The state of Hawaiʻi Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) is actively seeking engineers and building construction inspectors across various experience levels. The recruitment drive includes supervisory engineering positions with salaries exceeding $16,000 monthly, while entry-level Engineer II roles start at nearly $6,000 per month.
Building construction inspector positions offer salaries ranging from over $6,000 to just above $7,000 monthly. Additionally, inspectors may receive a shortage differential based on their specific roles.
These recruitment efforts are part of the Operation Hire Hawaiʻi (OH-HI) initiative announced by Governor Josh Green, M.D., aimed at expediting the hiring process for qualified candidates throughout Hawaiʻi. Most engineering roles are being filled through the Wikiwiki Hire program by the state Department of Human Resources, which accelerates the hiring timeline significantly.
Open civil service positions include Engineering Program Manager in Kona and Maui; Engineer II through V on Maui; Engineer III through V on Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island; Building Construction Inspector I and II on Maui; Building Construction Inspector II on Oʻahu; Building Construction Inspector II and III on Hawaiʻi Island; and Building Construction Inspector III on Kauaʻi.
DAGS Director and Comptroller Keith Regan commented on current workforce dynamics: “There’s a lot of uncertainty and movement in the workforce right now due to the federal Department of Government Efficiency layoffs and ongoing efforts to downsize. We hope to be part of the solution for people needing a new job or simply seeking more secure employment. We want people to know that we have good paying, stable, high-level jobs on all the islands on which DAGS has a presence.”
Gordon Wood, DAGS Public Works Administrator, emphasized the importance of these roles: “We have a variety of engineering jobs, and mostly all of them are related to project management. Our architects, engineers, and building construction inspectors play such a critical role in our state. Without them, the facilities the state needs to provide services to the public can’t get built.”
Wood also highlighted their economic impact: “DAGS currently has 67 projects on Oʻahu alone worth roughly $520 million in construction. We have eight building construction inspectors overseeing them. That means each inspector is responsible for $65 million in construction.”
James Kurata, DAGS Central Services Administrator noted: “Central Services completes the project delivery cycle; Public Works builds facilities and we maintain them. We are always looking for engineers who can help us with facility maintenance so the state departments who work out of those buildings can seamlessly continue to serve the public.”
Interested applicants can find job listings at https://ags.hawaii.gov/employment/.