The chief engineer shall be a licensed professional engineer in the State of Alabama with a minimum of 15 years’ progressive professional engineering experience pertaining to the planning, development, construction, maintenance, and repair of highways and bridges. The chief engineer shall either hold a degree in civil engineering from an accredited school of engineering or shall have served at least 10 years as a Division Engineer or Bureau Chief with the Department of Transportation and shall possess a detailed knowledge of engineering principles and their application to highways and bridges. The chief engineer shall be a citizen of this state and shall continuously be a licensed professional engineer in this state while employed.