Critical Structures Branch Chief (Engineer V)

Fairfax County Government -
Fairfax, VA

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Job Details

Full-time
$99,534.03 - $174,184.61 a year
4 hours ago

Benefits

Health insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Loan forgiveness
Life insurance

Qualifications

Public works construction inspection
Report preparation
Computer operation
CAD design (engineering design task)
Technical report writing
Construction surveys
Driver's License
Managing engineering teams
Construction drawing review
Construction quality inspections
Managing construction project teams
Managing teams in a construction management role
Computer skills
Structural systems
Senior leadership

Full Job Description

Salary

$99,534.03 - $174,184.61 Annually

Location

HERRITY BUILDING (B-2), 12055 GOVERNMENT CENTER PKWY, FAIRFAX (EJ26), VA

Job Type

FT Salary W BN

Job Number

26-01046

Department

Land Development Svcs

Opening Date

07/18/2026

Closing Date

7/31/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Pay Grade

S32

Posting Type

Open to General Public

Job Announcement

$5,000 Sign-On Bonus*

Fairfax County boasts a top-notch school system, safe neighborhoods, thousands of acres of parkland, and bustling town centers. County government sits at the heart of this dynamic community of almost 1.2 million residents and seeks employees eager to bring their energy, enthusiasm and skills to serve Fairfax residents and to shape the county's future. Land Development Services (LDS) is the steward of the county's land development and building construction codes and regulations, and its staff members embrace their essential role as "first preventers." Every day, through careful review, permitting and inspection of site and building construction, our staff protect the health, safety, welfare, and environment for those who live in, work in, and visit Fairfax County. Our department also serves as the gateway to much of the county's economic development, reviewing over 30,000 building and site plan submissions, issuing nearly 70,000 building permits, and conducting over 220,000 building and site inspections each year. If you would like to join a creative, collaborative, innovative team doing meaningful work, then LDS is the place for you.

The Fairfax County Building Division is seeking an experienced engineering leader to serve as the critical structures branch chief. This position serves as the county’s technical authority for structural and geotechnical engineering issues involving some of the region’s most complex commercial construction projects, including retaining walls, deep foundations, support of excavation (SOE), sheeting and shoring systems, and other advanced structural systems. As branch chief, you will lead a team of highly skilled critical structures engineers responsible for plan review, inspections, technical code interpretation, and quality assurance while ensuring compliance with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code.

In addition to serving as a deputy building official, you will collaborate with design professionals, contractors, developers, and internal stakeholders to resolve complex engineering challenges, improve program effectiveness, and provide exceptional customer service. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence the future of building safety through leadership, staff development, code development, policy implementation, and industry outreach while helping deliver safe, innovative, and resilient construction throughout Fairfax County.

A $5,000 signing bonus is available to new county employees hired in the Engineer V position.

Illustrative Duties

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position job description.)

Depending on the functional area of assignment:

As a branch chief plans, directs and supervises the work of a group of engineers or architects in the design or construction of highly complex projects such as buildings, transportation or stormwater projects, solid waste management or wastewater facilities that includes inter-departmental and partnership project to assure project design and project management are timely, cost effective, and high quality;
Manages the required regulatory review and approves construction documents for compliance with applicable County codes and policies;
Leads and participates on various county and stakeholder committees to facilitate improved processes, develop new policies and procedures and recommend revisions to codes, ordinances and design standards;
Supervises the work of a group of engineers in the review of subdivision plans for impact on critical county infrastructure, such as stormwater management, wastewater treatment, or main traffic arteries;
Heads planning and conservation programs of significant impact;
Makes high level decisions on annual budget, blanket procurement contracts, consultant contracts, or investment in software updates;
Performs the most difficult or highly technical design reviews or reviews of site or subdivision plans and capital projects;
Ensures work performed under contract meets county standards and agreed upon specifications and timeframes, and permit and regulatory requirements;
Signs off on the work of the branch and may sign and seal own work product and/or that of subordinate staff;
Provides technical engineering guidance and input on key projects throughout the conceptual, preliminary and final design and construction phases;
Supervises work performed under contract and maintains professional control of projects to completion;
Attends public meetings and conferences, and makes recommendations concerning county budget appropriations for operations and/or projects;
Prepares manuals, reports, standard operating procedures, and guidelines for the operation of the work group, branch, or division;
Reviews and supervises proposed revisions to technical design standards and ordinances;
Prepares and makes presentations to boards, commissions, committees, and senior management;
May serve on leadership and management working groups including business area teams;
Serves on technical committees and provides expert testimony at public hearings;
Provides code related technical training;
Registered Architect may sign and seal own work product and/or that of subordinate staff.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list.)

