Senior Engineer ​/ Principal Engineer

Senior Engineer Position

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

The Senior Engineer is the fourth level in a five-level engineering series. Incumbents are responsible for performing professional-level engineering duties in managing small to moderately complex engineering projects. The Senior Engineer is distinguished from the Associate Engineer and the Engineer by the increased level of responsibility and complexity of assigned work. The Senior Engineer is distinguished from the Principal Engineer, which is responsible for managing larger-scale, more complex engineering projects.

The Principal Engineer is the fifth level in a five-level engineering series. Incumbents are responsible for managing large-scale, complex engineering projects. The Principal Engineer is distinguished from the Assistant Engineer, Associate Engineer, Engineer, and Senior Engineer by responsibility for serving as project manager on the District's most complex engineering projects and providing advanced technical leadership.

Examples of duties include managing engineering projects from planning through design, permitting, bidding, construction, and project closeout; planning, organizing, and coordinating project scope, schedules, budgets, consultant services, and construction activities; reviewing engineering designs, plans, specifications, calculations, technical reports, and consultant work products for technical accuracy and compliance with District standards; developing requests for proposals; evaluating consultant qualifications and technical proposals; negotiating scopes of work;

and managing consultant contracts. Other duties include monitoring project progress, budgets, schedules, and expenditures; ensuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, permits, environmental requirements, and District policies; providing engineering analyses, technical recommendations, and professional advice to management, project teams, and other District departments; preparing and presenting technical reports, agenda items, presentations, correspondence, and recommendations to management, committees, regulatory agencies, and the Board of Directors, as assigned;

conducting field inspections and observing construction activities to ensure compliance with approved plans, specifications, contract requirements, and safety standards; coordinating with regulatory agencies, consultants, contractors, utilities, and stakeholders throughout project development and implementation; assisting in developing, administering, and monitoring capital improvement and departmental budgets; providing technical guidance and mentoring to engineering staff and may review the work of lower-level engineers;

handling job stress; interacting effectively with others in the workplace; following all workplace and job safety rules and policies; performing other duties of a similar nature or level as required; directing engineering research and pilot studies; writing and administering grant and loan applications; pursuing research funding opportunities; managing specialized groundwater treatment and water resource projects; preparing and administering capital improvement program budgets;

evaluating existing infrastructure and recommending rehabilitation or replacement strategies; developing engineering standards, specifications, and design criteria; providing technical tours and outreach presentations; and reviewing and recommending alternative project delivery methods and engineering solutions.

Typical qualifications include knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and permitting requirements; advanced engineering principles, practices, and design standards; engineering economics and life-cycle cost analysis; project management principles and methodologies; construction principles, methods, inspection practices, and contract administration; capital project planning, scheduling, budgeting, and cost control techniques; risk assessment and mitigation strategies; documentation and technical report preparation methods;

applicable engineering software, modeling tools, and technologies; procurement and consultant contract administration; public works design and construction practices; and ability and skills in managing multiple engineering projects simultaneously; planning, organizing, and prioritizing complex engineering assignments; reading and interpreting engineering plans, specifications, and technical documents; reviewing engineering calculations and consultant work for technical accuracy; developing project scopes, schedules, budgets, and technical specifications;

conducting engineering studies and preparing technical reports; inspecting construction projects and resolving field issues; analyzing technical information and developing practical engineering solutions;…