Forensic Engineering Intern

The primary role of DOB’s Forensic Engineering unit (FEU) is to ensure public safety across all five boroughs of New York City. The unit responds to referrals and emergencies involving complex engineering and construction problems with unsafe, collapsed, leaning, fire damaged, or otherwise structurally compromised buildings and structures, also addressing issues of egress, zoning, and occupancy.

FEU provides the Agency with engineering competence for incidents, accidents, collapses, fires, weather events and building related fatalities and services DOB emergency responses and special engineering needs. With each referral, FEU prepares a report addressing the history of building construction, an assessment of recent building performance, as well as recommendations for action after the building has experienced a trauma. FEU reports may offer engineering explanations of the findings, analysis, problems, and solutions of an affected structure as well as conclusions and recommendations for external agencies and the DOB borough commissioners. FEU technical staff confer with their counterparts in the private sectors regarding resolution to complex engineering problems as they relate to buildings in NYC.

The unit also includes the Proactive Inspections team, which audits plans for certain buildings or filed by certain design professional and conducts proactive inspections of buildings and construction sites based on predictive analytics.

This College Aide (year-round intern) assists with and learns how to perform this work.

The Forensic Engineering Intern will be responsible for:

• Research different filing types, building types, occupancy classifications, permits, contactors, violations, complaints, incidents/accidents, applicants of record, Certificates of Occupancy using NYC Open Data, DOB BIS, DOBNOW, City Planning, HPD, DOF, and other data sources.
• Use various data science tools to process and analyze data, including download data, subdivide files, scrub files, merge data, etc.
• Assist with preparing scrubbed and sub-divided researched data files and tables into distinct files, boroughs, community boards, block and lot, addresses, floor height, etc. Arrange into tables and maps to be used to determine structural sensitive buildings and other building groups of special interests in terms of public safety.
• Assist with historic research both analog and digital from public domain locations; NYC archives and records. Research private databanks and files at colleges such as Columbia, NYU etc.
• Assist with applying research methodologies and organizing files, filing addresses, for emergencies and other data and analytical events such as storms, hurricanes, flooding, gas explosions etc.
• Assist with setting up maps of various data analysis/research outcomes.
• Assist with generating and developing engineering coordination BIN lists, and coordination of work of engineering units under Enforcement bureau and Development bureau.
• Assistant with proactive engineering audit and inspections
• Assist with communications with owners, building agents, analysists with other agencies etc.
• Assist other Department and Enforcement units with assignments, special projects, maps, data runs, analysis, report preparation, site visits etc.
• Assist with all day, partial day or multi-week site visits to canvas addresses, interior/exterior of buildings, roof surveys, shed surveys, curb cut surveys, and the likes
• Collaborate on related work with other Department interns, engineering teams, etc. on an as needed basis REMOTE WORK When working a 35 hour/week schedule, this position may be eligible for remote work up to 2 days per week, pursuant to the Remote Work Pilot Program.

Work Hours

Up to 17 hours/week when school is in session Up to 35 hours/week during school break PAY RATE Entering Freshmen through completion of Sophomore year: $18.50 Entering Junior through completion of Senior year: $19.30 First year graduate level: $20.30 Second year graduate level and above: $21.90

Minimum Qualifications

For Assignment Level I: Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school. Employment is conditioned upon continuance as a student in a college or graduate school.

For Assignment Level II (Information Technology): Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school. Employment is conditioned upon continuance as a student in a college or graduate school with a specific course of study in information technology, computer science, management information systems, data processing, or closely related field, including or supplemented by 9 semester credits in an acceptable course of study.

For Assignment Level III (Information Technology Fellow): Matriculation at an accredited college or graduate school. Employment is conditioned upon continuance as a student in a college or graduate school with a specific course of study in information technology, computer science, management information systems, data processing, or other area relevant to the information technology project(s) assigned, including or supplemented by 9 semester credits in an acceptable course of study. Appointments to this Assignment Level will be made by the Technology Steering Committee through the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications.

SPECIAL NOTE Maximum tenure for all Assignment Levels in the title of College Aide is 6 years. No student shall be employed more than half-time in any week in which classes in which the student is enrolled are in session. Students may be employed full-time during their vacation periods.

Preferred Skills

Fields of Study: Civil engineering, engineering technology, construction management, or a related field Strong critical thinking, analytical writing, and presentation skills Strong skills in data science and related programs such as Python, C++, R, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word) Demonstrated interest or background in government oversight and regulatory policy

Residency Requirement

New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.