Mechanical Engineer at U.S. Embassy South Africa

Duties

Basic Function of Position:  

• Working under the Deputy Director of the Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) team, the Mechanical Engineer is responsible for overseeing and inspecting all work elements of the construction site, reviewing shop drawings and other construction plans, developing change orders and cost estimates for the constituent posts assigned to the region.  Incumbent must be capable of working independently.

Construction Site Management                                                                                    

• Develops an in-depth knowledge of the contractual requirements for the project.
• Oversees the construction to ensure adherence to approved drawings and specifications; inspects construction workmanship, materials, equipment.
• Oversees site work elements within discipline and provides early notification of potential schedule slippages regarding the mechanical construction activities.
• Monitors the work process, performs quality assurance testing and enforces safety requirements.
• Makes cost estimates on design changes, evaluates cost proposals and contractors’ requests for adjustments.
• Reports to the  Project Director on the project’s conformity and non-conformity to approved drawings and specifications; makes recommendations on how to correct deficiencies and resolve problems during construction.

Contractors Management             

• Maintains daily construction surveillance logs to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of contracts.
• On behalf of the owners’ interest, the Mechanical Engineer will be responsible for overseeing the work of contractors over the course of the project.  The Mechanical Engineer tracks the contractor scheduled milestones; materials, equipment, and labor used; the quality and workmanship of outputs, and provides the contractors, through the PD, observations, recommendations, and supervision.
• Monitors the construction schedule, reviews contractors’ proposals for change, and makes recommendations to Project Director on time extension requests.
• Reviews contractors’ invoices related to mechanical works to ensure accuracy and completeness.

Construction Reports and Documentation   

• Reviews and analyzes material samples, shop drawings, installation manuals, and other technical documents submitted by the contractors to ensure conformity with contract requirements.
• Prepares written reports to Project Director with analysis and recommendations on alternatives and actions, where appropriate.
• Prepares periodic progress reports to Project Director as required.
• Prepares and reviews engineering drawings, mechanical load calculations, technical specifications and cost estimates for construction change orders or to support U.S. installed equipment. 
• Makes cost estimates on design and specification alternatives as requested by Project Director; must be able to present in two-dimensional and three-dimensional drafts to illustrate engineering problems and proposed solutions. 

Liaison with Host Government        

• Liaises with local authorities responsible for the implementation, scheduling and compliance of local building codes and construction regulations.
• Coordinates (Title II) mechanical engineering services as required.

Qualifications and Evaluations

Requirements:

All selected candidates must be able to obtain and hold a: 

• Public Trust security clearance. 
• All selected candidates will be subject to a background investigation and may be subject to a pre-employment medical exam. 
• Selected candidate must be able to begin working within a reasonable period of time [12 weeks] upon receipt of agency authorization and/or clearances/certifications or their candidacy may end.

Education Requirements:

• University degree in mechanical engineering from an accredited institution is required.
• Student accreditation along with degree will suffice for this position.

Evaluations:

• You will be evaluated against the qualifications and requirements in this vacancy announcement. 
• You may be asked to complete a pre-employment language or skills test.
• You must complete the application form and provide the required documents.
• Your application must address all the position qualifications and requirements including education, experience, language, and any knowledge/skills/abilities listed. 
• If you fail to submit a complete application, then your application may be disqualified for this position.

Qualifications:

Experience

• At least five years of experience in mechanical engineering related to building construction and renovation on large scale residential or commercial development projects, of which, two years of experience in construction project management and oversight is required

Job Knowledge:

• Must have comprehensive understanding of DOS/OBO construction regulations and guidelines, OBO commissioning and construction guidebook. Knowledge of local building and construction codes, local safety and security rules. Must be familiar with the local government structure and jurisdictions and the key personnel in order to facilitate authorization and related engagement. Must have professional knowledge in mechanical design calculations and criteria, preparation of engineering drawings and specifications. 

Skills And Abilities:

• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook) and Internet Research. Professional skills and experience in using construction management software such as Microsoft Project and Primavera.  Ability to create mechanical engineering cost estimates and review mechanical plan for code compliance.
• Ability to operate documenting and measuring equipment such as cameras, infrared thermometers, flow meters, calipers and measuring tools. Must hold a valid driver’s license.