POSITION TITLE: Director of Projects (Structural, Civil or related engineer)

REPORTING TO: Jon Heintz,

LOCATION: Redwood City, CA 94538

COMPANY: Applied Technology Council

The Applied Technology Council (ATC) is a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation established in 1973 through the efforts of the Structural Engineers Association of California. ATC's mission is to develop and promote state-of-the-art, user-friendly engineering resources and applications for use in mitigating the effects of natural and other hazards on the built environment. ATC also identifies and encourages needed research, and develops consensus opinions on structural engineering issues in a nonproprietary format. ATC thereby fulfills a unique role in funded information transfer.

Project work is conducted by a wide range of highly qualified consulting professionals, thus incorporating the experience of many individuals from academia, research, and professional practice who would not be available from any single organization. ATC takes research and turns it into engineering practices and building codes. ATC’s work has a longstanding effect and impact not only for the projects at hand, but also for other organizations, municipalities, governments and countries all over the world. ATC fosters a culture of service and altruism. Their work helps to lower the risks to property, buildings and people, and most importantly, contributes to saving lives.

Over nearly 40 years, ATC has worked on many high profile projects developing landmark documents that have shaped engineering practice, such as: (https://www.atcouncil.org/selected-active-and-recently-completed-projects.html)

  • ATC-3 Project, Tentative Provisions for the Development of Seismic Regulations for Buildings and Other Structures (ATC-3-06, 1978)
  • ATC-6 Project, Seismic Design Guidelines for Highway Bridges (ATC-6, 1981)
  • ATC-13 Project, Earthquake Damage Evaluation Data for California (ATC-13, 1985)
  • ATC-20 Project, Procedures for Post-Earthquake Safety Evaluation of Buildings (ATC-20, 1989), and Field Manual (ATC-20-1, updated in 2005)
  • ATC-33 Project, NEHRP Guidelines for the Seismic Rehabilitation of Buildings (FEMA 273, 1997)
  • ATC-58 Project, Next-Generation Seismic Performance Assessment of Buildings (FEMA P-58, 2012)
  • ATC-63 Project, Quantification of Building Seismic Performance Factors (FEMA P-695, 2009)
  • ATC-82 Project, Selecting and Scaling Earthquake Ground Motions for Performing Response-History Analyses (NIST GCR 11-917-15, 2011)      

ATC’s project list is growing, and there is a need for an additional Director of Projects to continue the legacy of critical information that the organization offers to the structural engineering profession and beyond. ATC has secured significant new contracts, and expects to continue its international expansion in the future. There is an opportunity to grow in the position and produce informative and critical reports and other work products that will be useful for decades to come.

This is a full time, permanent position and the position is in the Redwood City office.

 

SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITIES:       

In a typical scenario, ATC is engaged for a significant research and development project, and hires the appropriate consultants in a remote team to conduct the project and produce the required deliverables. The resulting products are  a compilation of information in the form of a physical book, a downloadable report, a study, software application, training materials, or some other output. Products developed by ATC are available for purchase in ATC’s online store or download from ATC’s website at https://www.atcouncil.org..

The Director of Projects will foster, supervise and contribute to all the parts of this process, including but not limited to:

  • Identify and evaluate technical projects to be pursued by ATC, in consultation with other senior technical management personnel, the Executive Director, and the Board of Directors. ATC has a respected, widespread reputation and referral network.          
  • Identify and contact potential funding agencies regarding proposed ATC projects, in consultation with other senior technical management personnel and the Executive Director.
  • Develop technical proposals, including concept, technical approach, work plan, management plan, and detailed budgets by task, and submit to prospective funding agencies/organizations.
  • Serve as Principal Investigator, Project Manager, or Project Director on selected projects, as assigned by the Executive Director.  In this capacity, the Director of Projects will:
  • manage selection of project personnel;
  • supervise the work of ATC project consultants and communicate with these individuals on a routine basis;
  • develop or review and approve consultant work statements and budgets that define scope and schedule for work efforts;
  • establish and occasionally chair advisory panels;
  • institute and overview the quality control of work products;
  • review and approve project expenditures, as requested by the Executive Director;
  • supervise preparation and submittal of required periodic progress reports to clients;
  • develop and submit proposals for supplemental work;
  • monitor and evaluate work effort relative to defined scope;
  • establish and implement quality and format standards for ATC reports;
  • conduct reviews of ATC reports for technical accuracy, compliance with established ATC standards, and appropriate language and format for the intended audience;
  • supervise preparation of camera-ready copy of ATC reports; and
  • assume responsibility for ensuring that projects are completed on schedule in a technically satisfactory manner within budget and scope. 
  • Serve as a technical consultant on selected ATC Projects, as requested by the Executive Director.
  • Supervise planning and conduct of ATC Seminars and Workshops, as assigned by the Executive Director.
  • Represent ATC at selected workshops, conferences, seminars, and other meetings and make verbal presentations as required.
  • Attend meetings of the ATC Board of Directors, as requested by the Executive Director or the Board of Directors.
  • Perform other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Director.