Depending on the functional area of assignment:

Considerable knowledge of the principles, theory and practice of civil, architectural, and environmental engineering or urban planning;
Considerable knowledge of computer applications and software (such as CAD) that is associated with the preparation of plans and engineering computations;
Considerable knowledge of topographic and construction surveying;
Considerable knowledge of common methods and equipment used in engineering construction and of inspection methods used in reviewing such work;
Ability to review construction documents, designs and proposals for costs, design requirements and compatibility with County standards, guides and operational needs;
Ability to oversee and coordinate the work of a diverse professional and para-professional engineering/architectural staff;
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in writing and interact effectively with the public;
Ability to prepare technical reports and to present findings in a clear and concise format;
Ability to engage others in the design and implementation strategies that maximize employee potential and foster high ethical standards in meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals;
Ability to explain, advocate, and express facts and ideas in a convincing manner.

Employment Standards

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Any combination of education, experience, and training equivalent to the following:
(Click on the aforementioned link to learn how Fairfax County interprets equivalencies for “Any combination, experience, and training equivalent to”)
Graduation from a four-year college or university accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technologies with a bachelor's degree in the appropriate engineering or architecture field; plus, five years of progressively responsible professional experience in the appropriate engineering or architectural field, including one year of supervisory experience.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:

A valid driver's license.
Possession of a valid Virginia Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect license (RA).
VDHCD Commercial Building Inspector within 9 months of hire.
VDHCD Certified Building Official within 9 months of hire.

An individual who holds a valid Professional Engineer or Registered Architect license in another U.S. state must obtain a PE or RA license in the Commonwealth of Virginia within 180 calendar days of hire. Certification must be kept current and may not be allowed to lapse during employment.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check and driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Extensive experience reviewing, designing, or inspecting complex structural systems, including retaining walls, deep foundations, support of excavation (SOE), sheeting and shoring, and geotechnical engineering applications.
Experience supervising, mentoring, and developing professional engineers, inspectors, or other technical staff.
Demonstrated expertise interpreting and applying the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC), International Building Code (IBC), and accepted structural engineering standards.
Experience serving as the technical authority on complex commercial construction projects involving advanced structural engineering designs.
Experience managing engineering operations, including workload management, quality assurance/quality control, budgeting, scheduling, and strategic planning.
Experience developing technical policies, engineering guidance documents, or standard operating procedures to improve consistency and program effectiveness.
Experience participating in state or national building code development, including authoring code proposals, evaluating proposed changes, or serving on technical committees.
Strong communication skills with experience presenting technical information, conducting stakeholder outreach, and resolving complex engineering or code issues with design professionals and contractors.
Current Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (VDHCD) certifications as a Commercial Building Inspector and/or Certified Building Official, or the ability to obtain these certifications within the required timeframe.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Ability to operate key-board driven equipment and use large platform monitors to review plans. Ability to perform sedentary tasks. All duties performed with or without reasonable accommodations.

SELECTION PROCEDURE:
Panel interview and may include exercise.

BONUS ELIGIBILITY:
Positions within this classification that are general merit may be eligible for a one-time hiring incentive bonus for new county employees only. This bonus program requires a signed payback agreement between the department and employee.

Fairfax County is home to a highly diverse population, with a significant number of residents speaking languages other than English at home (including Spanish, Asian/Pacific Islander, Indo-European, and many others.) We encourage candidates who are bilingual in English and another language to apply for this opportunity.

Fairfax County Government prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetics, political affiliation, or military status in the recruitment, selection, and hiring of its workforce.

Reasonable accommodations are available to persons with disabilities during application and/or interview processes per the Americans with Disabilities Act. TTY 703-222-7314. [email protected] EEO/AA/TTY.

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