Principal Engineer - Construction

Salary: $45.58 - $51.28 Hourly
Location : Libertyville, IL
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 02658
Department: Division of Transportation
Opening Date: 12/29/2025
Closing Date: Continuous
Salary Grade: Hourly.14


General Description


Becoming a Principal Engineer of Construction at the Lake County Division of Transportation will allow you to oversee the construction of a variety of exciting road, bridge, and other transportation projects. The position acts as the Resident Engineer on road construction contracts inspecting contractor field work to ensure compliance with plans and specifications, measuring completed work for payment, documenting the construction with established procedures, and communicating as the County's project representative with the public and other stakeholders.

This is primarily a field position, with regular hours of work Monday through Friday, from 6:30am - 3:00pm, and occasional office work. Paid overtime would be necessary to monitor contractor progress especially from April to November during construction season.

Essential Functions

• Serve as department representative for engineering and construction projects.
• Perform field inspections ensuring compliance with approved plans and specifications then interacting with contractors to make any corrections necessary.
• Layout, check placement, and measure various transportation elements using equipment ranging from GPS survey equipment to measuring wheels and tape measures.
• Conduct field tests, such as subgrade testing for justification of unsuitable soil removal, and interpret the results of field tests on asphalt and concrete materials performed by the contractor or Materials staff.
• File reports daily, weekly, and periodically concerning project status and quantities of completed work using various construction software.
• Interact with Finance to pay contractors in a timely manner.
• Oversee project safety in various ways to ensure a safe work zone for the public.
• Oversee environmental compliance in various ways to ensure proper sediment and erosion control per various permits.
• Investigate citizen complaints related to our construction and recommend solutions.
• Interact with contractors and project stakeholders to resolve any construction concerns.
• Review preliminarily designed plans, checking math, and making comments for improvement before they are issued for construction.
• All other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge Skills Abilities and Education Required

• Requires the application of professional engineering principles and practices to moderately difficult engineering projects.
• Knowledge or experience in the following areas would be beneficial: Transportation, Construction, Drainage, Surveying, Structures, Geotechnical, Erosion Control, Concrete, Asphalt, CAD (experience with MicroStation, GEOPAK, OpenRoads or Trimble survey equipment a plus), Microsoft software (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams)
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with an ability to communicate clearly and effectively with others.
• Effective problem solving and analytical skills for complex engineering issues.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, supervisors, State and municipal representatives, contractors, consultants, utility companies, and members of the public.
• Can work well both individually and as a member of a team.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university with a major in Civil Engineering, required.
• Possession of a valid Driver's License, supplemented by a satisfactory driving record, required.
• Requires 6 years of prior experience.
• Possession of a license denoting registration as an Engineer-in-Training under the Illinois Professional Engineering Act, required.
• Possession of a certificate as a Licensed Professional Engineer issued by the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation, required.

Physical Requirements

• Perform moderate work involving walking, standing, stooping and lifting frequently.
• Ability to lift between 20 and 50 pounds of equipment and materials.
• Moderate dexterity to use tools in the field, operate survey equipment and office equipment.
• Able to work in all types of weather conditions and terrain found in Lake County.

Supplemental Information
Lake County offers a competitive salary and benefit package. We also offer flexible working hours, and a comprehensive wellness and training program. Visit our page to get additional information on why you should work for Lake County! Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background screening, drug and alcohol testing and may include a pre-employment medical exam.

Lake County is committed to being a diverse and inclusive workplace and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE).
The County offers an extensive benefits package to eligible employees including health, dental, vision, life insurance, pension, deferred compensation plans, and so much more! Below are resources for the County's current benefits.

You can find additional details on our benefits at and