Senior Office Engineer
Parsons Brinckerhoff
Sandra Pfeiffer is an energetic, motivated professional, and a valued member of Parsons Brinckerhoff’s professional services staff. She has participated in several major projects in New York City in which the firm is involved, and has consistently demonstrated a commitment to quality and the highest professional standards.
Pfeiffer has a background in civil engineering — she earned a Master’s degree from Polytechnic University, a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University, and is an Engineer-in-Training in the State of New York. Pfeiffer is part of the Consultant Construction Management Team for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to oversee construction of the Second Avenue Subway project, a $4.45 billion construction project in Manhattan with an expected completion date of December 2016. Pfeiffer has been on the Second Avenue Subway since construction began in 2007 and is currently a senior office engineer for the construction of an underground subway station at 72nd Street that consists of excavation of rock by drilling and blasting; construction of permanent structural elements including waterproofing and lining of the cavern, tunnels and adits; demolition of buildings to construct subway entrances and ancillary structures; utility relocation of gas, water, sewer and electrical along 2nd Ave; and installation of temporary mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. She oversees a staff consisting of assistant office engineers and document control administrators and manages them efficiently. The team’s responsibilities include coordinating submittals, shop drawings and RFI review with different departments within in the MTA, designers, contractors, and various public and private agencies; reviewing inspector reports for accuracy and completeness; updating working drawings based on inspector reports; updating construction progress information on key project documents; processing contractor and third-party agency payments; and preparing additional work order packages. All activities require both sound technical capability and an unflagging attention to detail — both of which are among Pfeiffer’s strengths.
Another major project in which Pfeiffer has been involved is the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway Reconstruction project, aimed at revitalizing and enhancing one of the busiest highway links in the metropolitan New York area. Pfeiffer served as office engineer/senior inspector for key segments of the project. In addition to her responsibilities as office engineer, she inspected the contractor’s work to verify quality and conformance to plans and specifications.
Pfeiffer is keenly attentive to developments within the industry. She is also an engaged employee who collaborates with others within the company to share information and advance mutual goals. She serves as a mentor to a number of less experienced female engineers and inspectors who are employed on the Second Avenue Subway project.
“I have always had a great appreciation of public transportation as a child growing up in a suburb of New York, as a resident of NYC during my college years, and currently as a daily commuter into the city. Working in the public transit industry makes me appreciate even more the legacy of innovation that has come before me and proud to embrace the challenges ahead in order to provide a sustainable environment for future generations.”
