Serves as public works, utilities, and engineering consultant responsible for providing professional advice and technical assistance on a wide range of public works, utilities, and engineering issues to Tennessee municipal officials (elected and appointed), and their staffs. Additionally, this position provides public works, utilities, and engineering advice and assistance to Tennessee professional associations and agencies such as the Tennessee Chapter of the American Public Works Association, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Tennessee Stormwater Association, Tennessee City Managers Association, Tennessee Municipal League, and Public Entity Partners, and Tennessee Wastewater Association.

Provides professional advice and technical assistance by direct basic field services, projects, and studies for individual municipalities, training program development and instruction, development of models, interpretation and application of public works and utility related laws, research associated with public works/utility management issues, and the publication and timely maintenance of articles, bulletins, and technical reports on critical public works issues. Public works consultants serve as in-house subject matter experts to MTAS staff. Performs other special work as assigned by the Program Manager and the Executive Director. Often collaborates with other consultants in the performance of projects and participates in team projects.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Provides professional advice and technical assistance primarily to elected and appointed municipal officials. Provides advice and assistance for non-municipal clients such as elected and staff members of the Tennessee General Assembly, employees of state agencies, staff of the Tennessee Municipal League, and officers of professional associations of municipal officials. Professional advice and technical assistance covers a broad range of emerging issues and problems and may include one or all of the following: scope of study, request for proposals and selections of firm, utility rate studies, equipment bid proposals, traffic counts/studies, solid waste and recycling studies, equipment specifications, drainage studies/evaluations, and personnel selection and recruitment. Also provides engineering support for grant applications. Develops and maintains close working relationships with both elected and appointed municipal officials for the assigned municipalities. This includes time at city hall, phone calls, emails, research, travel and writing time. Represents municipal viewpoint to TDEC on permitting, rules and regulations. Maintains an area (or areas) of specialization and serves as the in-house expert to MTAS staff in such areas as storm water permits and best management practices, public works standards and specifications, streets and transportation issues, fleet operations, wastewater collection systems, water plant distribution systems, recycling, and solid waste management.

Administration and Professional Development - Includes team meetings, agency meetings and retreats, IPS meetings and retreats, maintaining records on all relevant activities, including the agency databases for work products. Includes time spent to remain current in fields of expertise. This involves time at professional meetings and conferences, seminars and training classes, professional reading, and computer training.

Training - Design, development and instruction of training programs including technical and other training classes related to public works, utilities, and engineering. Makes technical presentations to city boards, professional associations, and other groups.

Publication Research and Development - Researches, drafts, and maintains published information on a variety of public works, utility and engineering issues. This includes MTAS newsletter, Knowledgebase, MORe, articles for the Tennessee Municipal League's newspaper, Tennessee Town and City and for Tennessee Chapter of American Public Works Association magazine.