Alaa Jafar is seeking a civil engineering position with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers utilizing his education, experience, and language skills. He has a Master's in Civil Engineering from Lawrence Technological University and over 10 years of experience in structural engineering, design, project management, and technical roles with the Corps of Engineers, private engineering firms, and a construction company. He is fluent in English and Arabic and has extensive experience analyzing, designing, and managing infrastructure projects such as locks, dams, bridges, and harbors.

1. Alaa Jafar
4464 Bingham St.
Dearborn, Michigan 48126.
Mobile: (313) 258-9326
E-mail: jafaralaa@yahoo.com
alaa.jafar@usace.army.mil
Objective
My objective is to find a position in which I can use my education and experience as a Civil Engineer
and my language and cultural skills in a position with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Education
2005 to 2007
Lawrence Technological University, Southfield, Michigan
Masters of Science in Civil Engineering with a Structural Concentration. Current GPA 3.8
Course Work: Advanced Concrete Design, Advanced Composite Materials and Structures, Special
Topics in Construction Engineering, Earthquake Engineering, Advanced Structural Analysis, Bridge
Design, Finite Elements Analysis ,Pavement Analysis And Performance , Advanced Cost Estimating,
Structural Stability , Construction Law
1994 to 1999
Earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria,
Graduation Project: Design of a Concrete Dam
Professional Experience
January 2008 to Present, CIVIL ENGINEER, GS-810-11, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit
District, Geotechnical and Structural Engineering Branch, Engineering and Construction Office,
Detroit, MI 48226, Phil Ross, 313-226-4761, Hrs per week: 40
Primary duties include analysis, design and inspection of lock, dam, port and harbor and bridge
structures. Quantity take offs for cost estimating purposes.
I have designed and analyzed several project components including the following:
• Lock and Dam: I designed a large portion of the approach walls for the new Soo
Replacement lock. This included structural design of the circular cells approach walls, mooring
button foundations, reinforced concrete slabs. All of these elements involved either structural
analysis or stability analysis. I also prepared technical specifications for these project
elements.
• Port and Harbor: I am responsible for designing the repairs at Petoskey Harbor, WI and
portions of the repairs at Saugatuck, MI and Sturgeon Bay, WI. Work included design of
rubble-mound section including stone sizing, steel sheet pile layout and design, reinforced
concrete cap design and support pile sizing. I’m also a technical Coordinator / Designer for
several dredging projects in the Great Lakes Harbors and Navigation Channels.

2. • Design: I was responsible for designing structural foundation for the bridge sheave on Duluth
area office and developing plans and specification for this project, finalizing details and
providing cost engineering with final quantities for developing cost estimate .challenges on this
design was to keep the loadings from affecting the existing adjacent pier.
• Project/Program Management: All of my studies have involved project management. I have
stayed within budget and on time with each study and project. I served as project engineer for
the Section Rock Cut PMP and Cass river PMP study in, Michigan. This involved detailed
modeling, technical writing and managing ERDC who was contracted to perform some
modeling.
• Technical Manager: This includes developing scope of work, design cost and schedule,
coordinating efforts between district office, designers and user for several maintenance
dredging projects ensuring completion of design within budget and schedule, and conducting
meetings for design stages.
Field Office Support. This includes reviewing and approving shop drawings, providing design
modifications as required, solving technical problems, conducting periodic inspections of
construction in progress from pre-construction to final inspection and user acceptance of
facility.
Review design plans and specifications prepared by A/E firms for construction projects within
district boundaries. Provide comprehensive review for compliance with criteria, eliminate
design deficiencies, and make sure that customer requirements are met.
Produce preliminary investigations, planning, design memorandum, reconnaissance reports
and prepare study alternatives for plan formulation of projects.
• Value Engineering: I have involved on several Value Engineering Studies for Several projects
when the cost of the projects more than two millions, and came up with ideas and alternatives
to reduce the cost.
• Analyses: I conducted a structural analysis on the viewing platform at Sault Ste Marie, MI.
This included analysis of structural steel and concrete. I have applied my skills in using
STAAD PRO software on this task.
• Structural Engineering Support : Provided structural engineering support to the Detroit
District for various repair and rehabilitation projects including recapitalization activates
associated with the Soo Locks Complex , Fox River Dams , pile breakwater reconstruction ,
Upper Rouge River, Saugatuck Harbor revetment repair , Pte.Mouillee Cell Improvement, Crib
Dam, Soo Unit Ten Transformer , Soo Observation Deck, Renard Island Culvert Design. Cat
Island VE Study, Saginaw Fill Management VE Study, Davis & Sabin Lock PI Reports.
• Technical Guidance and Requirement : Updated and maintained documentation concerning
new technical guidance and requirements as provided by HQ, Corps Of Engineers including
Engineering Manuals (EM’s), Engineering Circulars (EC’s) and Engineering Technical Letters

3. (ETL’s). Continually develop and increased knowledge base and hone engineering skills
through attending the Concrete Repair & Maintenance Workshop and The Anchorage to
Concrete Seminar. Apply new skills and technology to project design development. Share this
information with others in the organization to meet O-Plan 2011 initiative 3.d.1a – “Focus
Communities of practice on problem solving, knowledge sharing & development of innovative
solutions.”
October 2007 to December 2007
Albert Kahn Associates, INC, Detroit Michigan – Contract Structural Engineer
• Reviewed structural steel shop drawings
• Reviewed concrete reinforcing steel shop drawings
• Provided structural AutoCAD support for several projects
October 2006 to May 2007
SmithGroup, Detroit Michigan – Graduate Structural Engineer
• Performed structural load determination and load mapping calculations
• Created structural models on RAM Steel for Metro Airport Project Baggage Check Project
• Reviewed structural steel shop drawings
• Reviewed concrete reinforcing steel shop drawings
• Performed review on several projects for accuracy of documents
• Performed calculations for the design concrete basement walls
• Provided structural AutoCAD support for several projects
March 2002 to October 2006
MTR Construction Services Inc., Detroit, Michigan – Project Engineer/Estimator
• Estimated several projects by using the unit price method for bidding purposes.
• Scheduled projects.
• Review submittals, contract documents and change orders with contractors and architects.
• Set up safety programs and manuals for construction sites.
• Followed the progress of projects by setting weekly meetings with contractors and
subcontractors.
• Fluent in Arabic, maintained communication with prospective clients in the Middle East for
new potential development projects.
Technical Skills:
• AutoCAD
• RAM Steel
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Staad Pro
• Microstation
• Knowledgeable in using ISO certified Quality Management System.

4. • Knowledgeable in using RMS (Residence Management System )
• Software applications used include: CWALSHT (Computer Aided Structural Engineering
project: Design/Analysis of Sheet Pile Walls), CBEAMC (Computer Aided Structural Analysis
• Fluent in Arabic and English Languages (Writing , Reading & Speaking)
• Specialized Training : Concrete Maintenance & Repair , Soil Structural Interactions ,
Anchorage to Concrete, Action Officer Development Course, U.S. Army Training Support
Center
References:
• Personal and Professional references available upon request