Co-op Student (Engineering) (Miller Lake) (8 Months) (2 Positions)

About Us

Building and maintaining our provincial infrastructure is no small job. We’re recruiting for summer engineering students to help our province achieve big things!

At the Department of Public Works (NSDPW), we manage 23,000 kilometers of roads and highways and 4,100 bridges across Nova Scotia. Highway Construction Services (HCS) plays a critical role in developing and managing the annual capital plan, data collection, maintenance priorities and seasonal road status throughout the province.

About Our Opportunity

As the Engineering Student, you will gain practical experience and receive training and mentorship from highly qualified Engineering and technical professionals. This is the perfect opportunity to jump start your career, gain an understanding of bridge and highway construction, and watch your contributions come to life as you make exciting impacts to the Provincial road network of Nova Scotia.

There could be overtime and mileage opportunities throughout the term. Meals will be provided where work site distance from the assigned base supports the claim.

Primary Accountabilities

You will assist the Engineer or Technician in a wide range of duties and have the opportunity to:

• Assist in data input, formatting, calculation and analysis for the Department’s Pavement Management System under the direction of the Pavement Management Engineer and smoothness data under the guidance of the Technical Services team;
• Research various pavement technologies, innovations, data collection methodologies, and pavement management approaches;
• Support Technical Services staff in pavement data collection with the Department’s ARAN (Automatic Road Analyzer), FWD (Falling Weight Deflectometer), and HSP (High Speed Profiler);
• Participate in the maintenance of the Department’s ARAN (Automatic Road Analyzer), FWD (Falling Weight Deflectometer), and HSP (High Speed Profiler);
• Use iVision software to view, assess and export appropriate condition data for various stakeholders;
• Support Technical Services staff in conducting site visits for pavement, concrete, bridge, asphalt and concrete plants, and other civil projects;
• Support Technical Services staff in conducting basic concrete, asphalt, and aggregate laboratory testing in the HCS Materials Testing Laboratory;
• Support Technical Services staff in performing calibrations, equipment verification, and maintenance of laboratory equipment in the HCS Materials Testing Laboratory;
• Prepare field log and site reports and review and prepare specifications, guidelines and procedural documentation;
• Participate in, and support, the preparation of studies relating to new treatments, performance reviews of existing treatments, and new testing procedures relating to pavements and civil construction;
• Assist in collection and delivery of construction material for testing and associated services; and
• Participate in and collaborate with various staff on special projects which will further enhance and develop your skills.

Qualifications and Experience

You are a Bachelor of Engineering student, enrolled in a Civil or Geotechnical discipline and returning to school in the next applicable semester for the education program.  Travel throughout the province is required, as such, you must have a valid driver license and access to a reliable motor vehicle. Please include a copy of your driver’s abstract with your application.

As the ideal candidate you demonstrate a keen interest in highway and bridge construction and maintenance activities. You must also be:

• Proficient in mathematics;
• Familiar with computer software packages used in an engineering environment;
• Organized and able to prioritize your work; and
• An excellent communicator who provides professional customer service.

The following are considered assets:

• Familiarity with construction sites, as well as bridge and highway construction design standards;
• Familiarity with laboratory testing of construction materials (concrete, asphalt and aggregate);
• Technician certification through Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories (CCIL) for either aggregate, concrete or asphalt testing;
• Familiarity with contract specifications;
• Exposure to heavy equipment; and
• Training in First Aid, Traffic Control Person, or Temporary Workplace Signer.

We will assess the above qualifications and competencies using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Working Conditions

About half of your work is outdoors in various weather conditions, with considerable travel throughout the province.

Must be able to lift 25 kg (50 lbs).

Additional Information

There are two (2) positions available in Miller Lake.

These opportunities will be approximately 8 months in duration depending on availability and will start approximately May 5, 2025 and end on December 19, 2025.

This opportunity could potentially be used for a Co-op placement. The successful candidate will be required to discuss with the Co-op office.