
Principal Engineering Technician (NY HELPS)-Region 7
Watertown, NY · HybridFull-time$63–80K/yrSeen 1w agoSeen in employer's feed 4 days ago
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At a glance
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Requirements
Credentials this posting asks for.
Job overview
The New York State Department of Transportation is hiring a Principal Engineering Technician for Region 7 in Design, Construction, or Operations. Duties vary by assignment and may include supporting engineering projects, surveying and inspections, monitoring construction quality, supervising and training staff, or supporting emergency response. The role requires travel throughout the region and may involve overnight stays, night work, and weekend work.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
NY HELPS Yes
55-b/c Eligible Yes
Agency Transportation, Department of
Title Principal Engineering Technician (NY HELPS)-Region 7
Occupational Category Other Professional Careers
Salary Grade 16
Bargaining Unit PS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)
Salary Range From $62694 to $79795 Annually
Employment Type Full-Time
Appointment Type Contingent Permanent
Internship No
Jurisdictional Class Competitive Class
Travel Percentage 25%
Workweek Mon-Fri
Hours Per Week 37.5
Workday
From 8 AM
To 4 PM
Flextime allowed? No
Mandatory overtime? No
Compressed workweek allowed? Yes
Telecommuting allowed? Yes
County Jefferson
Street Address Design / Construction / Operations
317 Washington Street
City Watertown
State NY
Zip Code 13601
Duties Description DESIGN:When assigned to Design, the selected Principal Engineering Technician (PET) candidate will perform technical duties in support of engineers or engineering programs. They may be assigned to either;• Regional Design, • Bridge / Culvert Inspection• SurveyTypical duties will include, but are not limited to:• Perform complex and technical activities in support of various engineering projects and/or program areas. These activities might include developing or reviewing contract plans and specifications, preparing written reports and project cost estimates, planning and scheduling field work, and generating right of way maps. • Perform routine technical tasks such as taking measurements, checking computations, collecting, and compiling data, taking notes, and making calculations. These tasks may also be performed at remote field locations. • A PET will also be expected to use CADD programs, as well as various computer applications in the performance of these duties.• A PET may serve as a member of the field survey crew, assisting with survey operations under the direction of the survey crew chief and Regional Land Surveyor.• A PET may supervise lower-level technicians in such areas as design, surveying, right of way mapping, planning, and engineering research. • Assist in Bridge Inspection, or Culvert Inspection tasks.• The selected candidate may be required to travel throughout the Region (either day trips or overnight). At the time of appointment, and continuously thereafter, candidates must be able to demonstrate their ability to meet the travel requirements of the position either by possession of valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State or access to reliable transportation.Specific job duties will be discussed at the interview.CONSTRUCTION:When assigned to Construction, typical duties will include, but are not limited to:A Principal Engineering Technician (PET) can be assigned to work in the Regional Construction Office, in field assignments on construction projects, or in the Regional Materials Group.Field assignments on construction projects could include being an Engineer-In-Charge, Office Engineer, or Inspector. Duties required will include monitoring construction activities to ensure that the quality of construction projects are in conformity with contract requirements and specifications. The candidate will be required to supervise and train subordinate engineers, technicians, and seasonal Transportation Construction Inspectors. Assignment in the Regional Materials Group could include supplier and producer plant inspection, implementation of the Regional IAST program, and various materials related support activities to ensure that designs and materials used in a project meet the specified quality requirements. The candidate will supervise, train, and coordinate the work of subordinate employees to ensure that all agency responsibilities are carried out. Overnight stays, night work, and weekend work may be required for field assignments. Specific job duties will be discussed at the interview.At the time of appointment and continuously thereafter, possession of a valid license to operate a motor vehicle in New York State is required or the ability to meet the travel requirements of the position must otherwise be demonstrated.OPERATIONS:Specific duties of this position will be discussed at the interview.Position located in the Regional Operations Office. Responsibilities may include serving a role within the Incident Command System to support the department’s response to regional and statewide emergency situations.
Minimum Qualifications This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).* To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are: Promotional: One year of permanent competitive or 55-b/55-c service as an Engineering Geologist, Engineering Materials Analyst, Environmental Engineering Technician 2, Senior Drafting Technician (all parenthetics), Senior Engineering Technician, or Senior Engineering Technician (Soils). Open Competitive: Either 1. FOUR years of experience assisting in engineering or engineering technology, engineering management technology, architecture or architectural technology, environmental technology, landscape architecture/design, materials laboratory technology, drafting or surveying, AND graduation from high school or possession of a diploma issued by a recognized educational authority; Or 2. an associate's degree in mathematics, physical science, geology, engineering or engineering technology, engineering management technology, architecture or architectural technology, construction technology, landscape architecture/design, environmental technology, drafting, forestry, surveying, aeronautics, electronics, or electronics technology AND TWO years of experience listed above in number 1; Or 3. a bachelor's degree in mathematics, physical science, geology, engineering or engineering technology, engineering management technology, architecture or architectural technology, construction technology, landscape architecture/design, environmental technology, drafting, forestry, surveying, aeronautics, electronics, or electronics technology.Candidates may also be qualified for permanent competitive appointment if reachable from the appropriate Civil Service eligible list or eligible for reassignment or transfer in accordance with Civil Service Law. If there are three or fewer qualified candidates interested in appointment to this position, a permanent appointment may be made pursuant to Section 52.7 of the Civil Service Law. To be eligible, candidates must be an employee of the Department of Transportation and have one year of permanent competitive service as a Senior Engineering Technician, SG-13.
Additional Comments *This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in an NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified. Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfmt Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.The New York State Department of Transportation is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minority group members, disabled persons and Veterans are encouraged to apply. Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be provided for the disabled. In compliance with Public Law 99-603, candidates selected for appointment must provide an original document to prove their citizenship and/or legal right to work in the United States.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Name Kristen Lane, HRS Tr1
Telephone
Fax
Email Address [email protected]
Address
Street Design / Construction
317 Washington Street
City Watertown
State NY
Zip Code 13601
Notes on Applying Qualified candidates should submit a letter of interest, current resume, and a copy of your transcripts, titled by last name, with the Notice Number R7-26-54 and last name in the subject line and referenced in the letter of interest no later than 12/31/26.
How this job compares
Set against the 1,946 open Engineering Technician jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 4, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$63–80K/yr
- New York median$56–80K/yr32 salary ranges
- US median$69–100K/yr424 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $71K, is 8% above the New York median midpoint ($66K) — in the middle half of Engineering Technician salary ranges in New York.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 83 open Engineering Technician jobs in New York and 1,946 across the US. Under 1% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in New York
- New York State Civil Service (this employer)13 open
- Actalent5 open
- L3Harris5 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 2 years of experience; Engineering Technician postings that state a minimum ask for 2 years at the median (1,502 postings).
- Education
- 35 of the 1,946 open Engineering Technician jobs (2%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 4, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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