 

EXPERIENCE/SKILLS REQUIRED:                

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of ten  or more years of experience, and will be a principal or senior member of a structural, civil, or related engineering firm who is experienced in client contact, proposal writing, contract negotiations, as well as the initiation, management, and completion of technical projects.  This candidate might instead be a faculty member in a seismic, structural engineering, or related field.
Additional experience and skills desired include, but are not limited to:

  • Demonstrated leadership skills and experience.
  • Seismic-related experience (structural design or research/instruction)
  • Experience in supervising and managing engineering and technical personnel and projects.
  • Experience in developing consensus on complex engineering issues.
  • Excellent technical writing skills, as evidenced by lead authorship on engineering papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings.
  • Excellent verbal skills, as evidenced by technical presentations at meetings and conferences, including invited presentations.
  • Demonstrated success in winning competitive technical proposals.
  • Ability to efficiently use state-of-the-art word processing and spread sheet computer software, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
  • Demonstrated ability to work effectively with others.

 

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:                   

ATC seeks excellence in all of its employees and consultants.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills are absolutely required. The Director of Projects will communicate extensively in writing, (emails, presentations, papers, report content), over the telephone (conference calls with clients, subject matter experts, consultants and network of referrals) and in person (consultant meetings, conferences, seminars, client presentations, Board of Directors quarterly meetings). It is imperative this person is able to articulate ideas in a clear, concise and correct manner for each audience. Must be able to articulate the scope of the project to ensure appropriate results.

Additional descriptors for this candidate are:

Excellent customer service skills to work closely with many constituents including clients, consultants, Board of Directors, and co-workers.

Involved. Doing more than just going to work every day. Acting on curiosities and professional interests by joining groups, reading industry material, writing about the industry, speaking and participating at industry functions.

Results-oriented.

Strong attention to detail, in writing, scheduling, record keeping, financial details, overall accountability, etc.

Commitment to accuracy.

Hands on; roll up the sleeves attitude.

Nimble; flexible.

Focused.

Passion for research and knowledge.

Strong networking skills.

Altruistic, “for the greater good” mindset.

Strong general business skills, understanding of margins, profit and loss, standard financial statements.

 

EDUCATION/CREDENTIALS:  

Postgraduate degree(s) in Civil (Structural) Engineering, or professional license as a Civil or Structural Engineer.

REWARDS:

Competitive compensation package, including bonus potential, 401k retirement plan with generous contribution, and a flexible benefits plan, benefits including medical/dental/vision coverage, vacation, paid holidays, sick time, group life and disability insurance.
In addition, this position is regularly involved in the latest in structural engineering research, and leads projects developing the future vision of engineering practices.  ATC projects have a demonstrated lasting effect on the structural engineering profession and the lives and property of the world exposed to natural disasters.  ATC project teams encompass leading technical experts and utilize a network of contacts from all over the world.

CONTACT INFORMATION:           

To be considered for this opportunity, please thoroughly read this position profile and the client website before submitting your resume.
Please email your resume (in Word format please, not PDF) and cover letter to recruiting@lockeandkey.com. Please put “ATC” in the subject line of your email).

Ideally, we are seeking local candidates, however we welcome resumes from candidates who are able to relocate; some relocation assistance will be provided.

 No phone calls, please. All resumes with a valid email address will receive a notification of receipt.

Lisa K. Locke
Locke and KEY Recruiting, Hiring and Consulting Services
Mail: P.O. Box 6746, Oakland, CA  94603
Phone/Fax: 510-533-2055
Email: recruiting@lockeandkey.com
Web: http://www.lockeandkey.com

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