Professional Summary
Civil Engineer and Project Controls Specialist with 25+ years on large-scale power generation and infrastructure projects ($300M–$900M+) — hydroelectric dams, underground powerhouses, TBM tunnels, and high-voltage transmission. Delivered $2B+ in EPC project controls support with direct EPC contractor interface across field progress tracking, change order evaluation, and schedule integration. Recently relocated to Greensboro, NC to be near family — permanent resident with long-term commitment to the Triad market.
Career Evolution
2004–2011
Field Technical Expert
Advanced surveying, geometric design, quantity take-off on hydroelectric megaprojects. TBM alignment control, geodetic networks, underground powerhouse operations.
2011–2021
Systems Architect
Development and deployment of Visual CRP, AC&P, SALT and ICOD across $500M+ EPC projects. VBA-AutoCAD automation, document control, payment certification management.
2022–Present
Independent Consultant
Project controls consulting for Santiago Monorail ($1B+) and Soco-Yabacao ($863M). Technical ex-ante analysis. Visual CRP deployment for GuayubÃn Dam.
Project Lifecycle Impact
Quantified Results
"The implementation of Visual CRP transformed our operational document control. The hybrid approach delivered an estimated $1.6M in savings with complete traceability and highest honors in audit evaluations."
"The ex-ante evaluation methodology presented by Engineer Bonilla establishes a new standard for technical analysis in the design phase. It stands out for its capacity to integrate analysis of existing studies, comparative evaluation of international challenges, and rigorous study of applicable technologies, articulated through advanced technical-financial modeling."
Professional Experience
Independent Consultant — Engineering Systems & Project Controls
- Proprietary Systems: Developed and commercially deployed 4 proprietary engineering systems (Visual CRP, AC&P, SALT, ICOD) — applied across $2B+ combined project value.
- Project Controls Consulting: Provided project controls and feasibility analysis for Santiago Monorail ($1B+, 2023–2024) and Soco-Yabacao Water Transfer System ($863M, 2025).
- Visual CRP Deployment: Adapted and implemented Visual CRP for GuayubÃn Dam (2023) — 1,183 documents registered, 9 concurrent design firms managed.
- U.S. Machine Control (2013–2015): Produced 3D terrain models for U.S.-based surveying firm — direct exposure to U.S. project documentation standards (Trimble/Topcon DTM workflow).
- Technical Analysis: Independent financial analysis of Santo Domingo Metro Line 3 — quantified $2.3B operational funding gap using Newton-Raphson IRR methodology with 123,456 Monte Carlo iterations.
Surveying & Project Controls Manager | Technical Documentation Manager
- Quantity Surveying & Payment Certification: Resolved a critical impasse between the project's quantity department and client on earthwork volumes — 12M m³ excavation, 5M m³ backfill, 230,000 m³ concrete, 39,000 m³ asphalt core, 36,500 m³ underground tunnel. Delivered independent earthwork evaluation that unblocked the certification process.
- Field Progress Tracking: Executed biweekly drone photogrammetry campaigns (Pix4D) over 12M m³ active excavation zone — correlated volumetric progress with construction schedule milestones for owner reporting and EPC contractor schedule validation.
- Geotechnical Program: Supervised 1,300m borehole investigation across 6 structural zones — processed 104 Lugeon/Lefranc permeability tests, administered $289K subcontract with monthly quantity certifications.
- LiDAR Automation (ICOD): Developed Excel VBA–AutoCAD API system in 2 weeks to automate tunnel cross-section generation from LiDAR data — 4,000+ pts/section, 2,800 sections auto-generated, 75% drafting time reduction. No commercial tool could handle the complexity.
- Engineering Document Control: Deployed Visual CRP managing 15,000+ records across 4,000+ documents — 60+ daily users, validated by external auditors alongside Citadon/Construmanager/Procore, 100% audit compliance, $1.6M+ verified savings vs. commercial licensing.
Survey & Topography Manager
- Underground Construction — TBM Operations: Led surveying operations for Dominican Republic's largest underground infrastructure project: 12.44km TBM double-shield tunnel (Herrenknecht/VMT SLS-HR guidance system), underground powerhouse with 11 interconnected tunnels, 400m-deep surge shaft, 60m CCR dam, and 19km transmission line — team of up to 80 personnel.
