Minnesota Department of Transportation

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MnDOT Policies

State Aid Engineering Positions Hiring Procedures

For State Aid Engineering Positions Policy #WF005

Effective Date: October 24, 2022

Print Procedures (pdf)

Introduction

This document is the technical companion to the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s (MnDOT’s) State Aid Engineering Positions Policy.

These procedures apply to the following MnDOT positions:

  • Assistant Commissioner State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications Division/State Aid Engineer
  • Assistant Division Director State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications/Deputy State Aid Engineer
  • State Aid Engineering Office Director
  • District State Aid Engineers

Definitions

City Engineers Association of Minnesota (CEAM)

An association of City Engineers of the State of Minnesota organized by the Constitution and By-Laws of the CEAM to further the education and welfare of other city engineers, to promote the interchange of helpful ideas and information, to work constructively toward the advancement and improvement of the engineering profession, and to seek ways and means by which city engineers may be more useful and efficient to those they serve.

Refer to the CEAM website for further information.

County State Aid Highways (CSAH)

A network of key highways under the jurisdiction of Minnesota’s counties. The County State Aid Highway system covers roughly 30,600 miles of roadway throughout all 87 counties, comprising over two-thirds of all county highway miles. Counties receive money from the State’s County State Aid Highway (CSAH) fund for the construction, improvement, and maintenance of those highways included in the State Aid Highway system.

Refer to Minnesota Statutes, section 162.06, Subdivision 2 for authority to use CSAH funds to support the MnDOT State Aid Engineering positions.

Minnesota County Engineers Association (MCEA)

An association of County Engineers in the State of Minnesota organized under the Articles of Incorporation to promote the county engineering profession and uphold the Code of Ethics.

Refer to the MCEA website for further information.

Municipal State Aid Street System (MSAS)

A collection of approximately 3,600 miles of key streets located in Minnesota cities across the state with populations greater than 5,000. The system constitutes around 16 percent of all miles of city streets. Cities receive financial assistance from the state for construction and maintenance of those streets included in the State Aid Street System.

Refer to Minnesota Statutes, section 162.12, Subdivision 2 for authority to use MSAS funds to support the MnDOT State Aid Engineering positions.

Procedures

Recruitment and Selection process for the Assistant Commissioner State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications Division/State Aid Engineer

  1. Human Resources, in consultation with the Deputy Commissioner/Chief Engineer, prepares the posting for publication. The MnDOT State Aid Division provides the position electronically to all county and city engineer distribution lists and to the Advocacy Council for Tribal Transportation (ACTT).
  2. The Office of Human Resources assesses the applicants, consults with the Deputy Commissioner/Chief Engineer, and forwards the list of qualified candidates to the hiring manager.
  3. The hiring manager selects candidates to interview.
  4. Candidates are interviewed by a committee consisting of, at a minimum, the following:
    • Deputy Commissioner/Chief Engineer or designee
    • MnDOT Assistant Commissioner - Operations
    • County Engineer (Minnesota County Engineers Association selects representative)
    • City Engineer (City Engineers Association of Minnesota selects representative)
  5. The committee recommends up to three candidates for employment. The Deputy Commissioner/Chief Engineer recommends the final candidate or candidates to the Commissioner, who makes the appointment.

Recruitment and Selection process for the Assistant Division Director State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications/Deputy State Aid Engineer and State Aid Engineering Office Director

  1. Human Resources, in consultation with the Assistant Commissioner State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications Division/State Aid Engineer, prepares the posting for publication. The MnDOT State Aid Division provides the position electronically to all county and city engineer distribution lists and to the Advocacy Council for Tribal Transportation (ACTT).
  2. The Office of Human Resources assesses the applicants, consults with the Assistant Commissioner State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications Division/State Aid Engineer, and forwards the list of qualified candidates to the hiring manager.
  3. The hiring manager selects candidates to interview.
  4. Candidates are interviewed by a committee consisting of, at a minimum, the following:
    • Assistant Commissioner State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications Division/State Aid Engineer or designee
    • County Engineer (Minnesota County Engineers Association selects representative)
    • City Engineer (City Engineers Association of Minnesota selects representative)
  5. The committee recommends up to three candidates for employment. The Assistant Commissioner State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications Division/State Aid Engineer recommends the final candidate to the Deputy Commissioner/Chief Engineer and Assistant Commissioners who approve the hire.

Recruitment and Selection process for the District State Aid Engineer

  1. Human Resources, in consultation with the District Engineer, prepares the position for posting. The State Aid Division provides the position electronically to all county and city engineer distribution lists and to the Advocacy Council for Tribal Transportation (ACTT).
  2. The Office of Human Resources assesses the applicants, consults with the District Engineer and Assistant Commissioner State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications Division/State Aid Engineer and/or Assistant Division Director State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications/Deputy State Aid Engineer and forwards the list of qualified candidates to the hiring manager.
  3. The hiring manager selects candidates to interview.
  4. Candidates are interview by a committee consisting of, at a minimum, the following:
    • District Engineer or designee
    • Assistant Commissioner State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications Division/State Aid Engineer or designee
    • County Engineer (Minnesota County Engineers Association selects representative)
    • City Engineer (City Engineers Association of Minnesota selects representative)
    • District State Aid Engineer from another district
    • Representative from ACTT (optional)
  5. The committee recommends up to three candidates for employment. The District Engineer and Assistant Commissioner State Aid and Statewide Radio Communications Division/State Aid Engineer selects the final candidate. The Deputy Commissioner/Chief Engineer and Assistant Commissioners approve the hire.

Frequently Asked Questions

CSAH (County State Aid Highway) and MSAS (Municipal State Aid Streets) funds pay for these positions. Do the city and county engineers support the policy?

Yes, CEAM and MCEA, the State Aid Engineer, Deputy State Aid Engineer, State Aid Engineering Office Director, District State Aid Engineers, and District Engineers support the policy.