Port Engineer

Position: Port Engineer 

Department: Engineering 

Reports to: COO 

Pay Type: Salary (Exempt, Full-Time) 

Application Deadline: June 10th, 2026  

Please apply via MSPA Career Page: 

https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=97784160-e8cd 4a52-a58f-03fb71278daa&ccId=179537030_2&jobId=20705&lang=en_US&source=EN 

Summary: The Port Engineer serves as the Port of Gulfport’s engineering representative, ensuring that  infrastructure projects, designs, and capital improvements advance the Port's strategic goals. Reporting to the  COO, the Port Engineer manages project schedules and budgets, oversees contractor performance, and  partners with the Operations Division to support the Port's daily operations and long-term infrastructure  planning. This role is central to modernizing the Port's engineering practices, advancing asset management  capabilities, and ensuring sound stewardship of public resources. 

About the MSPA: We offer a supportive, fun, and collaborative work environment along the Mississippi Gulf  Coast. We are committed to professional growth, offering development opportunities and tuition  reimbursement after one year of employment. Our team members enjoy a comprehensive benefits package  that includes medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; participation in the Mississippi State PERS retirement  system; and state holidays and state leave. At the Port of Gulfport, you will be part of a mission-driven  organization where your work matters and your career can grow alongside a port that connects the world. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Represent the Port to ensure engineering plans and designs meet strategic goals and project needs  through appropriately scoped, cost-effective, and efficient solutions. 
• Support the implementation of the Port’s Strategic Master Plan.  
• Provide Port and Marine Terminal engineering analysis to assist in the daily business decisions of the  Port Authority. 
• Oversee, manage, and direct the Engineering Firm of Record for assigned port projects/work orders. • Ensure projects remain on schedule and within project task/compliance guidelines. • Ensure contractors abide by all safety and security rules. 
• Manage and oversee engineering and construction finances for pay, progress, and reporting. • Support MSPA efforts in grant applications and securing funding for capital improvements, as directed. • Manage projects and agreements regarding engineering activities and other efforts, as assigned.
• Provide engineering guidance to the Operations Division on internal projects and repairs as needed,  supporting Operations-led approaches where they offer the most practical, cost-effective solution. 
• Establish and maintain administrative guidelines, SOPs, and engineering processes; streamline  workflows and transition records and plans to organized digital and cloud-based systems. 
• Assess port infrastructure conditions and establish short-and long-term asset management plans;  partner with Operations to implement an enterprise asset or facility maintenance system, building a  sound foundation for future technology capabilities, such as GIS. 
• Provide the Executive Director/Commission with monthly reports concerning schedules, irregularities,  funds expended, accomplishments, and progress on specific projects. 
• Assisting in preparing annual Operating, LBO, and Capital Expenditure Budgets. 
• Successfully interface with federal, state, and local agencies regarding matters such as environmental  protection, permitting, and compliance with rules and regulations. 
• Maintain open, proactive, and timely communication with the COO regarding the status, progress, and  challenges of all ongoing work and projects; demonstrates sound judgment in recognizing when issues,  risks, delays, or decisions warrant prompt elevation to the COO. 
• Stay current on engineering standards, licensure requirements, regulatory changes, and industry  trends; serve as a knowledgeable resource to the COO and senior leadership by proactively sharing  developments that may impact Port operations, projects, or strategy. 
• Manage assigned engineering department staff. 
• Perform other duties as assigned by the COO. 

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list. Duties, responsibilities, and  activities may change at any time without notice. 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, project management software, and familiarity with engineering  applications. 
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to right-size engineering solutions  to project needs. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear reports and present  technical information to non-technical audiences. 
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines simultaneously while maintaining attention  to detail. 
• Ability to read, interpret, and evaluate engineering plans, specifications, and contracts. 
• Ability to perform a constructability review. 
• Knowledge of public procurement, contract administration, and construction management principles. 
• Familiarity with federal, state, and local regulatory and permitting processes, particularly as they relate to port,  marine, or transportation infrastructure.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build collaborative working relationships across departments, with  contractors, tenants,and external agencies. 
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound business judgment, and act in the best interests of the MSPA. Qualifications and Experience: 
• A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Civil or Structural Engineering  or other relevant engineering discipline. 
• P.E. license preferred. 
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in work related to the above-described  duties, with demonstrated experience in project management and oversight of consultants or  contractors. 
• Experience in port, marine, transportation, or public sector infrastructure preferred. • Experience working with federal, state, and local regulatory agencies preferred. 

Physical Demands and Work Environment: 

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met to  successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable  individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the  employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs and ladders;  balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl; talk and hear; taste or smell, and use hands to handle or feel objects,  tools, or controls. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. The employee must be  able to access vessels, terminals, construction sites, and other operational areas, including navigating uneven  surfaces, elevated platforms, confined spaces, and active construction or industrial environments. Specific  vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth  perception, and the ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly  exposed to outdoor weather conditions, including heat, humidity, cold, rain, and wind. The employee may also  be exposed to moving mechanical parts, marine equipment, fumes or airborne particles, and loud noise. The  noise level in the work environment ranges from moderate to loud, depending on the work location.