Construction Coordinator - Essential Utilities

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, employs people in a variety of roles within our eight-state footprint, ranging from field workers and customer service representatives who are on the front lines working with customers, to scientists and engineers who help ensure we’re delivering reliable water and wastewater services to our communities.  If you’re looking for a rewarding career helping improve our environment and protect our natural resources, we encourage you to join our team!

About Essential Utilities

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities.

Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities.

We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint.

Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: (Primary Duties and Responsibilities)

• Collaborates with operations and engineering in the development, implementation and monitoring of annual capital improvement plans that identify and prioritize capital projects. Assists in developing annual capital budgets, including evaluating alternatives, designs, cost estimating and project scheduling.
• Oversees construction activities to meet established budget, scope and timelines and ensures that company financial, compliance and operational objectives are met including site visits.
• Coordinates construction phases of projects with staff in multiple departments, outside contractors, and suppliers. Ensures that operational needs are addressed.
• Assists engineering with the preparation of permit applications, which cover a wide range of land development, zoning, construction, and environmental approvals, at the local and State levels, and at times the Federal level. Meets with public officials and regulatory agency personnel to assist in obtaining project permits and authorizations.
• Meets with homeowners and follows through to promote and construct water main extensions and resolve customer concerns and complaints associated with construction activities.
• Manages all aspects of construction project procurement and project construction, including reviewing and approving contractor applications for payment. Oversees construction inspectors for multiple concurrent projects.
• Represents the company at various state and local levels. Establishes and maintains positive public relations with key customers, local officials, state regulators, other state agencies, elected officials and industry groups.
• Assists in the development and the implementation of state/regional engineering-related policies and maintain standard designs and materials specifications.
• Assists in reviewing construction plans for customer services including commercial fire services, backflow devises and customer services. Coordinates service installation with the customer, their contractor and company construction crews or contractors.
• Assists engineering to provide information necessary for detailed design and may assist in preparing designs when required.  Assists in reviewing designs for compliance with state, local, and company requirements. May prepare cost estimates for construction.
• Closeouts projects and updates water system maps, records, and electronic data in a timely fashion, i.e., reconcile inventory, record drawings, asset completion and retirement reports, GIS, AIMS and Maintenance Connection.
• In the absence of the Field Supervisor, acts in the capacity of the Division’s Field Supervisor to manage daily field operations
• Promotes a safety culture that encourages employees to put safety first and address safety issues arising from construction project with the appropriate internal teams, up to and including moving project timelines to ensure safe working conditions.
• Assists with other tasks or projects as assigned  

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential function(s).

QUALIFICATIONS (Required Experience, Education, Licenses, and Certifications)

• Associate degree in Civil Engineering or related field is preferred, while the ability to obtain a degree within an agreed upon time frame will be considered.
• PA DEP Class E Distribution License is preferred, while the ability to obtain the License within eighteen months of attaining the experience requirements will be considered.
• Minimum of five years of construction experience is required, including construction cost estimating, preparing bidding and contract documents, monitoring construction progress and payments, negotiating change orders, construction inspection and monitoring safety practices, and contract closeout.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: (Examples below)

• Proficiency with personal computers, particularly Microsoft Office products and databases, is required. Experience with AutoCAD, GIS and WaterGEMS is desired.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills; communicate effectively (clearly, concisely and professionally) with internal customers
• Strong customer service skills
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• A team player able to work effectively in a team fostered multi-tasking environment       

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• May be subject to extreme temperatures, noise, wet and/or humid conditions, mechanical, electrical, gas exposure hazards, fumes, dusts, mists, gases and/or poor ventilation atmospheric conditions.
• Working conditions include travel to work sites of Essential Utilities and/or other constituents
• Travel Requirements up to 75%, overnight typically not required but possible
• Must be available to be on call for emergencies and after hours events

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. Equal employment opportunity is provided to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to the following legally protected characteristics: race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, pregnancy (including childbirth and related medical conditions, including medical conditions related to lactation), physical or mental disability, covered-veteran status, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state or federal law.
Aqua is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities.  If you have a condition that may prevent you from applying for a job online or need to request an accommodation during the interview process, please call (1-877-271-9012).  
To maintain the integrity of the recruitment process and to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest due to employment and/or assignment of family members and personal referrals, specific guidelines apply to the hiring and assignment of these individuals including, but not limited to:

• Family members cannot result in a supervisor/subordinate reporting relationship
• Family members cannot work in the same department.