John Schaefer, P.Eng., ph. 519-***-****, abnyy0@r.postjobfree.com
St. Thomas, Ontario
N5R 6K5
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
EPCM Solutions
Dear Sir/Madam:
Re: Project Manager - Bridge Construction - R1977
Please accept this letter and attached resume as my application for the captioned position.
I have been a licensed professional engineer and have worked in the civil engineering field
primarily in bridge engineering for 22 years including 13 years with the Ministry of
Transportation. During my time with MTO I had the privilege of working with many very
talented bridge engineers and thus was able to gain a wealth of experience in all aspects of
bridge engineering, construction, and management. This includes ‘hands on’ design and
preparation of contract documents for numerous bridge projects, as well as procurement and
management of consultant assignments.
One of the challenges I faced whilst working in the Bahamas was leading the government's
project team in negotiations with the China Harbour Engineering Company. Although faced
with cultural differences, communication issues, and changes in project scope I was able to
play a major role in bringing both sides together in the signing of a $40M contract to design
and build an international cargo port and bridge.
The confidence I have developed in dealing with engineering problems and more specifically
those related to bridges has come through being exposed to numerous and varied problems in
the public and private sectors as well as in an international setting, and thus I feel I would be a
valuable asset in a bridge construction environment. I would be happy to further elaborate on
my experience and knowledge as it pertains to this position in a formal interview and can be
reached at 519-***-****. Thank you for considering my application.
Sincerely,
John Schaefer, P. Eng.
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CAREER EXPERIENCE
Senior Engineer, Engineered Management Systems Inc., Port Credit ON Aug 12 Present
Carried out biennial inspections and made recommendations for maintenance and further investigations
for bridge inventories in; Chatham-Kent, City of St Thomas, Guelph, Region of Peel, and City of
Vaughan.
Area Eng., Gov. of The Bahamas, Public Works Dept., Abaco Apr 00 May 05, Aug 08 Aug 12
Reviewed a close-up inspection report for the 18 span pre-stressed concrete girder East Bridge to
Paradise Island built in 1967 and provided recommendations for acquiring additional information from
the consultant, as well as a more balanced strategy for managing the structure. The 3 centre spans
consisted of cantilevered girders with suspended corbels supporting the drop in centre span.
Designed, prepared contract documents, and carried out contract administration for numerous projects
including:
New sidewalk projects in Central and North Abaco.
Sunshine Park seawall/dock in Hope Town involving replacement of timber seawall with vinyl
sheet pile wall with concrete cap and tie backs.
Great Abaco Highway bypass road, a new 2.6km road around Marsh Harbour, Abaco's main city.
Re-construction of docks in Coopers Town, Abaco, Current Island and Jeans Bay, Eleuthra with
concrete deck slab on composite fibre-glass/concrete pile bents.
Numerous summer repair projects for Abaco schools (13 schools in total).
Represented the Public Works Department at public meetings, local council meetings, and government
heads meetings. Frequently liaised and prepared briefing notes & reports for the Minister of Works
& Transport, the Prime Minister, and other Ministers and senior government officials concerning
technical matters involving Abaco infrastructure.
Managed the Abaco Area office including, control of office budget, management of staff and equipment,
carrying out annual employee reviews and making recommendations for promotion or disciplinary action.
Provided oversight of building control activities for the area and reviewed building permit applications
when engineering review was warranted.
Directed and enforced the re-location of illegal squatters within a proposed road R.O.W.
Assessed hurricane damage and recommended repairs to government infrastructure and private homes
after the passing of major storms including Floyd (1999), Francis & Jean (2004) and Irene (2011).
Administered construction contracts and coordinated material delivery for the construction of over
200 low-cost houses throughout Abaco, including direction of a construction trades team sent by the
government of Barbados to assist in the relief effort.
Carried out periodic monitoring of the Glass Window Bridge in Eleuthra which was severely damaged
in the "perfect storm" of October 1991. During the storm the 35m span pre-stressed 'T' girder bridge was
severely damaged and moved 2m to the side at one end resulting in 4 of the original 7 girders being
ineffective and the bridge being reduced to single lane traffic.
Carried out structural evaluation of a timber bridge at Princess Cays, South Eleuthra and made
recommendations for repairs and safe load posting.
John Schaefer, P.Eng., ph. 519-***-****, abnyy0@r.postjobfree.com
Senior Struct. Eng., Min. of Transp., Southwest Reg., London Jan 95 - Oct 99, May 05 - Jul 08
Provided structural expertise and representation as part of the Windsor Border Initiatives Implementation
Group on numerous projects in Windsor area including; Windsor-Essex Parkway, Windsor-Detroit truck
ferry facility improvements, Howard Ave. Grade Separation, & Manning Rd./County Rd. 22 I.C.
Provided structural expertise and representation on Total Project Management assignments, &
municipal projects where MTO structures are involved.
Prepared terms of reference for structural portion of TPM consultant assignments, reviewed and rated
consultant proposals. Reviewed and commented on consultant submissions. Administered structural
consultant retainer assignment as well as consultant assignments for numerous bridge rehabilitation
projects.
Coordinated the resolution of numerous problems during the construction of a major
mechanical/electrical/structural rehabilitation of a twin leaf bascule bridge in Port Dover.
