Senior Engineer

* Note on Salary: Effective the first pay period of January 2026, this position will receive a 3% base salary increase, including up to an additional 1% based on CPI.

The City of Goleta seeks qualified applicants to fill one (1) vacancy for the position of Senior Engineer.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is a registered Professional Engineer responsible for planning, organizing, and overseeing a wide range of engineering projects while directing the work of assigned staff. They perform a full range of complex professional engineering and program management duties that require knowledge of engineering related to program requirements, including land development, planning, design standards and regulations, and construction.

ABOUT THE POSITION

This position directs and oversees the preparation of plans, specifications, estimates, and reports for the construction of public works improvement projects, performs complex design and inspection work, and approves engineering plans for accuracy, detail, and conformance with established policies and design standards. In addition, the position conducts special studies, prepares comprehensive reports, oversees and manages consultants, and performs other related duties as required.

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Public Works Department is comprised of seven divisions, including Administration, Transportation and Development Engineering, Capital Improvement Program, Parks & Open Space, Streets Maintenance, Street Lighting, and Environmental Services.

For more information about the City of Goleta and the department, visit www.cityofgoleta.org

The following duties are typical for positions in this classification. Incumbents may not perform all listed job functions, nor are all listed duties necessarily performed by everyone in this class depending upon business need and changing business practices:

• Supervises, plans, trains, and reviews the work of City staff and/or consultants responsible for performing professional and technical level engineering and inspection duties in support of the City's engineering services and activities; conducts and prepares performance evaluations for assigned employees.
• Participates in the development of goals and objectives as well as policies and procedures; makes recommendations for changes and improvements to existing standards, polices, and procedures; participates in the implementation of approved policies and procedures; monitors work activities to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures. Prepares various grant applications and administers state and federal grants.
• Verifies the work of assigned employees and consultants for accuracy, proper work methods, techniques, and compliance with applicable standards and specifications; ensures adherence to safe work practices and procedures.
• Prepares and evaluates requests for proposals relating to projects requiring contract engineering work; participates in the reviewing and selection of consultants; reviews plans and other documents prepared by consulting/engineering firms and evaluates their performance; ensures plan check comments are in accordance with engineering practices and City requirements advises regarding construction contract modifications and negotiates contract changes.
• Oversees and participates in reviewing preliminary plans for future projects as necessary.
• Responds to questions and inquiries from the general public, developers, contractors, engineering professionals, and City staff regarding engineering and development projects.
• Oversees and participates in preparing a variety of engineering reports, studies, and technical documentation and correspondence related to engineering projects and other specialized studies; utilizes specialized engineering applications, databases, programs, and graphics.
• Coordinates assigned activities with consultants, engineers, developers, contractors, other City departments and divisions, and outside agencies.
• Identifies, secures, and administers outside funding for projects.
• Attends and participates in professional group meetings; attends and makes presentations to City committees and commissions; stays abreast of new trends and innovations in the field of civil engineering design and construction management.
• Performs related duties as required.

When Assigned to Capital Improvement Engineering:

• Oversees and participates in preparing designs and specifications for assigned projects in streets, lighting, storm drainage, right-of-way, traffic, landscape, structures, and related areas; develops engineering drawings, construction plans, specifications, contract documents, bid documents, calculations, and cost estimates for proposed projects; researches project design requirements; prepares estimates of time and material costs.
• Initiates and conducts engineering studies to identify public works, road, drainage, traffic, right- of-way, structures; revises design and construction standards to improve methods, procedures and practices.
• Serves as resident engineer for complex projects during construction; conducts or oversees field inspections of construction sites to monitor progress and ensure conformance to engineering plans, specifications, and construction and safety standards; meets with contractors to resolve items of non-compliance; negotiates change orders; makes corrections or revisions to plans and provides input on conditions of approval; reviews and approves pay estimates; prepares project close-out documents.
• Participates in preparing the 5-year capital improvement program for City Council approval.
• Oversees and participates in performing survey work; prepares and reviews survey notes and calculations.
• Prepares and reviews legal descriptions and maps.
• Participates in acquiring permits from regulatory agencies and acquiring state and federal funding.

