Public Works Civil Engineer III

The County of San Luis Obispo is offering an exciting career opportunity for Engineers III to join our APWA-accredited Public Works Department, which currently has seven Engineer vacancies across five divisions:

• Water Resources
• Development Services
• Design and Construction
• Water Utilities
• Project Delivery

A California Professional Civil Engineering License is highly desirable for the Engineer III position.

This division manages the development of water supply and flood management technical studies, sustainability plans, and public engagement programs. Engineers in the division are responsible for leading the following efforts:

• Water Supply and Infrastructure Optimization
  : developing feasibility studies and alternatives analysis to optimize existing infrastructure and develop new water supplies.
• Flood and Drainage Management
  : identifying current and projected drainage and flood issues and developing strategic, science‑based solutions.
• Initial Implementation
  : leading or supporting development of cooperative agreements, governance structures, and funding mechanisms.
• Technical Oversight and Consultant Management
  : developing and managing scopes, schedules, and budgets for technical consultants; providing strategic direction and reviewing outputs.
• Public Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement
  : communicating findings and recommendations to facilitate transparent decision‑making with elected officials, partner agencies, regulatory entities, community groups, and the public.

We seek a staff‑level engineer with technical knowledge in land‑use water supply and demand analysis, groundwater and watershed modeling, and alternatives analysis and implementation of water supply and flood/drainage projects/programs.

Leadership skills such as collaborative negotiation, team facilitation, public speaking, and engagement are essential, as well as integrity, reliability, and a solutions‑focused mindset.

Contact
:
Angela Ford, 805‑781‑5139,

Representative duties include (in addition to those listed in the description for Engineer III):

• Engineering review of development plans including drainage and flood control, water supply, wastewater disposal, and post‑construction stormwater.
• Reviewing subdivision applications, improvement plans, road widening plans, land‑use permits, and encroachment permits for consistency with County standards.
• Coordinating and participating in meetings with project applicants and consulting engineers.
• Conducting field inspections for managed projects.
• Interacting with customers by face‑to‑face, phone, and email to answer questions and process projects.

The ideal candidates will demonstrate:

• Self‑motivation to manage workload and improve processes.
• Clear articulation of County standards and policies with a collaborative communication style.
• High level of customer service in a responsive manner under pressure.
• A desire for public service.

Contact
: JR Beard, 805‑781‑4073,

Engineers in this division are part of a 20‑person office and field staff team. Positions may be office‑based design engineer or field‑based construction engineer.

• Design Engineer
  : develop plans; produce quantity/engineer estimates and technical specifications for construction contracts.
• Construction Engineer
  : ensure contractor compliance, consultant management, and contract compliance.

Design engineers should have extensive AutoCAD/Civil 3D experience and be comfortable with office design and occasional field visits. Construction engineers should have strong knowledge of public entity contracts (especially Caltrans) and field work experience.

Contact:
Ryan Monie, 805‑781‑5523,

We have an immediate opening for a Water Systems Engineer III. The division manages water supply operations, maintenance, and capital improvements for water treatment plants, distribution systems, dams, reservoirs, and wholesale distribution systems.

• Provide engineering support for operation and maintenance of water, reservoir, and flood‑management infrastructure.
• Track water deliveries, update master plans, perform hydraulic modeling and capacity studies; identify capital improvement…