Inspected and made recommendations for maintenance or rehabilitation on all bridges within area of
responsibility including Kitchener-Waterloo Expressway and Highway 401 through Cambridge.
Project manager for the twinning of a multi-span variable depth steel girder bridge carrying hwy 8
over the Grand River. New bridge was designed to complement the existing bridge.
Assisted the Bridge Office with review of Municipal applications to the Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural
Infrastructure Fund, and made recommendations for appropriate responses to applicants.
Carried out a review of screed calculations during construction of the new Highway 401 - Townline
Road Underpass in Cambridge, as a result of excessive girder haunch depths. The review resulted in a
Bridge Office investigation into the inappropriate use of long time multipliers referred to in the
Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code Commentary.
Identified structures within the 1997 & 98 highway transfers to lower tier governments and determined
associated 1 - 5 year needs. Prepared post transfer responses to funding concerns raised by lower tiers,
and held meetings with same to resolve contentious issues.
Contributed to the drafting of NSSPs and changes to the Ontario Provincial Standard Specifications
as part of the End Result Specifications Task Force Subgroup on Structures.
Assisted Section Head in bridge management activities and made recommendations for structure
rehabilitation/replacement and setting priorities for projects on the multi-year capital program,
represented the Structural Section at various meetings.
Carried out structure rehabilitation/replacement designs and prepared contract documentation, oversaw
drawing production and carried out overall project management including:
• Ontario's first steel free concrete bridge deck at Hwy 401 - Kent County Rd 10 Underpass.
• Rehabilitation, with preservation of heritage features, of a 1935 3-span cantilever through truss,
on Hwy 21 (now County Rd 21) over the Thames River. Included structural evaluation.
• Rehabilitation and conversion to semi-continuous for live load of a 3 span steel girder overhead
at Hwy 401 and CNR (site 5-49 E&W). Note during construction of this project an emergency
assessment of the bridge was made due to a heavy truck collision with a temporary concrete
barrier and the existing bridge barriers. Recommendations were provided to allow Hwy 401 to
be re-opened the same day.
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Assoc. Research Eng, Min. of Transportation, Bridge Office, St. Catharines Oct 99 Mar 00
Carried out research for and co-authored "Guidelines for the Design of Snowmobile Bridges in
Ontario".
Derived experimental dynamic load allowance from live load test data on Hogg's Hollow
Bridge, Highway 401 Collectors.
Structural Engineer, Ministry of Transportation, NWR, Thunder Bay May 90 Jan 95
Reviewed and approved false work designs, concrete and steel girder erection drawings, steel
fabrication drawings, and other contractor submissions.
Carried out hydrology studies for numerous bridge and culvert replacement projects.
Designed and prepared contract documents for a skewed steel box girder bridge at Hwy 557 over
Cataract river which included a 2 span bailey detour bridge.
Designed and prepared contract documents for a steel girder bridge with transverse laminated timber
deck at Squaw Bay Rd over Portage Creek. Project included the structural evaluation of the existing
timber truss bridge.
Designed and prepared contract documents for the rehabilitation of a 90m through-truss carrying hwy
17 over Goulais River which included replacement of spherical bearings. Note bearing replacement
later scratched from project.
Designed and prepared contract documents for an HESPCSP at hwy 588 and Little White River
tributary.
Designed and oversaw repair of auxiliary transportation structures (eg. salt sheds, sand domes and
highmast lighting deep foundations). Carried out investigation and prepared report to satisfy the
Ministry of Labour on required repairs to reinstate salt sheds at the Wawa and White River patrol
yards.
Performed numerous structural evaluations and made recommendations for safe load postings.
Eng-in-Training, Ontario North Eng. Corp. (now Cook Eng.), Thunder Bay May 88 May 90
Checked structural evaluation calculations to determine whether 3 span post-tensioned voided slab
bridges could receive overlay and asphalt wear surface. Hwy 61 at Rosslyn Rd overpass and CPR
overhead.
Designed two steel bridges with composite concrete decks in the cities of Kenora and Thunder Bay.
Participated in the detailed inspection of 6 highway timber bridges for the Ministry of Transportation.
Participated in performing deck condition surveys on four Hwy. 17 bridges in the City of Kenora.
Inspected and carried out structural evaluation of over 100 bridges on resource access roads and
determined safe load postings for the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Assisted with the close up inspection and checked structural evaluation calculations for Main St bridge in
Thunder Bay, a 500m long bridge spanning a large rail yard. The 3 main spans comprised cantilever steel
plate girders with a drop in centre span.
John Schaefer, P.Eng., ph. 519-***-****, abnyy0@r.postjobfree.com
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Civil Eng. Degree Lakehead University Thunder Bay Ontario 1988
Diploma in Civil Eng. Technology Southern Alberta Inst. of Tech. Calgary Alberta 1979
Successfully completed CWB Modules required for certification as a Welding Engineer
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Licensed with the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario since December 1990.
Licensed in the State of Michigan to practice Structural Engineering since May 2007.
REFERENCES
John Canton, C. Eng., FICE, Director Public Works, Government of the Bahamas, ph. 242-***-****
Wade Young, P.Eng., Head Struct. Section, Western Reg., Min. of Transportation, ph. 519-***-****
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