- Field Quantity Certification ($708K Contract): Delivered Phase I roadway Pay Application No. 7: 95,273 m³ common excavation, 11,299 m³ dense excavation, 51,109 m³ material transport, 4,803 m² slope revegetation — verified per progress measurement protocol with CDEEE.
- Change Order Evaluation: Evaluated and tracked change orders for access road geometry modifications — coordinated with on-site specialized designers, maintained alignment log against approved baseline design throughout construction.
- Access Road Engineering: Developed geometric designs and drainage solutions (AASHTO 1993) for powerhouse, TBM portal, and surge shaft access routes — culvert sizing Ø30" to Ø72", crown ditches, retaining structures.
- Geodetic Control & TBM Alignment: Managed topographic control network for full 12.44km TBM drive using SALT proprietary adjustment system — maintained alignment within specification throughout 20-month excavation (9,531 rings installed, completion March 2011).
Road Projects — Engineering Lead
- Led technical oversight of design consultant for two simultaneous road projects: Bávaro-Miches-Samaná Regional Highway (108km, V=80km/h) and Ocoa-Piedra Blanca Highway (mountain terrain). Identified critical geodetic error in a 4-year-old LiDAR study — traveled to Peru to demonstrate the error to the original subcontractor, resulting in full reprocessing at no cost (EGM2008 geoid vs. local geoid standard).
Interim Engineering Manager | Survey Manager
- Promoted to Interim Engineering Manager to lead technical reactivation of a stalled $300M+ hydroelectric project (paralyzed since 2009). Coordinated external design consultant and managed full execution of the Alternative Basic Design: 2 cascade hydro plants (111.32 MW total), 2 CCR dams, 3 pressure tunnels (20.16km combined). Delivered conceptual approval in October 2012 — 6 months from assignment.
Earlier Experience — Survey, Quantities & Design
- Earthwork volumetrics, payment certifications, and topographic support across multiple highway and dam projects including Guaigüà Dam, Santiago Northern Beltway (8-ramp cloverleaf interchange, 3.75km), and Autopista Duarte Widening (Lots III & IV).
Technical Competencies
Project Controls & Quantity Surveying
Geospatial & Survey
Systems & Automation
Software & Tools
Design: AutoCAD (Expert, 2D/3D/VBA), Eagle Point (R13/R2010 — production tool), Civil 3D (rapid adaptation)
Geospatial: Global Mapper, Pix4D, Topcon Tools, Machine Control DTM (Trimble/Topcon)
Project Controls: MS Project, cost/schedule tracking, WBS, EPC contractor interface
Programming: Excel VBA (Advanced), AutoCAD API/DDE/COM, Monte Carlo simulation (Newton-Raphson)
Languages: Spanish (native) · English (professional) · Portuguese (professional)
Key Projects
Montegrande Dam — Andrade Gutiérrez ($500M+)
Dominican Republic · Feb 2018 – Dec 2021
Embankment dam with asphalt core (L=2.2km, H=57m). Active EPC environment with multiple concurrent design firms. Resolved payment certification impasse on 12M m³ earthwork between contractor and client.
Palomino Hydropower — Odebrecht ($400M+)
Dominican Republic · Feb 2006 – Jul 2011
Dominican Republic's largest underground infrastructure project. 12.44km TBM double-shield tunnel, underground powerhouse with 11 interconnected tunnels, 400m surge shaft, 60m CCR dam, 19km transmission line.
Las Placetas Hydroelectric — Andrade Gutiérrez ($300M+)
Dominican Republic · Feb 2012 – Aug 2013
Reactivation of stalled project. 2 cascade hydro plants (111.32 MW), 2 CCR dams, 3 pressure tunnels (20.16km combined). Promoted to Interim Engineering Manager — delivered conceptual approval in 6 months.
Proprietary Engineering Systems
Four systems deployed across $2B+ in combined EPC project value. Not side projects — production tools validated by external auditors on active megaprojects.
Visual CRP
Engineering Document Control · 21+ Years · visualcrp.com
Manages the operational document control layer that teams perform manually in Excel — transformed into a structured, multi-user system that coexists with contractual platforms (Procore, Aconex, Citadon) without replacing them.
