Project Engineer Nicole Hill and Her Pet-Friendly Assignment

Far East District
Published Oct. 14, 2020
Project Engineer Nicole Hill and Her Pet-Friendly Assignment

Project Engineer Nicole Smith oversees the construction of this highly-anticipated Humphreys Community project.

Nicole Hill is the Project Engineer overseeing the construction of Camp Humphrey’s newest pet-friendly facility. Charged with ensuring this project is completed safely, on budget, and schedule; Nicole has worked diligently with project contractors to deliver amenities pet enthusiasts will love.

From heated floors in the kennels to cameras in every corner of the building – inside and out; this Project Engineer has used her educational background in mechanical engineering to deliver engineering excellence. Nicole’s work experience with Caterpillar© makes her an excellent candidate to see this job through.

Nicole was a prime candidate for employment with the Corps of Engineers after having worked on projects at the Pentagon and other military installations. Finding her footing with the US Army Corps of Engineers in Fort Bragg (Wilmington District), Nicole was able to transfer her skills to the Far East District as her family PCS’d to South Korea.

Here, her extensive professional background in civil construction and corporate projects could instantly be put to use in Humphreys' highly anticipated pet care facility set to house 9 small and 21 large kennels. Equipped with heated outdoor sections just off their kennel units, this building comprised of sound-absorbing ceiling tiles and walls will be a great addition to Humphreys family-friendly options for pet care.

A 20-unit cat condo and doggie daycare were also mentioned in her description of this new facility set to end construction in Summer 2021.

“I have two dogs myself and I can see my family bringing them here. The people who use these facilities will have the same amenities they would find outside of the post. This facility is going to be really nice,” Nicole says.

The beauty of Nicole’s job is watching the idea of a pet care center actually turn into one. “My job on this project is to foresee a problem and provide clarification or verify that a problem exists. Then it becomes my duty to solve it via code and regulation within scope or by way of a modification,” says this project engineer. “The great thing about this project is that it is small enough that I get to become closely involved with all of the inner workings, but it’s also complex enough that it isn’t monotonous. It remains challenging and therefore exciting.”

“The best part of working with the Corps’ Far East District is the comradery,” Nicole Hill remarks. “There is nothing more satisfying than achieving a level of rapport with my coworkers from other cultures because once you’ve reached that point, all parties have no choice but to succeed. It is great to have the help of Con Rep JC Hayes. He makes sure our contractors are remaining safely on task and that our specifications are being met as we progress throughout the project. JC has been an asset to this project.”

Mr. Hayes’ work onsite allows Nicole to focus on administering payroll for the site contractors and resolving issues in the field. Having also worked as a project manager, Nicole is skilled at balancing projects and their budget.

Nicole and her Con Rep JC Hayes look forward to completing construction on this project for the Humphreys Community.