One is the loneliest number.

Especially for employers looking to fill a critical leadership position.

The Port of Port Townsend is searching for a new director of capital projects/port engineer, but has only received a single application since the job was posted roughly two weeks ago.

“Anemic. To say the least,” port executive director Eron Berg said of the response to the job search at the port commissioners’ Sept. 8 meeting.

The port started advertising for the position in August. But only one application had been received through
Sept. 9.

Mike Love, who is currently the director of capital projects/port engineer, will be leaving the position in November.

Love doesn’t have a new job lined up, he said.

“I have no definitive plans for future employment,” Love said in an email to The Leader. 

“In the past 11 months I have been working part time for the port and commuting from Mount Vernon,” he noted. “The commute time and distance are longer than I would like.”

Berg appealed to commissioners at their meeting last week to pass along any contacts for a potential hire.

“If you know really competent, experienced, capable, complex project-manager-type folks, please send them our way,” he said.

Berg said staff has also been talking about possibly providing a home in the form of the port-owned duplex at Point Hudson “as a way to land somebody if we needed to.”

He quipped that an employee living there would get to experience a major port construction project that’s planned to start in 2022: reconstruction of the Point Hudson jetties.

“What better place to live than right where you are disturbing everybody,” Berg joked. “There is some poetry there.”

According to the job description for the position, candidates should have experience in planning and managing capital projects, including grant compliance, strong organizational skills, and good judgment in managing the port’s capital assets, which includes maintenance of the current infrastructure.

The job description adds: “If you are a team player with a ‘can do’ attitude who wants to rebuild a waterfront and make a positive impact in our community, come join our team!”

Candidates should have a minimum of 10 years of experience in project engineering for the design and construction of port or related large capital projects. Applicants should also have experience in program development and management, budget management, contract administration, environmental impact assessment, professional staff supervision, and public speaking.

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with emphasis in civil engineering or related discipline is also required.

Also strongly desired is a professional engineering license in the state of Washington.

The position comes with an annual salary range of $115,000 to $135,000, plus benefits.