Civil Engineer - Associate

Placer County is looking for registered civil engineers to design, develop, construct and maintain a large range of projects in both physical and natural built environments from conception through completion and beyond. You will have a say in how the project looks while working with dynamic teams whose goal is making a lasting positive impact to our community and environment.  

The Associate Civil Engineer for Placer County functions as a key part of a team that ensures the County’s infrastructure of its roads and bridges, flood control, air quality, water quality, and solid waste management systems are running effectively and able to adapt to infrastructure challenges associated with population growth, climate change, and natural disasters.  Our Civil Engineers not only find solutions to complex problems, they literally shape the community and environment we live in.  

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment will be used to fill current and future vacancies in the following service areas. If you have questions related to these individual assignments or about working for the County of Placer, please    e-mail jharned@placer.ca.gov. 

Public Works & Facilities/Environmental Utilities – Solid Waste and Wastewater Treatment

• Providing sewer, water, and garbage services to the unincorporated areas of Placer County. Civil Engineers design, plan, permit, monitor contracts, and recommend capital improvements to ensure regulatory compliance and service to the residents of the County. For information on Environmental Engineering and Utilities, please click HERE.
• One permanent full time vacancy is at the solid waste recycling and disposal site in South Placer County. For more information, please visit www.wpwma.com. Public tours of this site are scheduled for March 11, 2016 @ 4:00 PM and March 16, 2016 @ 7:00 AM.  A RSVP is required within 24 hours of the scheduled tour and can be made by e-mailing hwilden@placer.ca.gov

Public Works & Facilities/Transportation – Road and Bridges

• Ensuring safe, efficient transportation on roads throughout the unincorporated areas of Placer County. Civil Engineers apply their skills in engineering, design, and planning to survey sites for new roads, make plans for new roads and design maintenance schemes to make sure that the roads remain usable as well as safe, such as rails, warning signs, appropriate speed limits, and drainage. This position also oversees and manages multiple contracts related to construction and road maintenance. For more information, please click HERE.

Community Development Resource Agency - Engineering and Surveying

• Conducting reviews of private development plans and associated technical studies to assure development projects comply with CEQA mitigation measures, project Conditions of Approval, Federal/State/Local regulations and ordinances, design standards, and generally accepted engineering principles and practices. This assignment also conducts field review of grading and drainage activities to confirm conformance with regulations, ordinances, and general engineering principles as well responding to complaints by investigating and directing corrective actions as needed to bring property owners into compliance. For more information, please click HERE.

To plan, organize, direct and supervise assigned professional engineering activities; and to perform a variety of technical tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

The Supervisor level recognizes positions that perform full, first-line supervisory responsibilities including planning, assigning, and evaluating the work of subordinates and are responsible for a program area within a work unit or department.

Receives general direction from management personnel.

Exercises direct supervision over assigned professional, technical, and clerical personnel.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Recommend and assist in the implementation of assigned unit goals and objectives; establish schedules and methods for assigned area of responsibility; implement policies and procedures.
• Plan, prioritize, assign, supervise and review the work of staff involved in design, construction, land development, traffic engineering, transportation planning, solid waste management/landfill operation, dependent special district engineering/administration, or flood control district engineering/ administration.
• Evaluate operations and activities of assigned responsibilities; recommend improvements and modifications; prepare various reports on operations and activities.
• Perform highly complex and difficult professional engineering work requiring a high level of independent judgement and technical expertise; review computations and make decisions concerning difficult or complex engineering problems; approve engineering project designs.
• Participate in budget preparation and administration; prepare cost estimates for budget recommendations; submit justifications for staff and equipment; monitor and control expenditure.
• Participate in the selection of staff; provide or coordinate staff training; conduct performance evaluations; recommend discipline; implement discipline procedures as directed.
• Answer questions and provide information to the public; investigate complaints and recommend corrective action as necessary to resolve complaints. 
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

It is the applicant's responsibility to identify in their application materials how they meet the Minimum Qualifications listed below.

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: Two years of responsible professional engineering experience performing duties similar to an Assistant Engineer with Placer County.

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 depending on the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of civil engineering as applied to public works projects/programs within area of assigned unit responsibility.
• Computer software applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, databases, and project scheduling and management.
• Equipment, tools and materials used in civil engineering as applied to area of assigned responsibility.
• Principles of supervision, training and performance evaluations.
• Principles of budget monitoring.
• Principles and practices of work safety.
• Pertinent local, State and Federal laws, ordinances and rules.

Ability to:

• Organize, implement and direct professional engineering operations/activities within area of assigned responsibility.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job; intermittently analyze work papers, reports and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe and problem solve operational situations,  technical policies and procedures.
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk for long periods of time; intermittently, bend, squat, climb, kneel and twist while performing occasional field work; intermittently twist to reach equipment surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use telephone, and write or use a keyboard to communicate through written means; regularly lift heavy weight.
• Supervise, train and evaluate assigned staff.
• Interpret and explain pertinent County and department policies and procedures.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of an assigned program budget.
• Develop and recommend policies and procedures related to assigned operations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• 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.

All applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be required to respond to an online Conviction History Questionnaire, which will be sent as a link on their notification that minimum qualifications have been met.  Failure to respond to this questionnaire within (3) three calendar days of the minimum qualification notification will result in disqualification from the examination.

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 and/or be bonded.

All new permanent employees, with the exception of sworn law enforcement and management, shall be required to join the employee organization or pay an 'Agency Fee' as a condition of employment.

The eligible list(s) 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) 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 now 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 visit our website at: http://www.jobaps.com/placer/sup/abfreenames.asp

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 and retaliation is prohibited and that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All recruitment, hiring, transfer and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws or ordinance. Please contact the Personnel 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.

The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change.  It is advisable that applicants inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Personnel Department.

Click here to view benefits for Professional bargaining unit

This is a continuous recruitment and will be open until filled. To be considered for the first minimum qualification screening and round of interviews, submit you electronic application materials by 5:00 PM Sunday, March 20, 2016. Applications received after the first screening date will be processed on a weekly basis until the position is filled.