Construction Material Inspector Jobs in Chicago, IL

About SQN

sine qua non: (noun) something considered absolutely essential.

SQN Associates is a woman- and minority-owned company providing Construction Management, Program & Project Management, and Project Controls services to public and private clients in markets that include Aviation, Buildings & Facilities, Rail, Transit, Transportation, and Utilities.

Our mission is to be “absolutely essential” to the success of our clients, partners, employees, and community. Central to this mission is our commitment to a culture of excellence rooted in fostering reliable support and mutual respect for those we work with.

Our definition of success involves more than just hard numbers. We strive to stay true to our core values with every decision that we make, at every level. Our culture of excellence inspires us to hold ourselves to the highest standards in everything that we do, whether it’s conducting ourselves with accountability and transparency in our work, continually cultivating the capabilities of our team, or seeking ways to empower those around us in pursuit of a more diverse, equitable, and sustainable future. When it comes down to it, SQN believes in putting people first.

Our greatest asset is the SQN Team – our dedicated and talented employees. By making it our business to take care of them both professionally and personally, we make it possible for them to take care of business. Thanks to the enthusiasm of the SQN Team, SQN Associates has been named as one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ Best Places to Work for multiple years running.

Overview

This position is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the assigned client(s) and project(s).

Position Type

Full-time salaried employee

Organizational Position

Job Title: Construction Engineer II

Reports to: Project Manager

Responsible for: Project Team Members

Duties/Responsibilities

The position may be responsible for office and field duties related to construction office administration, project coordination, construction inspection and field documentation. Specific responsibilities are project-specific and may include:

• Serve in an Inspector, Assistant Resident Engineer, Resident Engineer on projects where applicable.
• Day-to-day coordination and delivery of project(s) or specific work scopes and supporting the CM Project Manager and client representatives. 
• Verify overall contract compliance with contract requirements, manage documentation and track all project deliverables. 
• Review and route project deliverables including submittals, RFIs, contractor work plans, schedules, meeting minutes, etc. for review and acceptance by all required parties. 
• Lead various project meetings, document outcomes and actions via meeting minutes. 
• Report to the project site based on client and project needs on short notice, including during daily construction activities, nights and/or weekend activities, and during any critical shutdown or outage work as dictated by the project schedule and/or client. 
• Participate or lead project start-up, planning, procurement, design development, pre-construction, construction meetings, and change order reviews. 
• Coordinate with CM team members to verify activities are covered and monitored appropriately. 
• Participate in the contractor’s invoice review process, schedule management, project controls, and change management activities. 
• Create, maintain, or review any logs, reports, or other documentation to aid in project reporting and delivery. 
• Coordinate all project closeout activities, including processing closeout documentation such as warranties, O&Ms, as-built/record drawings, punchlist creation, and completion of all final change management and invoicing documentation.  
• Prepare monthly reports.
• Verify that the required material inspection and testing are performed and documented. 
• Monitor contractor field inspection work that includes, but may not be limited to, excavation, placement of reinforcing steel, installation of structural steel, placement of concrete, driving pile, placement of backfill, placement of traffic control, construction of erosion control measures, building envelope, build-out of interior spaces, roofing, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems.
• On a timely basis, review, audit, and prepare inspector’s daily reports (IDRs and project correspondence).   
• Assure that all field reporting is an accurate documentation of activities on the required forms. 
• Engage with and/or be responsive to the client, manage the clients’ expectations relative to the project and SQN’s overall standing while maintaining a high level of professionalism and striving for the highest level of client satisfaction. Verify the contractor’s actual activities against their planned work.
• Other duties as required by the project, client, or SQN business needs. 

Qualifications / Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related field.
• Minimum 5-7 years of experience working on transportation-related construction projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated process execution skills with strong attention to detail.
• Effective problem-solving with the ability to efficiently switch between tasks productively.
• Certified in IDOT’s Documentation of Contract Quantities.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job, absent undue hardship. While performing the functions of the job, the employee must be able to:

• Clearly communicate and remember information and effectively convey that information to others
• Operate a computer, other office productivity tools, and work-related instruments
• Operate a vehicle (automobile)
• Remain in a stationary position for long periods of time
• Observe details at close range  
• Move items weighing up to 30 pounds  
• Move about an office, job site, and from location to location
• Ascend/descend from stairs, ladders, scaffolding, ramps, elevated areas, etc.
• Ability to work on elevated structures
• Maintain body equilibrium to prevent falling on uneven or slippery surfaces
• Move your body to get low to the ground if necessary

Working Conditions

• General office environment
• Able to be exposed to outdoor weather conditions throughout the year including extreme heat and cold
• Able to work around noise and potentially hazardous materials
• Able to work around moving objects and equipment while on a job site 
• Able to work in a confined space

Compensation & Benefits

SQN offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to all eligible employees that consists of:

• Competitive base pay (annual base pay $80,000-$115,000)
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage plan options
• Company-paid life insurance and short-term/long-term disability
• 401k plan with an employer safe harbor contribution
• Paid time off
• Paid company holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Professional development assistance, licensure, and professional membership reimbursement
• Company-sponsored social events
• Pre-tax commuter benefit
• Health savings accounts with employer contribution
• Health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Monthly cell phone reimbursement
• Annual wellness reimbursement
• Voluntary life and accident insurance
• Voluntary critical illness and hospital indemnity insurance
• Pet insurance

EEO Statement

SQN Associates, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable law, we prohibit discrimination against any applicant, employee, or other covered person based on any legally recognized basis, including, but not limited to: veteran status, uniformed servicemember status, race, color, caste, immigration status, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation or related medical conditions), age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), protected leave status, domestic violence victim status, or any other consideration protected by federal, state or local law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations; if you need an accommodation to complete the application process, please contact us via our website at https://www.sqna.com.