Assistant Engineer

THE ROLE

The Assistant Engineer works as part of a multi-disciplinary team within one of the Council’s Directorates to deliver key local authority services which include social housing; transportation infrastructure; environmental protection; water, waste management, recreation and amenity provision and community development.

The role requires a clear knowledge and understanding of local authority services and its key stakeholders and relationships, local government structures and its democratic role and mandate, current local government issues, future trends and strategic direction of the sector, management and implementation of change, and Public Works Contracts

The Assistant Engineer shall operate under the direction of and report to the Senior Executive Engineer/Senior Engineer (Supervisors) of the section to which they are assigned. They must undertake those duties as assigned to them by their Supervisor.

The Assistant Engineer shall also report to the Director of Service of the section to which they are assigned, or any other person designated by the Director of Service.

Notwithstanding the requirements of the post successful applicants may be assigned to any service area/role within the Local Authority at an analogous level by the Chief Executive at any time.

SENIOR ENGINEER

SENIOR EXECUTIVE ENGINEER

EXECUTIVE ENGINEER

ASSISTANT ENGINEER

GRADUATE ENGINEER

THE QUALIFICATIONS 

• CHARACTER:

Candidates shall be of good character.

• HEALTH:

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render an efficient service. Successful candidates will be required to undergo a pre-employment medical examination carried out by the Council’s Occupational Medical advisor prior to appointment. On taking up appointment, the expense of the medical examination will be refunded to the candidate.

• EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE ETC:

Each candidate shall, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms: - 

• Hold an honours Degree (level 8 in the National Framework of Qualifications) in Engineering;

• Have at least two years satisfactory relevant engineering experience; and

The Ideal Candidate:

Candidates will demonstrate through their application form and at the interview that he/she has:

• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Budgetary Management Skills
• A strong understanding of Health and Safety legislation and regulations and their application in the workplace. 
• An ability to prepare and present technical reports
• An ability to interpret and undertake critical analysis of scientific data
• Problem solving skills
• Competence in the operation of ICT Systems such as Word, Excel, Autocad or equivalent systems
• Hold a current full driving licence in respect of category B vehicles or equivalent in the EU Model Driving Licence.

Key Duties:

Under the direction and supervision of the appropriate line manager, the position involves the provision of such engineering or ancillary services of an advisory, supervisory, or executive nature as may be required by the council in the exercise and performance of any of its powers, functions and duties.

The duties of the post of Assistant Engineer include, but are not limited to the following:

• To assess the nature, level and pattern of demand for the service in the area/function and to recommend the priorities to the relevant line manager.
• To implement the agreed strategies to meet and to expand or improve the range, quantity or quality of existing services and to recommend changes in strategies as required.
• To develop and maintain effective working relationships with external agencies and to ensure that, in accordance with policy and procedure, programmes of work are co-ordinated and implemented in full with the co-operation of all relevant parties.
• To achieve and maintain the productive collaboration between elected representatives and the executive of Laois County Council.
• To achieve and maintain similar collaboration with local development agencies in accordance with evolving policy on closer integration of local government and local development.
• To assist in identifying and agreeing work programmes, targets and deadlines and ensuring their subsequent implementation.
• When required to do so, to manage and supervise staff, as the position demands.
• To work as part of an effective, motivated and committed team and to maintain sound employee relations and morale in accordance with good employment practice and relevant legislation.
• To work within a cross-functional / multidisciplinary team in line with the executive structures of the Council.
• To implement the systems necessary to support the service.
• To ensure compliance with H&S legislation & regulations and Laois County Councils corporate health & safety systems.
• To undertake any other duties of a similar level and responsibilities that may be required from time to time.

THE PRINCIPAL TERMS & CONDITIONS 

The position is wholetime, permanent and pensionable. 

The Council reserves the right to, at any time, re-assign an employee to any department now or in the future.

• PROBATION:

Where a person who is not already a permanent employee of this local authority is appointed, the following provisions shall apply:

• There shall be a period after appointment takes effect, during which such a person shall hold the position on probation;
• Such period shall be ten months’, but the Chief Executive may, at his/her discretion, extend such period;
• Such a person shall cease to hold the position at the end of the period of probation, unless during this period the Chief Executive has certified that the service is satisfactory;
• There will be ongoing assessments during the probationary period. Employment may be terminated by either party during probation or at the end of the probationary period on one week’s notice.

• REMUNERATION:

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. Holders of the post will be paid at the appropriate point on the salary scale in accordance with the relevant Department Circulars. Starting pay for new entrants will be at the minimum of the scale. Where the appointee has been serving elsewhere in the public service in an analogous grade and pay-scale and will be moving without break to another part of the public sector at an analogous grade, the appointment may be made at the appointee’s current point of scale. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

The current annual pay-scale is: €46,802 - LSI 2 €72,609 (as per circular EL 03/2025). 

