ASST CHIEF ENGINEER OF SEWERS

City of Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 125,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Chicago invites applications for the Assistant Chief Engineer of Sewers, a senior engineering leadership role within the Department of Water Management. Two positions will direct planning, design, and administration of sewer construction and repair projects.

The role oversees capital improvement programs and sewer planning and records, ensuring regulatory compliance, quality control, and coordination with other city departments and external contractors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or a directly related field with 6 years civil engineering experience, 2 years in supervision
• Master's degree or higher in Civil Engineering with 5 years civil engineering experience, 2 years in supervision
• Registration as a Professional Engineer (R.P.E.) in Illinois at time of employment
• Some positions require a valid Illinois driver's license

Responsibilities

• Directs and assigns engineering and inspection personnel to specific projects
• Oversees planning, design, and administration of sewer construction and repair projects
• Reviews plans, permits, and reports for sewer work and ensures compliance with Municipal Code
• Coordinates with private contractors, other City departments, and external agencies
• Attends meetings and negotiates/addresses sensitive issues related to sewer projects

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related field

Master's degree or higher in Civil Engineering or related field

Job description

ASST CHIEF ENGINEER OF SEWERS

Job Number: 416174

Department of Water Management

Number of Positions: 2

(Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)

Starting Salary: GY14 $130,560.00/year

Applications for this position will be accepted from 9/1/26 until 11:59pm CDT on 9/15/26.

Functions as a lead engineer or second-in-charge of the bureau by directing the planning, design, implementation, and administration of engineering activities pertaining to sewer construction and repair projects, and performs related duties as required.

There will be two positions. One position will be responsible for the implementation of the department's sewer capital improvement programing including overseeing the design and construction of sewer improvement projects. The other position will oversee the sewer planning and records efforts and regulatory compliance requirements.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Manages professional engineers involved in construction and repair plan reviews including the examination of designs, specifications, layouts and other sewer construction documentation
• Assists in the development of the strategic direction of the division to ensure that objectives and performance measures are consistent with departmental, City, and service expectations
• Supervises the examination and appraisal of plans and the issuance of permits for sewer construction and repair work
• Consults with private contractors regarding the preparation of plans for sewers in public streets
• Explains specifications and requirements regarding sewer construction work as outlined by the Municipal Code
• Reviews and evaluates final reports of special engineering assignments
• Makes changes and recommends modifications in final reports prior to submission to management
• Directs and assigns engineering and inspectional personnel to specific projects, as required
• Conducts periodic field inspections of work in progress to examine or resolve issues with sewer jurisdiction declarations, cross connections, storm water encroachments or public versus private sewer decisions
• Supervises the preparation of engineering reports, detailing the progress of all work within the sewer group to management
• Assists in the selection, supervision, training and evaluates the performance of assigned staff
• Attends meetings with other City departments, elected officials and outside agencies; explains and justifies approved projects, department policies and activities; and negotiates and resolves sensitive, significant and controversial issues

Additional duties may be required for this position.

Location: 1000 E Ohio, St, JWPP, +51

Days: Monday-Friday

Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM

THIS POSITION IS NOT CAREER SERVICE

Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or a directly related field, plus six (6) years of civil engineering work experience, of which two (2) years are in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position, OR

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree or higher in Civil Engineering or a directly related field, plus five (5) years of civil engineering work experience, of which two (2) years are in a supervisory role related to the responsibilities of the position.

Registration as a Professional Engineer (R.P.E.). At the time of employment, positions must have obtained Registration as a Professional Engineer (R.P.E.) in the State of Illinois.

Some positions require a valid State of Illinois driver's license.

Selection Requirements

This position requires the successful completion of an online application and an initial screening process. Applicants who meet the established screening criteria may be invited to participate in one or more assessments designed to evaluate the knowledge, skills, or competencies relevant to the role and an interview. Candidates who successfully complete all required assessment components may be invited to take part in a structured interview using a standardized set of questions.

APPLICATION EVALUATION: Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

Commitment to Diversity

To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity, Military Friendly, and Fair Chance Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor