Construction Engineering Specialist (CES)

Location:

Quito, Ecuador

Remote Work:

No

Work Status:

Full-Time

Travel Requirements:

In-country and international travel (TDYs) will be required to support mission.

Applications submitted by 01/13/2026 will receive full consideration. Candidates applying after this date may still be reviewed and will remain in our talent pipeline for future opportunities.

Position Description

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) is the lead institution for the conduct of American diplomacy, and the Secretary of State is the President's principal foreign policy advisor. The Department of State's mission is to advance U.S. national security interests, fight terrorism, protect U.S. interests abroad, and implement foreign policy initiatives that build a freer, prosperous, and secure world.

The Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) keeps Americans safe at home by countering international crime, illegal drugs, and instability abroad. INL helps countries deliver justice and fairness by strengthening their police, courts, and corrections systems. These efforts reduce the amount of crime and illegal drugs reaching U.S. shores.

The INL Section at U.S. Embassy Quito is charged with developing strategies and programs to achieve international narcotics control, law enforcement, and justice sector foreign policy objectives. These efforts include constructing better facilities to effectively allow the Government of Ecuador (GOE) to interdict illicit activity. The Construction Engineering Specialist (CES) will be supporting the mission of INL and INL Quito by evaluating the condition of existing facilities, developing plans for future projects, and providing technical expertise during construction projects.

The CES will assist INL Quito in managing assigned construction project activities, maintaining their momentum, and coordinating with partner nation officials as necessary. In this context, the CES will evaluate designated infrastructure projects/facilities to determine status and potential upgrades and improvement requirements. Work will include developing engineering designs and drawings from preliminary concepts and sketches, through the conclusion of the assigned projects. The CES will be responsible for preparing construction specifications, cost and material estimates, project schedules, and reports and will participate in field surveys, inspections or technical investigations of topography, soils, drainage and water supply systems, road and highway systems, buildings and structures to provide data for engineering projects and perform other technical functions in support of civil engineering activities. The CES will provide technical advice to the assigned INL COR in relation to original contract award amount and completion time, ensuring appropriate approvals from the GOE and INL Quito leadership, as well as preparing progress reports and updates to plans and schedules.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Advise in the developing program criteria to be utilized in Statements of Work.
• Aid management with the monitoring of executed Contracting tasks.
• Assist in analyzing and improving knowledge of management processes and procedures.
• Research and use government and private sector best practices to measure and improve customer service, approval workflows, and processing timelines.
• Analyze a large number of financial, program planning, bilateral, and program evaluation documents for standard and ad hoc reports, as needed.
• Provide feedback to management on best practices for data input, document standardization, organization, and storage; identify recurring issues that should be addressed by management.
• Assist in coordinating the interpretation and adaptation of available guidelines/SOPs to specific work-related issues; aid in analyzing the issues (e.g., workflow, delegations of authority, or regulatory compliance) and make recommendations for changes and improvements.
• Assist in developing SOPs for areas identified as a potential risk or vulnerability to the INL's management control structure.
• Assist subject matter experts with the development of training modules for INL sponsored training workshops and distance learning courses based on policies and procedures.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships through excellent customer service skills, project management knowledge, and a related understanding of the program office needs and mandates.
• Work closely with INL program office staff and managers, as well as stakeholders at US Embassies and other US federal agencies to provide support on implementing agreements policy and procedures.
• As assigned, develop engineering designs and drawings from preliminary concepts and sketches. Final approval is required by a USG employee.
• Assist INL Quito in preparing construction specifications, SOWs, cost and material estimates, project schedules, budget estimates, and reports.
• Participate in field surveys, inspections or technical investigations of topography, soils, drainage and water supply systems, road and highway systems, buildings and structures to provide data for engineering projects.
• Inspect and review projects to monitor compliance with construction designs and specifications, building codes, safety plans, and other regulations.
• Participates as a non-voting member in relevant Technical Evaluation Panels (TEP).
• Assist COR in record keeping, ensuring that the contract files have all required documents for e-filing.
• Respond to problems that arise during construction by providing contractors with additional details or drawings when needed.
• Provide recommendation to COR for satisfactory or non-satisfactory delivery of contract items and prepares receiving reports and/or approving invoices for payments or INL approval.
• Notify program officers and COR of any performance or schedule failure by the contractor.
• Monitor and inspect the contractor's technical progress and performance to assure compliance with the contract terms and conditions.
• Review professional journals, trade publications, and manufacturers' literature to stay current on materials and practices of the construction industry; review government publications to keep abreast with changes and updates in regulations.
• Study job specifications to provide recommendations to INL Quito on appropriate construction methods.
• Assist INL Quito in monitoring the contractor's requisition of supplies and materials to complete construction projects.
• Advise INL Quito on incorporation of energy saving sources into projects (i.e. solar, wind, biogas, etc.)
• Perform other technical functions in support of civil engineering activities.
• Excellent customer service skills.

