Principal Engineer

The Utilities Department is seeking a versatile professional with a solid background in wet utilities design and a commitment to continuous process improvement. The ideal candidate is comfortable leading teams, overseeing multiple projects, and collaborating across disciplines to drive successful project outcomes.

If you want to join a hardworking team that shares a commitment to provide top-quality municipal services in a prime North County location, consider a career with the City of Escondido. We have an opening for the position of Principal Engineer in our Utilities Department/Wastewater Division. For a complete listing of job duties and qualifications, please refer to the corresponding job description, which can be obtained from the Human Resources Department or downloaded from the City’s website.

Under general direction, supervises, assigns, reviews, and participates in the work of staff responsible for major and minor engineering, development, and/or construction projects; ensures work quality and adherence to established policies and procedures; and performs a full range of advanced level professional engineering duties involved in completing the more technical and complex tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Plans, prioritizes, assigns, supervises, reviews, and participates in the work of staff responsible for major and minor engineering, development, and/or construction projects including projects in the private development sector, Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects, and federally funded projects.
• As assigned, oversees the Engineering Design Section including the preparation of survey requests, environmental initial studies forms, project design including computer drafting of plans, bid specifications, engineering elements of projects as required, bid documents, and City Council agenda items for award of bids; monitors all projects in design.
• As assigned, serves as project manager for federally funded projects including federally funded street improvement projects; prepares grant funding applications and budgets; develops project scope; prepares consultant agreements; coordinates, selects, and manages consultants; reviews plans, specifications, and estimates; coordinates project approvals; prepares and monitors project schedules.
• As assigned, serves as project manager and City representative for multi-agency programs and projects; prepares plans and correspondence; attends meetings and presents information; develops regional procedures.
• Establishes schedules and methods for providing assigned services; identifies resource needs; reviews needs with appropriate management staff; allocates resources accordingly.
• Participates in the development of goals and objectives as well as policies and procedures; makes recommendations for changes and improvements to existing standards, policies, and procedures; participates in the implementation of approved policies and procedures; monitors work activities to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Participates in the selection of assigned professional and paraprofessional staff as well as contractors and consultants; provides or coordinates staff training; works with employees to correct deficiencies; implements discipline procedures.
• Responds to and resolves citizen and staff inquiries, concerns, and complaints in a timely and effective manner.
• Performs the more technical and complex tasks of the work unit including preparing plans,…