Senior Engineer

Overview

Under direction, a Senior Engineer schedules, lays out, monitors, supervises, and participates in the work of professional, technical, and clerical staff assigned to the Engineering Department; performs highly complex public works civil engineering; represents the City in the administration of contracts and the enforcement of City engineering standards; and performs related work as required.

Positions in this class serve as working supervisors and section heads over assigned personnel engaged in civil engineering work. Incumbents have responsibility to assign, schedule, and review work of subordinate staff while personally performing the more complex and responsible work of the unit. Positions in this class exercise supervision over other employees, making assignments, setting priorities, training, and reviewing the work of subordinates.

Incumbents in this class have considerable independence in selecting work methods from a variety of standard methods or procedures. Incumbents are expected to resolve most engineering problems confronted through the application of judgment and professional knowledge/experience.

Schedules, lays out, monitors, supervises, trains, and evaluates the work of assigned personnel engaged in civil engineering work; supervises the operation of an engineering section within the Engineering Department, involving development review, capital improvements, construction management, and inspection of public works improvements (such as streets, sewers, storm drains, and other structures and facilities); conducts plan checking, developer coordination and design review, construction administration, and public works inspections or review of private developer designs, traffic engineering, and special studies;

assigns, supervises, and evaluates the work of inspectors and other engineering personnel; develops public works requirements for private development; reviews and checks designs, plans, specifications, estimates, maps and improvement plans on public works projects; prepares written staff reports for presentation to City Council; prepares resolutions and ordinances for City Council; coordinates and supervises traffic studies and design, including development of public works standards and specifications;

prepares engineering studies and reports; receives and resolves difficult and unusual public complaints and requests, taking appropriate action; participates in right-of-way acquisition proceedings; consults with and aids other governmental agencies in engineering matters; instructs inspectors in preparation of contract change orders; analyzes design and construction conflicts and resolves conflicts when possible; composes correspondence to bonding companies, contractors, and developers; conducts traffic surveys and makes relevant calculations;

prepares specifications for City work projects; evaluates bids received for conformance with the contract documents and recommends construction contract award to the City Council or City Manager; attends and participates in conferences and meetings; operates City vehicles; and performs related work as required.

Possession of a valid certificate of registration as a Civil Engineer issued by the State Board of Registration for Civil and Professional Engineers.

• Street maintenance practices and procedures;
• Principles, practices, techniques and terminology of civil engineering as applied to public works;
• Applicable Federal, State, and municipal codes and regulations;
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation;
• Principles of supervision and training;
• Appropriate safety precautions and procedures;
• Advanced mathematics, including calculus;
• Budgeting and accounting methods;
• Advanced record keeping methods.

• Read and interpret technical engineering documents;
• Read and interpret blueprints, plot maps, and technical drawings;
• Develop and monitor project budgets;
• Analyze problems and prepare written and oral reports;
• Understand and carry out complex oral and written instructions;
• Establish and maintain advanced filing systems;
• Supervise, and plan and schedule work assignments for subordinates;
• Understand and carry out oral and written instructions;
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Any combination of training, education and experience which demonstrates an ability to perform the duties of the position. A typical qualifying entrance background is completion of college level course work leading to completion of a major in civil engineering, architecture or a closely related field; and working supervisory experience performing and supervising professional, civil engineering design, plan checking, contract administration or related public works engineering;

or experience at or equivalent to the level of Associate Engineer in the City of Vista, wherein the incumbent has acquired the knowledge and abilities listed above.