COOP Student, Rail Construction - City of Ottawa, Ottawa

Your impact

As a COOP Student, Rail Construction Field Program Assistant with the City of Ottawa, you will play a crucial role in the ongoing development and sustainability of Ottawa’s Light Rail Transit Systems. This program is central to the City of Ottawa’s transportation strategy, transforming urban mobility. Your work will involve validating the completion of critical construction activities in the field, directly contributing to the quality and safety of one of North America's busiest Light Rail Transit Systems. This is an excellent opportunity to gain practical engineering experience in a large-scale public infrastructure project.

• Carrying out specific assignments related to the Rail Construction Program.
• Validating the completion of construction activities in the field.
• Ensuring adherence to appropriate codes, designs, and work methods.

What you'll bring

This co-op position is designed for ambitious students eager to apply their academic knowledge in a real-world construction environment. While no prior experience is required, a foundational understanding of engineering principles and a keen ability to learn are essential. You will be supported in developing your skills within the dynamic context of Ottawa's rail construction program.

• Enrolment in a recognized post-secondary co-operative program in mechanical, chemical, environmental or electrical engineering, architectural or civil/structural engineering.
• No experience required.

• Valid Ontario unrestricted G class driver’s licence (or provincial equivalent) with no more than 6 demerit points accumulated is an asset.

• Basic knowledge of aspects of the construction project management and administration process.
• Basic level of knowledge of engineering theories, techniques, and procedures or higher mathematics.
• Ability to read engineering plans and specifications, and reports.
• Experience in reading or preparing designs and/or technical drawings.
• Ability to perform simple quantity calculations and to record data as directed.
• Ability to work with sensitive process and analytical instruments.
• Some office experience in a technical work environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of staff, including participating in meetings, presentations and interacting with the public.
• Basic level competency in writing and testing computer programs.
• Basic computer application use which may include Microsoft Excel, Word, Project, PowerPoint, Outlook, and AutoCAD.

• Ability to follow instructions and work with minimal supervision.
• Ability and willingness to work on construction sites.
• Attention to detail.
• Solid analytical skills and sound judgment.
• Solid communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize and work independently.
• Ability to interact with a variety of people.
• Organized, thorough.
• Initiative, reliability and tact.
• Willingness to learn.

The team

You will join the Rail Construction Program Service within the Transit Services Department at the City of Ottawa. This dedicated team is responsible for all design and construction activities across Ottawa's extensive Light Rail Transit Systems. This includes managing concurrent design and construction for three light rail system extensions and major supporting infrastructure projects, such as highway widening, multimodal network integration, and secondary road, utility, and traffic infrastructure impacts. This program offers a unique opportunity to contribute to significant public works in Ottawa.

Perks and benefits

The City of Ottawa is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, adhering to the principles of the Canadian Human Rights Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals and provide accommodation to applicants throughout the hiring process upon request. This commitment ensures a supportive and equitable environment for all team members, including co-op students embarking on their engineering careers.