Assistant / Associate Engineer- Utilities

Carlsbad -The Community:

This nearly 40 square mile city is ideally situated in north San Diego County with an approximate population of 115,000. It offers a great climate, beautiful beaches, lagoons and abundant natural open space. World class resorts, family attractions, well planned neighborhoods, a diverse business sector and a charming village atmosphere combine to create the ideal California experience.

You belong in Carlsbad:

The City of Carlsbad embraces diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and recognizes the vital relationship of a culturally diverse, engaged work environment and innovative excellence. A diverse, equitable and inclusive work climate comprises personal experiences, values, and views shaped from differences of culture and circumstance. Our organization appreciates belonging, creativity, recognition and retention of its employees and is committed to hiring and developing motivated, productive and talented employees who provide services and enhance our quality of life. We work to embrace open and equitable access to opportunities for learning and development as our responsibility and goal.

The Public Works Branch is responsible for planning, providing and maintaining infrastructure that supports Carlsbad's excellent quality of life. The branch includes a variety of departments including Environmental Sustainability, Fleet & Facilities, Construction Management & Inspection, Transportation and Utilities. More than 195 full-time equivalent staff support the branch which also has an annual total budget of over $123 million, along with a total Capital Improvement Program (CIP) appropriation of over $110 million

The Division:

The Utilities Division of the City's Public Works Department is responsible for the planning, design, maintenance, and operation of Carlsbad's potable water and recycled water distribution systems and its wastewater collection & conveyance systems. You will be part of a dedicated engineering team managing a variety of utilities projects, sometimes independently or with a great team. The duties include planning, design, project management and oversight during construction of Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) focusing on sewer, water and recycled water infrastructure.

The City of Carlsbad is currently seeking an engineering professional to fill the role of a Utilities Engineer. This position may be filled at the Assistant or Associate level. This is an exciting opportunity to work within the Utilities Division of the City's Public Works Department, helping the city with its capital improvement project and operations/ maintenance programs. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a strong capability in the areas of resourcefulness, creativity and innovation; think "outside the box", and propose creative ideas and solutions to the complicated and rewarding projects we face on a daily basis.

The job level of an Engineering Professional is determined by two factors. The first is "business need" to have a job performed at a certain level, as defined by the specific responsibilities designed into the role, and how the organization is structured. The second is that the job incumbent must possess the knowledge, skills and abilities to function at the assigned professional level, as demonstrated by their work and contributions.

• Design and prepare plans, specifications, estimates, and agreements and contracts for City of Carlsbad and Carlsbad Municipal Water District projects including maintenance and operations (M&O) projects in assigned area

• Perform professional civil engineering work, independently or under the direction of a registered professional engineer, at the planning, design and constructions stages
• Perform project management activities in the technical areas assigned, including the preparation of budgets and schedules using standard good practices of project and program management
• Assist in the administration of contracts for the City's Capital Improvement Projects and M&O projects to ensure completion within scope, schedule, budget and regulatory compliance:
  • Review and approve invoices related to projects assigned.
• Coordinate utility engineering projects with other City departments, public agencies and utility companies to avoid potential conflicts
• Work closely with external consultants, contractors, suppliers, vendors and regulatory agencies to support to implement and oversee department policies and objectives
• Coordinate project scoping, design and implementation; prepare requests for proposals for services; meet with consultants to discuss concepts of general requirements for projects; assist in the selection of consultants:
  • Coordinate and evaluate consultants' work; prepare periodic reports and updates.
• Participate in the development of standard engineering specifications, criteria and procedures:
  • Provide technical assistance to field operations, other city departments, and the general public interpreting city ordinances, policies, regulations and procedures.
  • Ensure conformance with City of Carlsbad policies and standards.

Ability To:

• Perform technical engineering work of a complex nature with a minimum of supervision.
• Take initiative and be innovative within all aspects of the position.
• Establish and maintain cooperative relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Learn the organizational structure of the city and the roles and responsibilities of functions related to this position.
• Use computer software for the preparation of project related documents and for project management tasks. Experience in the following is highly desirable:
  • Microsoft Office Suite including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft Project, and Outlook
  • AutoCAD for computer-aided drafting and engineering design and the preparation of plans
  • Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the preparation of maps and exhibits and analysis of geospatial data

Assistant Engineer:
An equivalent combination of the education and experience listed below:

• Bachelors degree in engineering or a closely related field, from an accredited college or university,
  • Minimum of two years of related work experience
    • A master's degree in engineering or a related field may be substituted for work experience
• Engineer-In-Training Certificate
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate valid California Drivers License

• All of the education requirements for the Assistant Engineer AND:
  • Minimum of five years of related experience
  • Masters degree in engineering or a related field may be substituted for work experience

• Registration as a Professional Civil Engineer
• Experience with:
  • Pressurized pipes and gravity systems
  • Municipal utility-related capital projects delivery