4. DRIVING LICENCE

You may on occasion be required to use your car on official business. In such situations you must hold a current clean driver’s licence and have available adequate means of transport. If, during your employment, your licence is revoked, even temporarily, or if you receive endorsements on your licence which may affect your duties you are obliged to notify the Council immediately.

5. SAFEPASS

The Assistant Engineer shall have on his/her person, at all times, a valid Safepass card. Should the successful candidate not hold a valid Safepass card, he/she must obtain a Safepass card within a specified period of time, prior to taking up appointment.

6. WORKING HOURS:

The standard working week will be 35 hours. The role may require flexible working hours and may occasionally include evening and weekend work for which overtime will not be paid but time-off-in-lieu will be available.

7. ANNUAL LEAVE: 

30 days per annum.

8. RESIDENCE/LOCATION

The holder of the position shall reside in the district in which his/her duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof.

Laois County Council reserves the right to assign the successful candidate to any department or premises in use by the Council, now or in the future.

Changes in location of employment will not result in payment of disturbance money or other compensation. The person appointed will be required to travel to and from work at their own expense.

9. CITIZENSHIP

Candidates must, by the date of any job offer, be:

(a) A citizen of the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA consists of the Member

States of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; or

(b) A citizen of the United Kingdom (UK); or

(c) A citizen of Switzerland pursuant to the agreement between the EU and

Switzerland on the free movement of persons; or

(d) A non-EEA citizen who is a spouse or child of an EEA or UK or Swiss citizen and

has a stamp 4 visa; or

(e) A person awarded international protection under the International Protection

Act 2015 or any family member entitled to remain in the State as a result of

family reunification and has a stamp 4 visa; or

(f) A non-EEA citizen who is a parent of a dependent child who is a citizen of, and

resident in, an EEA member state or the UK or Switzerland and has a stamp 4

visa

10. EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Council shall work to promote a culture of equality and to develop equality and recruitment policies and procedures to ensure that all candidates are selected on merit. The Council shall endeavour to ensure that the selection process does not provide unjustifiable advantage or disadvantage to any particular candidate or group of candidates. The recruitment and selection process shall embrace genuine equality of opportunity, and this will be integral to the process by which appointments are made.

11. RECRUITMENT

Selection of candidates for appointment shall be by means of a competitive interview.

• Shortlisting Process

The local authority may decide, by reason of the number of persons seeking admission to a competition, to carry out a shortlisting procedure. The number of persons to be invited, in these circumstances, to interview, shall be determined by the local authority from time to time having regard to the likely number of vacancies to be filled. The local authority may at its discretion, decide that such shortlisting will be based on qualifications, relevant experience and information submitted on the application form.In that regard, candidates should ensure they provide detailed and accurate information in completing the form. Alternatively, the local authority may at its discretion decide to shortlist by way of preliminary interview.

• Competitive Interview

Selection of candidates for appointment shall be by means of a competitive interview. The competitive interview shall be conducted by or on behalf of the local authority. The Council is committed to a process of selection on merit, based on fair and open competition. The criteria for judging suitability and ranking will be related directly to the qualification, attributes and skills required to undertake the duties and responsibilities to the standard required in the post.

c)Panels

Following completion of interviews, panels may formed, the duration of which is at the discretion of the Council. While a panel remains in force, offers of temporary or permanent employment may be made subject to confirmation of qualifications and satisfying clauses in relation to health, character, or other requirements of the particular post. Persons to whom an offer of employment is made must take up duty within 1 month from the date of offer, or such extended period as the Council may agree, otherwise, the Council may decide not to appoint them.

d) References/Documentary Evidence

Each candidate may be required to submit as references the names and addresses of two responsible persons to whom he/she is well known but not related. Candidates may be required to submit documentary evidence to the local authority in support of their application.

12. COMMENCEMENT The local authority shall require a person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of not more than one month and is he/she fails to take up the appointment within such period or such period or such longer period as the local authority in its absolute discretion may determine, the local authority shall not appoint him/her.

13. RETIREMENT

The Single Public Service Pension Scheme (“Single Scheme”) as provided by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 commenced with effect from 1st January 2013. The act introduces new pension and retirement provisions for new entrants to the public service appointed on or after 1st January 2013. Pension age set initially at 66 years; this will rise in step with statutory changes in the SPC age to 67 years in 2021 and 68 years in 2028. The compulsory retirement age of 70 applies. Otherwise the retirement age of the relevant Scheme applies. It should be noted that candidates who are in receipt of a Public Service Pension and are rehired in any paid capacity by a Public Service Body may be liable to have their pension abated. Prior to appointment successful candidates will be obliged to complete a Declaration in relation to previous Public Pensionable Employment.

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