Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Assistant Engineer/Geologist, Zone 7

Recruitment #25-4964-01

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Introduction

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and supplemental questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.

APPLICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THIS RECRUITMENT WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED ONLINE.


Click for more detailed information about this exciting opportunity.

DESCRIPTION


THE AGENCY

Zone 7 Water Agency is located in the Tri-Valley region of the eastern San Francisco Bay Area. It provides water on a wholesale basis to the cities of Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin and the Dougherty Valley area of San Ramon, and flood-protection services to all of eastern Alameda County. Zone 7 employs approximately 116 full-time employees and operates on an annual budget of $80.3 million dollars. The Agency’s administrative offices are located in Livermore, CA, the easternmost city of Alameda County, which is bordered by Contra Costa County to the north and San Joaquin County to the east. Livermore, California’s oldest wine region, is known for the science and technology of its national laboratories, a historic downtown area, and the surrounding farmlands and ranches that mirror the Valley’s western heritage.

Zone 7 employees are committed to providing a reliable supply of high-quality water and an effective flood control system to the Livermore-Amador Valley in a fiscally responsible, innovative, proactive and environmentally sensitive way. We invite you to acquaint yourself with our dynamic Agency and its exciting employment opportunities.

For more information regarding the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Zone 7 please visit their website at www.zone7water.com.

THE POSITION

Under general supervision, to perform a variety of professional engineering work related to water resources, flood control, water supply, and water treatment and distribution facilities and systems; and to perform related work as required.

Assistant Engineer/Geologist, Zone 7, is the journey-level class in the professional engineering/geologist series of the Zone 7 Flood Control and Water Conservation District. This class is distinguished from the next higher one of Associate Engineer/Geologist, Zone 7, in that the former class is usually assigned only to part of a major project or is responsible for all of a specific small-scale and/or routine project and though incumbents may direct the work of subordinate staff for such specific projects. The latter class may either be assigned the full responsibility as a project engineer/geologist and be expected, within established administrative limits and time schedules, to plan, organize and execute the project with a minimum of supervision, or to be assigned major responsibilities for program operations.

For more detailed information about the job classification, visit: Assistant Engineer/Geologist, Zone 7 (#4964)

VACANCY

Although the current vacancy is in our Water Quality Engineering section, the eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be used within Zone 7 Water Agency to fill vacancies in the following Zone 7 Water Agency divisions:

Water Quality Engineering: Provides water quality technical expertise and support for regulatory compliance, optimizing treatment plant performance, well and distribution system operation, and water quality improvement studies. WQE also provides support to integrated water resources planning, groundwater management, water supply engineering, and communication efforts. In addition, WQE provides various support to other partnering agencies, retail water systems, and customers in the Agency's service area.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate for the Assistant Civil Engineer in Water Quality will possess:

  • Knowledge of, or experience with, water quality, water treatment, and regulatory compliance
  • Strong skills in writing reports, managing projects, and collaborating with others
  • Experience with data analysis, graphing, and management tools

WATER SUPPLY ENGINEERING: 

Plans, designs, and constructs major water supply, conveyance, production, and delivery facilities for expansion, system-wide improvements, and renewal/replacement programs. WSE also manages the Agency’s Water Enterprise Asset Management Program and Capital Improvement Program, and supports programs and projects lead by other Zone 7 divisions.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate for the Assistant Civil Engineer in Water Supply Engineering will possess:

  • Knowledge of, or experience, with potable water treatment processes and technologies
  • Project management skills in managing water supply projects related to pipelines, pump stations, water treatment plants, and/or groundwater wells
  • Strong oral and written communication skills

FLOOD PROTECTION ENGINEERING:

Plans, designs, and manages construction of major flood protection facilities and annual embankment slide repairs as well as manages the Agency’s Flood Protection Capital Improvement and Asset Management Programs.

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate for the Assistant Civil Engineer in Flood Protection Engineering will possess:

  • Knowledge of civil engineering principles, concepts, and practices
  • Ability to serve as the project manager for capital improvement projects and perform duties involved in design, project administration, and construction management
  • Ability to review and evaluate design drawings and specifications
  • Ability to prepare and manage project budgets
  • Strong communication skills; ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

TO QUALIFY FOR THE COMPETITIVE ASSESSMENT PROCESS, YOU MUST MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS BY FULFILLING ONE OF THE PATTERNS LISTED BELOW (I-II).

