Civil Engineer - Senior

Introduction Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and  areas of South Placer, westward through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play and learn. For more information about Placer County, please visit www.placer.ca.gov.

The Community Development Resource Agency – Engineering and Surveying Division (ESD) is seeking a Senior Civil Engineer. The ESD is responsible for the review and oversight of grading, drainage, water quality, transportation, and site infrastructure improvements for private land development projects.  The ESD prepares California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documents, reviews projects and prepares conditions of approval, performs site improvement plan review and approval, issues Grading Permits, oversees permitted surface mining operations, assigns addresses, and reviews and records maps for the subdivision of land, within the unincorporated areas of Placer County.

This is an exciting leadership position that includes supervision of an engineering team dedicated to delivering improvement plan review and project facilitation. The position will have direct involvement with multiple County departments and divisions, as well as interfacing with developers, applicants, private engineers, and numerous agencies. The ideal candidate should possess a strong desire and technical engineering skill set to lead other County staff towards the delivery of successful projects along with a high comfort level and aptitude with oral and written communications to foster positive relationships internal and external to the County for the greater good of the communities we serve.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change.  Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

Click here to view Professional benefits

For more info regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer please visit Placer County’s Human Resources website.

To plan, organize, and direct professional engineering work related to the investigation, planning, design, construction, operations or maintenance of public infrastructure, systems, projects and/or development; to coordinate engineering functions with other divisions, departments or outside agencies; and to provide highly responsible technical support to management staff in the assigned department.

This level recognizes positions that provide full second-line, direct supervision to employees within a work section and/or assumes substantive and significant programmatic responsibility in a defined area or specialty.  This job class also provides high level engineering support to the assigned Department.

Receives general direction from the Deputy Director, Assistant Director or other assigned management staff of assigned department.

May exercise direct supervision over supervisory, professional, technical, and clerical personnel.

Exercises functional and technical supervision over assigned personnel.

• Provide supervision, leadership and direction to professional, technical and clerical staff in support of assigned department(s) and program(s); act as a resource to teams in providing engineering assistance and services.
• Consult with department director and other management staff in the formulation of administrative policies; develop, implement and maintain policies and procedures related to assigned area(s) of responsibility; participate in the development and maintenance of operating policies, procedures and manuals.
• Develop, recommend and implement section goals and objectives; establish schedules, performance methods and standards for engineering projects and practices; develop and implement policies and procedures.
• Plan, develop, oversee, review, approve and participate in engineering work of assigned section or area of work.
• Evaluate operations and activities of assigned unit; implement process improvements and modifications; prepare various reports on operations, activities and projects.
• Participate in budget preparation and administration; prepare cost estimates for budget recommendations; submit justifications for projects, equipment and staff; monitor and control expenditures.
• Participate in the selection of staff; coordinate staff training; conduct performance evaluations; recommend discipline; implement discipline procedures as directed.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Answer questions and provide information to the public; investigate complaints and recommend corrective action as necessary to resolve complaints.
• Represent assigned department/division/section to the public as well as other County employees and managers in a positive and productive manner.
• Make presentations at public meetings and hearings.
• Develop, oversee and participate in the management of professional services and/or construction contracts.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

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

Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible experience in engineering, including two years of supervisory responsibility.

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

License or Certificate:

• Possession of a Certificate of Registration as a Professional Engineer in an appropriate discipline as issued by the State of California.
• May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

NOTE:  Applicants receiving their degree outside the United States must submit proof of accreditation by a recognized evaluation agency.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of civil engineering.
• Pertinent local, State and Federal rules, regulations and laws.
• Basic principles and practices of County-wide operations and County administration and organization.
• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.
• Principles and practices of research, analysis and management.
• Budgeting procedures and techniques.
• Standard and accepted principles and practices of motivation, team building and conflict resolution.
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluations.
• Principles and practices of work safety.

Ability to:

• Organize, implement and direct engineering operations and/or activities.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of assigned job; intermittently analyze work papers, reports and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe and problem solve operational and technical policy and procedures.
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk for long periods of time; intermittently twist to reach equipment surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use a telephone, and communicate through written means; and occasionally lift moderate weight.
• Interpret and explain pertinent local, state, federal and department policies and procedures. 
• Perform the most complex work of the unit.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of an assigned program budget.
• Develop and recommend policies and procedures related to assigned operations.
• Plan, supervise, train and evaluate the work activities of supervisory and/or professional, technical and clerical staff; act as a positive and effective team member.
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions; project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.