Civil Engineering Executive Search in New York
NEW YORK CIVIL ENGINEERING EXECUTIVE SEARCH
Engineering leaders for the country’s densest infrastructure market
New York has more major civil work under way than almost anywhere in the United States, and only a small group of leaders who have delivered at that scale. Alexander Executive Search provides civil engineering executive search in New York, running retained searches for engineering and civil engineering leadership roles paying $150,000 and above, for consultants, contractors and owner-side teams working across New York City and New York State.
Unlike many search firms that focus only on the largest companies, we work with New York firms of every size, and our dedicated process for growing firms under $120 million helps them hire leaders who can win and deliver work in this market. We serve New York clients from our Miami headquarters. We don’t have a New York office.
What is driving leadership demand in New York
A few very large capital programs shape the market for senior engineering talent in the region, and every one of them depends on experienced leaders.
Around those programs sit city agencies, such as the departments responsible for water, sewers and public buildings, plus private developers, design consultants, construction managers and heavy civil contractors. All of them need leaders, and they often compete for the same few people.
Why New York firms choose AES
- 96% placement retention: 96% of the candidates we place are still in their role after 12 months.
- Free replacement guarantee: if a placed candidate leaves within 12 months, we find a replacement free of charge. For senior roles the guarantee extends to two years. It is subject to the agreed terms of engagement. How our guarantee works.
- Proven with clients: in one client engagement, all 10 people we appointed over two years were still with the business after 12 months. Read the case study.
- Specialist focus: our work is focused on engineering, civil engineering and technology leadership. We are headquartered at 1221 Brickell Ave in Miami. See our engineering recruitment in the USA.
MAJOR PROGRAMS
The capital programs behind New York demand
- MTA: the $68.4 billion 2025–2029 Capital Plan was fully funded in the state’s FY 2026 budget (Office of the Governor). MTA Construction & Development has said that about 90% of the plan is state-of-good-repair work, alongside projects like communications-based train control (CBTC) on the A and C lines (MTA committee minutes).
- Port Authority of New York and New Jersey: the agency’s record $45 billion 2026–2035 capital plan covers airport redevelopment, a new bus terminal and PATH service increases (Port Authority).
- Gateway and the Hudson Tunnel Project: tunnel boring began on September 28, 2026 (Gateway Development Commission), and contracts for all of the project’s tunnel boring and core-and-shell heavy civil work are now awarded or in progress (GDC).
- NYSDOT: the state’s five-year transportation capital plan, which runs through state fiscal year 2026–27, was announced at a record $32.8 billion (Office of the Governor).
The need is long-standing. ASCE’s most recent Report Card for New York’s Infrastructure (2022) gave the state an overall C and said roads and transit were most in need (ASCE). Federal funding adds uncertainty: the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expired on September 30, 2026, and the short-term extension that runs to December 11, 2026 does not include the law’s advance appropriations (ASCE). Firms that depend on federally funded transit and rail work are timing leadership hires with that in mind.
LEADERSHIP ROLES
Leadership roles in demand in New York
The New York searches we are asked about most often fall into four groups.
Why New York leadership hires are hard
- Competition for program experience: leaders who have delivered MTA, Port Authority or Gateway work are pursued by global consultants, large contractors and the agencies themselves.
- Program timing: senior people on multi-year programs are often unwilling to leave before a milestone, so the timing and the case for change both matter.
- Pay and living costs: New York pay runs above national levels (see the BLS figures below), and candidates moving to the city weigh housing and commuting costs carefully.
- Site presence: construction and owner’s representative roles need people on site. The offer has to be clear about that from the first conversation.
- Licensure: roles that seal drawings or are named as key personnel on public work normally need a New York State Professional Engineer license, which narrows the pool for candidates coming from other states.
- Smaller firms competing with big names: mid-sized firms rarely win on base salary alone. They win on scope, autonomy, direct access to ownership and a credible route to equity or partnership, and that story has to be made clear to candidates.
Salary context: the New York metro area
The table shows published Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates for the New York-Newark-Jersey City metro area from the May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. These are not AES figures. They cover all employers and all seniority levels, not just leadership roles.
| Occupation | Employment | Median | 75th percentile | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Civil engineers (17-2051) | 15,590 | $107,330 | $143,310 | $176,400 |
| Architectural and engineering managers (11-9041) | 7,580 | $183,890 | $222,800 | $289,560 |
| Construction managers (11-9021) | 12,120 | $158,000 | $202,280 | $250,520 |
For comparison, the national medians are $100,840 for civil engineers and $171,270 for architectural and engineering managers (BLS civil engineers, BLS architectural and engineering managers). Most of the leadership roles we recruit sit at or above the 75th percentile for civil engineers and in the upper half of the range for engineering managers. OEWS wages exclude benefits and non-production bonuses, so total packages for senior hires can look different. Source: BLS OEWS, New York-Newark-Jersey City, May 2025.
OUR PROCESS
How we run a New York search
Every search starts with what the new leader must achieve in the first 12 to 24 months, such as building a transit practice, steadying a troubled program or succeeding a founder.
See our executive search process step by step, or read about our wider civil engineering executive search in the USA.
New York executive search: frequently asked questions
Do you have an office in New York?
No. Our headquarters is at 1221 Brickell Ave, Suite 900, Miami, FL 33131. New York searches are run from Miami.
What size of firm do you work with in New York?
Firms of all sizes, from growing engineering, consulting and construction firms to large organizations, hiring for leadership roles paying $150,000 or more. Growing firms under $120 million in annual revenue also get a dedicated process built around their next stage of growth.
Can you find leaders with MTA, Port Authority or Gateway experience?
Market mapping lets us identify leaders by the programs and project types they have delivered and then approach them confidentially. Whether a particular person will move depends on timing and the opportunity, so we test motivation early rather than presenting names who are unlikely to accept.
How do New York pay levels compare with the national figures?
BLS May 2025 data puts the median for civil engineers in the New York metro at $107,330, against $100,840 nationally, and the median for architectural and engineering managers at $183,890, against $171,270 nationally. Packages for senior hires also depend on bonus, benefits and any equity.
What happens if the person we hire leaves?
If a placed candidate leaves within 12 months, we find a replacement free of charge. For senior roles the guarantee extends to two years. It is subject to the agreed terms of engagement.
START A CONVERSATION
Planning a senior engineering hire in New York?
Tell us about the role, the program and the timing. We’ll give you a straight view of the candidate market and how we would run the search. Contact Alexander Executive Search.