Roadgeek jobs for non-engineers

[hbelkins]

My state hires quite a number of people in the ROW office.  Pretty much going out to the landowners, explaining the process, trying to get documents signed and making sure the legal issues are covered.  Associates degree level work.

Keep in mind though that's a job that has the potential to get dangerous very fast. I'm sure most people are pretty upset the state is taking their land from them (even if they are getting compensated). And when you add the fun of some of the landowners being backwoods WV folk...

We have the ROW agents in our office and I haven't heard any stories about problems. Most landowners already know that their property is going to be taken by eminent domain long before the ROW agent shows up at their door. They're basically appraisers.

Another opportunity is a signal tech. A working knowledge of electricity and wiring is what's needed here, moreso than any engineering qualifications.

And did I mention mechanics? We have mechanics on staff that are work out of the district equipment garage but are assigned to the county garages.

[SP Cook]

My state hires quite a number of people in the ROW office.  Pretty much going out to the landowners, explaining the process, trying to get documents signed and making sure the legal issues are covered.  Associates degree level work.

Keep in mind though that's a job that has the potential to get dangerous very fast. I'm sure most people are pretty upset the state is taking their land from them (even if they are getting compensated). And when you add the fun of some of the landowners being backwoods WV folk...

We have the ROW agents in our office and I haven't heard any stories about problems. Most landowners already know that their property is going to be taken by eminent domain long before the ROW agent shows up at their door. They're basically appraisers.

Agree with that.  In my state, most ROW agents are female, and I have never heard of any trouble.   The state prepares a set of plans years before any ROW acquisitions take place, so everybody knows they are in the highway's path for a long time before they get visited.  In fact, a lot of people an anxious to have the state buy the land long before it wants to.   An appraiser comes up with a value and the ROW agent sees if the landowner will take it, and then finishes out the legal paperwork if they will.  Then (or following a condemnation) the ROW agent works with the landowner for extras not covered by the purchase price (such as connect fees with utilities, moving expenses, even counseling) all of which the state pays.  They also work very hard to find the owner a new place to live, working with relators and such (this can be a real issue in rural parts, where there really is no rental market and houses do not turn over as they do in prosperous areas).  Further, many takes are not for a new four lane or such, but are small takes, often a few square feet, to cut curb or such.

The money that the state pays, particularly in total takes, is far more than what a person would get on the open market.

[thenetwork]

I dunno about other states, but I can verify that in Western Colorado along I-70, the four Visitor Centers/Rest Areas in which there are people giving out tourist information (Fruita, Grand Junction, Parachute & Rifle) are for the most part all volunteers (usually seniors &/or retired people). 

Surprised someone hasn't mentioned driving the Googlemaps Streetview car as a great job for roadgeeks. 

Anyone know who you have to know and where you have to apply for one of those jobs (and what is the official title of that position)?

[Takumi]

^ In a similar vein to the GSV car, a Red Bull car used to come to my college campus on occasion when I was there and hand out drinks. I remember it had North Carolina plates, so who knows how far it ventured from there.

[formulanone]

Maybe there's some construction site demand for a heavy equipment operator; you can point to some experience, unlike a lot of newbies.

A job with 90-100% travel commitments can also fill the void, especially if it's in an automotive/trucking field. All of the roadgeekiness of travel with none of the government's say in the matter...Except for the TSA, and the fact your destinations are random.

Granted, we're shifting to 25-50% of our work being remotely-trained and installed, there's still a lot who want the personal touch of immediate help, unless a particular stay-at-home order or non-essential barrier is placed.

[debragga]

Same problem here... in college for a Construction Management job, but I want to pretty much do anything and everything.

My first order of business would be to install Clearview signs along brand-new highways (with FHWA shields), revert to button copy signs on older bridges, and resurface every highway, in order from 1-3290. Rural Interstates would get concrete with asphalt shoulders, and rural two-lane hilly roads would get three-lane sections.

Construction Management? Pineville, LA? I'm guessing you're a Warhawk too