Minimum Qualifications

• Local National (LN);
• Ability to successfully meet security access requirements for the U.S. Embassy RSO local vetting.
• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Computer Science, Information Systems/Technology Management or related field;
• A minimum of ten (10) years' experience in relevant field;
• Four (04) to seven (07) years' experience conducting administration and maintenance duties;
• Demonstrated knowledge of Federal regulations regarding area of specific need;
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite;
• Demonstrated experience facilitating organizational change;
• Must have a valid Ecuadoran driver's license;
• Able to work with minimal supervision under INL Program Officer Guidance and coordination, manage own time effectively, maintain control over all current projects, responsibilities, and deliverables.
• Demonstrated experience in planning, developing, and managing construction projects, including assessment, monitoring and evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience in drafting related reports/documents, statements of work, costs estimates, annual budgets, and strategic plan submissions for review and/or signature by senior-level officials.
• Demonstrated experience in planning, strategizing, implementing and reporting on construction projects.
• Demonstrated knowledge of International Building Code (IBC) and Ecuadoran building codes and regulations.
• Demonstrated Experience in preparing budgets, spend plans, statements of work (SOW), procurement orders, purchase requests, and project justifications, particularly regarding construction projects.
• Demonstrated ability to develop architectural designs for small-scale projects.
• Proficient with CAD software systems, including AutoCAD or Revit.
• Demonstrated excellent oral and written English (3/3 or equivalent) and Spanish (4/4 or equivalent) communication skills.
• 3/3 in English: This typically means the person has "General Professional Proficiency" in both speaking and writing. They can participate fully and effectively in most conversations and write clearly on a wide range of topics.
• 4/4 in Spanish: This usually indicates "Advanced Professional Proficiency." The person can use the language fluently and accurately on all levels, including complex and nuanced topics, both orally and in writing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in civil or construction engineering technology, science, construction management or engineering.
• At least five (05) years of experience in general design and construction of permanent infrastructure design/build projects, contract administration, and experience in cost estimating.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with partner-nation counterparts, departments, and ministries to further program objectives, in a timely and concise manner.
• Prior experience coordinating and working closely with the Department of State, USAID, United Nations and/or international community on foreign assistance or security sector development programs.
• Proficient with construction management software, such as Project Manager, PROCORE, DWG TrueView, and/or Newform.

About ATSG

ATSG Corporation is a Veterans Affairs (VA) CVE-Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) based in Fairfax, VA with branch offices throughout Central America. Since 2004, ATSG has successfully deployed its experience and expertise to support the most challenging and complex projects for various Federal agencies. Our robust portfolio includes cutting-edge technical solutions and professional support in Program Management, Consulting, Operations and Planning Support, Training and Advisory Services, and IT and Knowledge Management. We take pride in our proven dedication to providing expert assistance to our government partners. ATSG provides a variety of services within the Intelligence Community and is experienced in areas such as Mobility, Enterprise Architecture, Data Processing, Law Enforcement Mission Support, and Acquisition Support. Our products may be diverse, but the results are one and the same—on schedule, on budget, and completed with superior quality. As an organization, we are consistently expanding our global footprint in the contracting community. We work hard to honor our commitment to our clients while ensuring our employees feel secure and empowered in their work. We take excellent care of our team, so they may have the freedom and confidence to focus on their missions and provide nothing but the best output on the work site and at home.

ATSG Corporation is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer, our applicants and employees are protected from discrimination. Visit for more information. Equal access to programs, services and employment is available to all persons. Those applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application and/or interview process should notify a representative of the Human Resources Department. To comply with Federal law, ATSG Corporation participates in E-Verify. Successful candidates must pass the E-Verify process after hire.

This contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR a) and a). These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of protected veteran status or disability and require affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. To comply with Federal law, ATSG Corporation participates in E-Verify. Successful candidates must pass the E-Verify process after hire.

We respectfully request not to be contacted by recruiters and/or staffing agencies.

Application Requirements

• All applications must be submitted in .pdf, .doc, or .docx format.
• Applications and resumes for this position are only accepted via electronic submission through ATSG Corporation's Consolidated Applicant Tracking System (CATS).
• Mailed, emailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications and resumes will not be accepted.
• The decision to interview an applicant is based solely on the information received for this position from their electronic application and/or resume.