ICOD
LiDAR Tunnel Cross-Section Automation · 2020
Excel VBA–AutoCAD API application that processes high-density LiDAR point clouds from tunnel laser scanners and automatically generates cross-sections. Developed in 2 weeks when no commercial tool could handle the data complexity.
AC&P
Parametric Cost Estimation · Since 2004
Dual-accounting architecture separating cost base from strategic bid price, with inverse factorization engine. Produces 10 automated reports: monthly cash flow, material quantification, labor scheduling, change order support, and bid pricing. Analytical layer complementing HeavyBid, WinEst, Oracle.
SALT
Topographic Survey Adjustment · Since 2004
Implements Compass Rule, Crandall Rule, and Transit Rule polygon closure with proportional angular and linear adjustment, GPS integration, CSV coordinate export, and direct AutoCAD drafting output. Used on Palomino ($400M+) for full 12.44km TBM geodetic control network.
Value to Employers
What a hiring organization gains by bringing this experience to their project controls team — framed around the three areas where my background directly addresses common gaps in EPC project execution.
Independent Quantity Verification — Owner's Representative Capability
On the Montegrande project, the quantity department and the client were at an impasse on 12M m³ of earthwork. I delivered an independent evaluation that unblocked the certification process. That is exactly what an Owner's Representative does on a capital project: verify what the contractor reports, not execute it.
- Field quantity take-off independent from contractor reporting
- Payment certification review and validation against field conditions
- Change order evaluation with alignment log maintenance
- Experience on both sides — EPC contractor (Odebrecht) and owner/supervision (Andrade Gutiérrez)
Proprietary Automation That Solves Problems Commercial Software Cannot
ICOD was built in 2 weeks because no commercial tool could process 4,000-point LiDAR cross-sections at tunnel scale. Visual CRP was built because Procore, Aconex, and Citadon do not solve the operational document control problem on fast-track EPC projects — they solve the contractual one. These are not workarounds. They are solutions that external auditors validated alongside the commercial platforms.
- Excel VBA + AutoCAD API: production-level automation deployed on $500M projects
- Systems that run alongside Procore/Aconex, not instead of them
- Ability to build custom tools when standard software hits its limits
- $1.6M+ in verified savings from document control alone
Field-to-Office Integration — Progress Tracking Tied to Schedule
Biweekly drone photogrammetry campaigns over 12M m³ of active excavation, correlated to construction schedule milestones for owner reporting and EPC contractor schedule validation. That is field progress tracking integrated with schedule — not two separate processes.
- Drone photogrammetry (Pix4D) for volumetric progress measurement
- Correlation of field data with schedule milestones for owner reporting
- TBM daily advance tracking: 20 months of continuous records (9,531 rings, 12.44km)
- Geotechnical program management with real-time data processing
Quantified Track Record
Education & Credentials
Formal Education
B.S. Civil Engineering
Universidad Tecnológica del Cibao (UTECI), La Vega
1999
A.S. Information Technology
Universidad Nacional Pedro HenrÃquez Ureña (UNPHU), La Vega
1992
Credentials & Recognition
Professional Engineer License — CODIA #17378
Colegio Dominicano de Ingenieros, Arquitectos y Agrimensores · Active since 2001
Engineering Exchange Program — UAEM México (1998)
Conference: "Facilities Offered by Computer Use in Highway Design"
Roadcalc Training Instructor
10 courses · 100+ engineers trained
Technical Publications
Technical-Financial Risk Report — Santo Domingo Metro Line 3 (2026)
Independent professional analysis establishing a methodological framework for ex-ante evaluations on mass transit projects. Documents methodology, operational capacity findings, design gaps, and projected financial risk.
View full publicationCase Study: Visual CRP Implementation at Montegrande Dam
Documented implementation serving as reference for hybrid document control architecture in EPC megaprojects. Includes audit validation results and cost savings methodology.
Explore case study"The ex-ante evaluation methodology presented by Engineer Bonilla establishes a new standard for technical analysis in the design phase. It stands out for its capacity to integrate analysis of existing studies, comparative evaluation of international challenges, and rigorous study of applicable technologies, articulated through advanced technical-financial modeling."