Closed Promotional - Assistant Engineer

The following opportunity for the Assistant Engineer position is a Closed Promotional opportunity, available only to any regular full time City employee who has passed the original probationary period or at-will full time City employee who has completed twelve months of consecutive employment. Applications received from individuals who do not meet the above criteria will not be accepted.

The Land Development Engineering Division is responsible for assisting the community with their private development needs. This position's primary focus will be on processing, reviewing and managing entitlement and construction documents for projects ranging from single family homes to 200 acre specific plans containing residential, mixed use, and commercial/retail uses. The ideal candidate will have experience in reviewing grading and street improvement plans, subdivision mapping, the Model BMP Design Manual, entitlements and the California Environmental Quality Act.

Apply by: 5:30 pm, April 3, 2024

Interview: TBD

Under direct or general supervision, performs various professional field and office engineering work related to the management, planning, design, construction, and maintenance of the City's Capital Improvement Program, land development, traffic engineering, City public works infrastructure, and daily departmental operations; provides project management and administration; confers with developers, contractors, consultants, and representatives of other agencies regarding facility and infrastructure development; administers professional services and construction contracts; administers Federal and State grant funds associated with construction projects; provides staff assistance to the City Engineer and his/her senior staff, other departments and divisions, and the public in areas of expertise; performs a variety of studies and prepares and presents staff reports.

This is the entry-level class in the professional engineering series. Initially under close supervision, incumbents with basic engineering experience perform professional and technical engineering work in the City's Capital Improvement Program, land development, traffic engineering, City public works infrastructure, and daily departmental operations, in addition to providing project management and administration.

 As experience is gained, assignments become more varied and are performed with greater independence. Positions at this level usually perform most of the duties required of the positions at the Associate Civil level, but are not expected to function at the same skill level and usually exercise less independent discretion and judgment in matters related to work procedures and methods. Work is usually supervised while in progress and fits an established structure or pattern.

 Exceptions or changes in procedures are explained in detail as they arise. Since this class is often used as a training class, employees may have only limited directly related work experience.

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

Plans, designs, and inspects all phases of civil engineering public works construction projects, including defining the scope of the project; securing adequate funding from Federal and State grant programs and other funding sources; coordinating with permitting and public utility agencies; performing historical document research and review; surveying and engineering analysis of alternatives; preparing plans, specifications, and cost estimates; performing research, map, and field studies and surveys; drafting site plans with specialized computer software; applying engineering principles and practices to specific problems; coordinating construction schedules with other projects and agencies, preparing and reviewing cost estimates and inspecting construction of projects to ensure compliance with construction documents; and other related planning and design work.

Reviews construction plans prepared by consulting engineers and private contractors to verify compliance with City regulatory agency and public utility improvement requirements; checks plans for conformance with regulations regarding line, grade, size, elevation, and location of structures; reviews engineering calculations of other engineers or engineering technicians; participates in pre-design, construction, and utility coordination meetings and issues construction permits.

Provides construction administration, public relations, management, and inspection of public works construction projects, including coordinating work with other divisions and City departments, reviewing and inspecting work to ensure conformance with plans and, specifications, tracking and maintaining all project accounting, coordinating schedules, and providing public notices of projects.

Investigates field problems affecting property owners, contractors, and maintenance operations; responds to citizen inquiries and complaints; provides information to the public at the front counter in person, via telephone, or other means of communication regarding grading, encroachment permits, right-of-way and property line information, utility information, improvement plan check, and payment processes.

Reviews traffic control plans, performs speed and traffic surveys and traffic counts. Assists with traffic engineering studies and roadway design. Reviews and prepares traffic signal plans, timing plans, and sign and striping plans.

Attends meetings, conferences, workshops, and training sessions and reviews publications and audio-visual materials to become and remain current on principles, practices, and new developments in assigned work areas.

Communicates and coordinates regularly with appropriate others to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of interdepartmental operations and activities.

May provide technical direction and training to other engineering and technical staff or student interns.

Performs other related duties as required.

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

Civil engineering principles, techniques, policies, and procedures; methods, materials, and techniques used in the construction of public works projects, including water and wastewater systems, storm water, street, and traffic system design; basic principles, practices, procedures, and standards related to City public works and engineering infrastructure development and maintenance; basic principles and practices of capital improvement program budgeting, cost estimation, funding, project management, and contract administration; general design, layout, and construction practices for public improvements such as streets, storm drains, grading, and landscaping; subdivision engineering, plan review, mapping, and construction practices; bidding requirements for public works projects; project management and contract administration principles and techniques; engineering plan types, review practices, and permit filing and approval procedures; applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility; modern office practices and technology, including personal computer hardware and software applications related to the work, such as computer-aided drafting (CAD) concepts and applications, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) programs; modern developments, current literature, and sources of information regarding engineering; principles of advanced mathematics and their application to engineering work; practices of researching engineering and design issues, evaluating alternatives, making sound recommendations, and preparing and presenting effective staff reports; methods and techniques of effective technical report preparation and presentation; English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation; techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, various business, professional, educational, and regulatory organizations, and with property owners, developers, contractors, and the public; techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

Ability to:

Conduct complex civil engineering research projects, analyze complex problems, evaluate alternatives, make sound recommendations, and prepare effective technical staff reports; prepare, understand, and interpret engineering construction plans, specifications, and other contract documents; conduct comprehensive engineering studies and prepare reports with recommendations; assist in and develop and administer contracts for professional services and construction in a public agency setting; read, interpret, apply, and explain technical written material and complex laws, codes, regulations, ordinances, and City engineering policies and procedures; design engineering projects; read and understand technical drawings and specifications; perform mathematical and engineering computations with precision; recognize discrepancies from as-built to contract specifications and recommend reconciliation of any discrepancies; make engineering design computations and check, design, and prepare engineering plans and studies; effectively represent the department and the City in meetings with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, and regulatory organizations and individuals; direct the work of contract consultants; prepare and present clear, concise, and logical written and oral reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials; establish and maintain a variety of filing, recordkeeping, and tracking systems; make sound independent decisions within established policy and procedural guidelines; organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines; operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs; exercise good judgment, flexibility, creativity, and sensitivity in response to changing situations and needs; use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing; use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines; establish, maintain, and foster positive and harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in civil engineering or a related engineering field.

Experience

One year of professional engineering design, plan review, and project administration experience, preferably in a public agency setting.