When Assigned to Land Development Engineering:

• Oversees and participates in performing plan check, review, and processing of plans and specifications for land development projects affecting City grading, streets, lighting, storm drainage, rights-of-way, traffic, and related areas; ensures compliance with professional and City standards and practices; provides information and investigates complaints and service requests; coordinates reviews with other departments and agencies.
• Oversees and participates in the reviewing and issuance of various permits including grading, encroachment, sewer connection, and special events permits; signs and approves improvement and grading plans and grading and encroachment permits of land development projects as necessary.
• Oversees and participates in preparing Conditions of Development for various land development projects; coordinates conditions from other divisions, departments, and outside agencies.
• Oversees and participates in reviewing and preparing legal descriptions of real property.
• Reviews environmental assessments, environmental impact reports, tract and parcel maps, variances and conditional use permits to ensure compliance with appropriate engineering regulations.

Education, Experience and Training

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

Education:

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

Experience:

• At least five years of experience in public works, engineering or construction management, including contract administration, plan review and coordination of funding sources.

License or Certification

• A valid certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors is required at the time of appointment.
• Possession of a valid Class "C" California driver's license and a satisfactory driving record may be required.

Knowledge and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of modern municipal Civil Engineering design and construction.
• Pertinent Federal, State and Local laws, codes, and regulations.
• Principles and practices of project management and construction administration.
• Methods, material and techniques used in the design and construction of public works projects.
• Principles of budget preparation and administration and capital project financing, particularly in a public agency.
• Preparation of grant reimbursement requests, particularly state and regional transportation funding procedures.
• CEQA and NEPA regulatory permitting processes associated with the design and construction of public works projects.
• Computer use, including word processing, data base management, spreadsheets, graphics, GIS and computer aided drafting.
• Principles of cost estimating and contract administration.
• Principals of supervision and training.

Ability to:

• Review plans, specifications, agreements, and contracts accurately.
• Understand and interpret engineering construction plans, specifications and other contract documents.
• Conduct comprehensive engineering studies and prepare reports with appropriate recommendations.
• Ensure project compliance with Federal, State and local rules, laws and regulations.
• Prepare and monitor project budgets.
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; understand and carry out verbal and written instructions.
• Operate and utilize computers; type and input data into computer terminal utilizing programs for word processing, data base management, spreadsheets, graphics, computer aided drafting and GIS applications.
• Operate a vehicle observing legal and defensive driving practices.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with City officials, employees, regulatory agencies, businesses, contractors and the public.
• Assist in the selection of professional planning and engineering consultants retained for the preparation of studies, reports and programs.
• Assist in the preparation of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and the evaluation of responses to RFPs.
• Attend meetings of the City Council, the Planning Agency, and various other boards, commissions, committees and other public organizations.
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and provide recommendations.
• Plan, organize and execute assignments independently and within established deadlines.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS/WORKING CONDITIONS

The physical and mental demands herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential job functions.

• Mental function: Includes reading, writing, mathematical computations, operating a computer, problem solving, managing multiple projects, calmly handling complaints and problems from irate citizens or contractors, decision making under stressful conditions, and executing assignments within established deadlines.
• Productivity: Incumbents must perform work in an efficient, effective and timely manner with minimal direction.
• Mobility: Incumbents must be able to stand, sit, walk, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and crawl. Hand-eye coordination is necessary to operate computers, and various types of office equipment. Incumbents may be required to perform light lifting and carrying.
• Vision: Vision sufficient to read small print, computer screens, and printed documents, and to operate assigned equipment.
• Hearing: Incumbents are required to hear in the normal audio range withor withoutcorrection.
• Environment: Ability to be exposed to inclement weather and conditions including cold, heat, noise, outdoors, vibrations, chemicals, mechanical and electrical hazards.
• Other factors: Incumbents may be required to work extended hours including evenings and weekends. Incumbents may be required to travel outside City boundaries to attend meetings.