Design Engineer Team Lead

Project Background:

The Water Sanitation and Conservation (WSC) Project’s purpose is the enhanced conservation and protection of Lebanon’s water resources through achieving three objectives: 1) capacity of wastewater (WW) and sanitation management expanded; 2) efficiency of public water utilities to manage water resources increased; and 3) citizens’ water stewardship enhanced. The availability of usable water resources in Lebanon—a strategic priority country to the U.S. Government’s Global Water Strategy—is at risk, jeopardizing the well-being of citizens and the social compact between the Government of Lebanon (GOL) and its people. In achieving WSC’s three objectives, USAID also hopes to gain fuller municipal and community integration—women and youth included—and a more substantial private sector role in Lebanon’s water sector, as well as greater sustainability of water sector enhancements.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

The Design Engineer Team Lead will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

• Supervises, coaches, and mentors WSC Design Engineers. Provides work assignments and priorities to the design engineers.
• Develops technical scopes of work for architect and engineer (A/E) design services subcontracts.
• Works closely with the A/E services subcontractor, plans for and participate in design kickoff meetings, directs and manages project design from concept development, pre-feasibility, project evaluation and selection, feasibility studies, multi-phase design, reviews of draft and final plans, designs, BOQ, technical specifications, a complete design package c ready for the solicitation and procurement of construction subcontracts.
• Acts as liaison and coordinates among DAI design consultants, construction subcontractors, and USAID consultants to reconcile and resolve divergent positions and points of view concerning design and construction issues.     
• Develops and implements design project management plans, including QA/QC protocols and documentation, technical communications with the A/E design subcontractor, monitoring design progress, quality, and costs, reviewing A/E subcontractor invoices.
• If requested by the Construction Engineers, reviews, comments on, and approves construction subcontractor shop drawing submittals in a complete and timely manner. Ensures that a submittal log is used to closely track the processing and communication of submittal statuses.
• Works closely with the Senior Construction Engineer to ensure that required additional design details or modifications to construction projects, including specifications, are developed and or modified as approved, for construction projects in a timely manner.
• Provides coordination and regular communications with the WSC A/E design team (subcontractor). Reports any performance related problems to the Design and Construction Manager. Inform the Design and Construction Manager of any significant design related issues, during the design development or during project implementation.
• Investigates and ensures compliance with administrative processes for design consultancy subcontract work and that all required design related permits and licenses are obtained by the A/E firm or are included as requirements of the construction subcontractors.
• Ensures that design documentation adheres to and complies with USAID's, DAI’s and local/ international standards.
• Conducts field visits on the request of the Senior Construction Engineer to investigate any known or suspected design issues.
• Ensures all construction design projects comply with WSC's Construction Quality Control Management Plan (CQCMP), and any other plans required to be provided by the A/E design sub-contractor required plans applicable to WSC.
• Identifies, manages, and tracks design project dependencies and critical path; plans and schedules project design timelines and milestones; tracks project design deliverables; and reports design delays to the Design and Construction Manager.
• Manages progress and required changes in the design project scope. Ensures that design changes are processed in a timely manner.
• During periods where there is slack time in design activities, provides engineering assistance to the WSC Construction Team.
• Provides design related reports and project updates to the Design and Construction Manager for the development of weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.
• Provides information to the Communications and Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) Director for the development of success stories, pictures, infographics, videos, and other WSC project design related communication products.
• Provides engineering design support to other WSC team members as needed.
• Coordinates and collaborates with the Environment and Safety Engineer and the A/E subcontractor to ensure health and human safety and environmental compliance considerations are included in project designs and specifications.
• Reviews and comments on monthly invoices submitted by the A/E design subcontractors.
• Provides design interface with the Lebanese entities that will end up taking possession of the projects (normally the Regional Water Establishments or municipalities), discusses and addresses their concerns.
• Ensures that any required training for project owners is planned and included in the project specifications.
• Ensures that any required spare parts for construction projects are incorporated into the construction project specifications.
• If requested, provides assistance to the Construction Engineers in reviewing as-built drawings.
• May serve as the acting Design and Construction Manager during his absences.

Qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from a recognized university in one or more of the following disciplines: civil, mechanical, electrical, structural, or water/hydraulic.  A master’s degree is preferred.
• Minimum of 12 years of experience in designing complete and comprehensive water, wastewater, and irrigation projects.  Construction management, inspection, and oversight experience is a plus but will not substitute for the design experience. .
• 5 years of experience managing and supervising other design engineers.
• Experience working on USAID construction projects and knowledge of USAID policies, strategies, and regulations is preferred.
• Ability to implementing construction QA/QC programs.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multicultural environment and with multidisciplinary teams
• Proven complete engineering design project life cycle experience (from project scoping, selection, evaluation and selection, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, multiple phased design, including preparation of BOMs/BOQs, technical specifications, cost estimates, and spare part recommendations.
• Experience reviewing and approving shop drawings.
• Excellent report writing and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to develop solutions for complex construction related problems and to develop resolutions in a timely manner.
• Fluency in Arabic, and excellent verbal and written English skills.

About DAI

DAI is a global development company with corporate offices in the United States, the United Kingdom, EU, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Palestine and project operations worldwide. We tackle fundamental social and economic development problems caused by inefficient markets, ineffective governance, and instability. DAI works on the frontlines of global development. Transforming ideas into action—action into impact. We are committed to shaping a more livable world.

DAI and its employees are committed to confronting racism and holding ourselves accountable for positive change within the company and in the communities, cultures, and countries in which we live and work.  DAI is committed to attracting and retaining the best employees from all races and backgrounds in our continued effort to become a better development partner.

DAI upholds the highest ethical standards. We are committed to the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment as well as other ethical breaches.  All of our positions are therefore subject to stringent vetting and reference checks.