspections; and reviewing emergency action plans, breach analyses, and inundation maps.  The work also includes compiling engineering data, database maintenance and file organization.  Report writing and documentation of work is required. Work requires independent decision making.

Permit Processing:  The incumbent reviews and processes permit applications for water structures projects, primarily dams and dam modifications, but may include stream obstructions, channel changes, levees and floodplain fill.  Review incoming applications for completeness.  Prepare and send environmental coordination act notices to other agencies.  Provide internal information to other DWR staff to facilitate review of water rights as needed.  Review construction plans and supporting calculations for compliance with statutes, regulations and acceptable engineering practice.  Work with permit applicants and designers to resolve concerns.  When the permit review is complete, summarize and prepare final documents for approval by the team leader, program manager or chief engineer.

Complaint Resolution:  Respond to calls and complaints from citizens and other agencies. Conduct onsite inspections to determine permit requirements and compliance with regulations.  Meet with landowners to discuss requirements and resolve concerns. Document site conditions and summarize findings for future reference.  Continue to communicate with landowners as needed throughout the permit process.  Manage travel to minimize travel costs and work efficiently.  Some statewide travel may be required.

Technical assistance and file management:  Provides information and technical assistance to owners, designers and the public related to dams and regulations.  Scan and file correspondence into the Water Resources document management system.  Microfilm and file documents for dams will also need reviewed to update and calculate missing data in the water structures inventory (WSI) database.

Inspections:  Conduct onsite inspections of existing dams to determine if they are maintained and operated in a safe manner and in compliance with established rules and regulations.  Inspections are done as a response to complaints while others are done to determine jurisdiction and to meet statutory requirements. A report is to be completed following the inspection.  Enforcement actions are outlined in correspondence to the dam owner to ensure clear, timely communication critical to the dam owner.

Consultant Prepared Safety Inspections:  Review consultant prepared dam safety inspection reports.  Complete hydraulic analyses of existing dams as assigned, to verify the current hazard classification.  Engineering judgment is exercised within the regulatory framework to make recommendations for agency actions or owner response to ensure protection of public health and safety.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor of Science in engineering or related field.
Professional Engineering license recognized by the Kansas Board of Technical Professions.
Must be physically able to conduct field inspections.
Must be able to travel in-state and out of state including overnight.
Employee must have a valid Class C (or higher) Kansas driver’s license or equivalent license from another state. Employee is responsible to maintain an acceptable driving record to safely drive state vehicle and be willing and able to fulfill all job-related travel normally associated with this position.
Preferred Qualifications (Not Required):

Education in engineering hydraulics, hydrology and soil mechanics is strongly preferred.
Experience with GIS software and emergency response is strongly preferred.
Good written and verbal communication skills are strongly preferred.

Compensation:

Annual Salary Range: $85,000 to $90,000 per year
Hourly Pay Range: $40.87 to $43.27 per hour

Employment Benefits:

Comprehensive medical, mental, dental, vision, and additional coverage
Sick & Vacation leave
Work-Life Balance programs: parental leave, military leave, jury leave, funeral leave
Paid State Holidays (designated by the Governor annually)
Fitness Centers in select locations
Employee discounts with the STAR Program
Retirement and deferred compensation programs