EITHER I
Experience: The equivalent of one-year full-time experience as a Junior Engineer/Geologist, Zone 7.
OR II

Education: Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Civil Engineering, Geology or a closely related field. (Possession of a valid State of California Engineer-In-Training certificate may be substituted for the required degree.)

AND

Experience: The equivalent of two years' full-time, progressively responsible professional engineering/geologist experience. (Two summer credits in the class of Engineering Trainee, Zone 7, may be substituted for the equivalent of six months of the required experience.)

License: Possession of a valid California Driver's License may be required.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:
• Fundamental principles and practices of civil engineering as applied to a water agency, including design and construction, surveying and drafting, material engineering and soil mechanics and stress analysis.
• Principles of hydrology, hydraulics, hydrogeology and water resources management.
• Engineering economics.
• Construction methods, materials and equipment.
• Computer software applications related to engineering/geology.
• Applicable codes, regulations and standards relating to water resources and civil engineering.
• Project management and contract administration technique.

Ability to:
• Apply engineering principles and techniques to the study and evaluation of engineering/geological problems.
• Make accurate engineering computations.
• Inspect construction projects and existing facilities and conduct common tests of construction materials.
• Read, understand and interpret engineering/geological data, maps, survey notes, legal descriptions and other materials.
• Prepare clear, concise and accurate reports and correspondence.
• Maintain accurate data and records.
• Deal tactfully and effectively with the public, other agencies, developers, engineering firms and contractors and other employees.
• Accurately design simple projects or parts of complex projects.
• Draw detailed plans and write specifications.
• Independently analyze designs, plans, and procedures.
• Guide and direct the work of others.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
Must be willing and able to work in exposure to potential chemical, mechanical and electrical hazards and outdoors in all weather conditions. May be required to respond to emergencies in off-hours.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

  1. A review of applicants' application to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.
  2. A review of the supplemental questionnaire to determine the best qualified that will be weighted as qualifying only (pass/fail). Candidates who pass the best qualified exam component will move on to the final step in the examination process.
  3. An oral examination which will be weighted as 100% of the candidates' final examination score. The oral examination may be administered virtually and may contain situational exercises.

Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this recruitment.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

For more information on the Civil Service Selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance.

The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency:

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT PLAN
 Deadline for Filing:    5:00:00 p.m., Friday, November 21, 2025
 Review of Applications for Minimum Qualifications:  November 25, 2025
 Notification to applicants: December 1, 2025
 Review of Questionnaire for Best Qualified:  Week December 15, 2025
 Civil Service Oral Examination:  Week January 5, 2026
 Notification of Exam Results:  January 13, 2026
 TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN
 Department Selection Process:  Late January 2026
*The combined oral examination/hiring interview, in addition to establishing an eligibility list, may serve as the final selection interview for vacancies in this classification. Candidates selected to participate in the oral exam will receive an email notification at least 10 business days in advance of the exam date.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN.

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, Reasonable Accommodation | HRS.

BENEFITS

The County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall wellbeing.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

  • Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
  • Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
  • Vision or Vision Reimbursement
  • Share the Savings
  • Basic Life Insurance
  • Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
  • County Allowance Credit
  • Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
  • Short-Term Disability Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance
  • Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Long-Term Care, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
  • Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

  • Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
  • Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

  • 12 paid holidays
  • Floating Holidays
  • Vacation and sick leave accrual
  • Vacation purchase program
  • Catastrophic Sick Leave
  • Pet Insurance
  • Commuter Benefits Program
  • Guaranteed Ride Home
  • Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
  • Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
  • Child Care Resources
  • 1st United Services Credit Union

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

 

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org, @jobaps.com, acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the 'My applications' button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a county recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box Noreply@jobaps.com and Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions, please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.


Erika Beams, Human Resources Analyst 
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
Analyst Email Address Link: Erika.Beams@acgov.org | Phone: 510-272-6393
www.acgov.org/hrs

DISASTER SERVICE WORKER

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.