Design Technician

Are you someone who is interested in soil data, design standards, and developing engineering solutions addressing stability, drainage, and material suitability? If yes, the Iowa Department of Transportation's Design Bureau is looking to hire a Design Technician to conduct geotechnical analyses and develop soil design recommendations on our transportation projects!

Location: 800 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa, 50010

Shift Requirements: Day Shift, Monday – Friday, Flex Schedule Possible, Occasional in-state travel required.

As a Design Technician in the Soils Design Section, your duties will include, but are not limited to:

• Geotechnical Engineering and Design – Conduct geotechnical analyses and develop soil design recommendations for transportation projects. Interpret soil data, apply design standards, and develop engineering solutions addressing stability, drainage, and material suitability.
• CADD Plan Development – Prepare detailed soil design plan sheets using CADD software, including ground lines, grades, subsurface information, and material classifications. Identify suitable, unsuitable, and waste materials, and document subgrade treatments and drainage features.
• In-field consultant drilling review and project site reviews – Reviews consultant drill crew’s activities to ensure accurate and compliant subsurface data collection, including drilling contracts, boring logs, sampling methods, and documentation for adherence to Iowa DOT specifications. Reviews project sites to gather insight into geotechnical issues, including slides, sinkholes, and erosion.
• Soil and Geologic Assessment – Apply knowledge of Iowa soils and geology to classify materials, evaluate subsurface conditions, and interpret drilling observations. Ensure geotechnical data aligns with project design requirements for highways and bridges.
• Data Quality Review – Review soil survey data, laboratory test results, and geotechnical documentation for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with established standards.
• Use of Historical Geotechnical Records – Evaluate and incorporate relevant historical geotechnical information into new project designs to support continuity, accuracy, and long-term performance.

Additional Requirements:

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.

Iowa Department of Transportation’s Mission is Making Lives Better Through Transportation. To accomplish our Mission, the person selected for this position will demonstrate actions and behaviors guided by the Iowa Department of Transportation’s five CORE values: Safety First, People Matter, Customer Focused, Servant Leadership, and Integrity Without Exception.

As a State of Iowa employee, you will be eligible for the following benefits:

• Competitive pay and benefits package including health, dental, flexible spending, and life insurance
• Insurance benefits start the first month following 30 days of employment, and costs can be reviewedhere.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• Paid time off effective immediately - biweekly vacation, separate sick leave, accruals rollover on a yearly basis, and 9 paid holidays per year.
• Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) Retirement Package with employer match
• Optional 401A plan with employer contributions.
• Employee Discount Programs from a variety of vendors (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling; legal, financial).

We encourage you to learn more about the State of Iowa Employee benefits and costs at theState of Iowa Employee Benefits Website!

You have the freedom to flourish in Iowa – Apply now!

The Iowa Department of Transportation is an equal-opportunity employer. If you require a reasonable accommodation in completing any screening, interviewing, pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please direct your request to the Affirmative Action & Equal Employment Opportunity (AA/EEO) Officer at:aa-eeo@iowadot.us.

Reasonable accommodation, such as an interpreter, translator, written materials, modified equipment/devices, ADA access, etc. This does not include scheduling needs.

The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify,a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work laws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit www.e-verify.gov.

Applicants must meet at least one of the following minimum requirements to qualify for positions in this job classification:

1) Graduation from high school (or GED equivalent), and experience equal to six years of full-time work in design drafting, cartography, photogrammetry, engineering survey, soils survey, land survey, or construction inspection.

2) All of the following (a and b):

a. Four years of full-time work experience in design drafting, cartography, photogrammetry, engineering survey, soils survey, land survey, or construction inspection; and
b. A total of two years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university course work in any field equals one year of full-time experience.

3) All of the following (a and b):

a. Four years of full-time work experience in design drafting, cartography, photogrammetry, engineering survey, soils survey, land survey, or construction inspection; and
b. A total of two years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in number one), where thirty semester hours of an accredited vocational program in engineering technology, design drafting, engineering survey, soils survey, land survey, construction inspection, or cartography equals two years of full-time experience.

4) Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as a Design Technician Associate.

For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description.