Seeking experienced engineers to advise on structural issues
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Source: Seeking experienced engineers to advise on structural issues ↗ Last modified: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:07:53 GMT
Are you an experienced engineer who is passionate about the safety of Portland’s buildings? Do you have a passion for learning more about construction proposals and advising on creative approaches to meet building code requirements? If so, the City of Portland could benefit from your talents and passion.
Purpose of the Structural Engineering Advisory Committee
The Structural Engineering Advisory Committee advises the Bureau of Development Services and its Administrative Appeal Board ↗ on reasonable interpretations of state and city building codes. It also advises on alternate materials and methods of construction concerning structural matters.
Committee activities include:
- Reviewing and advising the Bureau of Development Services on proposals in the appropriate application of alternate materials and methods of construction where such use is either not specified or differs from the prescriptive requirements of the building code
- Providing advice to the Administrative Appeal Board on technical matters related to reasonable interpretation of the structural provisions of the building code
- Providing advice to the Bureau of Development Services in the development and implementation of state and local codes and policies relating to structural standards of buildings
Who can join
To be eligible for service on the advisory committee, members must live, play, worship, go to school, work or do business in the City of Portland. Members must also be licensed in Oregon to practice structural engineering with at least seven years of experience related to the general practice of structural engineering and seismic design in high seismic areas. Persons of color are encouraged to apply.
Desired attributes
The Bureau of Development Services is at a point of significant transformation as the bureau expands the ways it interacts with and provides services to the public, with a shift to more online and remote services becoming available. It is critically important to have people of color at the table, providing their advice, perspectives and feedback on new ways the bureau and its partner bureaus serve the community through the application of building codes.
We need systems, processes and services that work for people of color. If you want to assist the review and application of building codes in better serving communities of color, and you have experience and training in construction and development that can inform this Board’s work, then we want to see your application. The attributes listed below are what will guide our selection process. It is helpful if you are specific in your answers. We do not expect you to be or have everything listed.
- You believe government is better when the community is involved.
- You are an advocate for racial equity: you want positive and long-lasting outcomes for racial and ethnic communities who have been left out before. You can bring discussion about racial and ethnic communities who need it the most.
- You have a perspective on physically navigating the community with a disability.
- You are available to attend all meetings and participate in the discussions.
- You have at least seven years of experience related to the general practice of structural engineering and seismic design in high seismic areas.
- You possess demonstrative experience with either design or review of rehabilitation of existing buildings and use of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 41, Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings, or other similar documents.
- You have experience related to the use of alternate materials or technology.
- You have served on other structural engineering boards and committees at the national or local levels.