Prevailing Wage & Payroll Administrator

BKF; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 87,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus opportunities

Profit sharing

401(k)

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Education reimbursement

Professional dues

Job summary

BKF Engineers is seeking an experienced Prevailing Wage & Payroll Administrator to support payroll operations for employees on prevailing wage and public works projects. This role ensures accurate and timely pay by maintaining wage rates, validating assignments, and processing fringe benefits.

Responsibilities include administering CA prevailing wage payroll, reviewing classifications, maintaining rate tables, reconciling payroll, and coordinating with HR, Finance, and Project Accounting to

Qualifications

• 5+ years of payroll processing experience.
• 3+ years of experience processing prevailing wage.
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, HR, or related field.
• Experience with California prevailing wage payroll.
• Strong knowledge of prevailing wage laws, classifications, fringe benefits, overtime, apprenticeship requirements, and rate changes.
• Ability to interpret wage determinations and maintain payroll rate tables.
• Experience auditing payroll, reconciling, and processing adjustments.
• Experience with ERP and payroll platforms such as Deltek Vantagepoint (VP), UKG, or equivalent systems.
• Experience processing payroll for a large organization (500+ employees).
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Process and administer California prevailing wage payroll.
• Ensure compliance with wage determinations, classifications, fringe benefits, overtime, and apprenticeship requirements.
• Maintain payroll records, rate tables, and payroll system data.
• Validate employee classifications, project assignments, and labor allocations.
• Process payroll corrections, retroactive adjustments, true-ups, and fringe payments.
• Calculate and administer fringe benefits and CAC apprenticeship contributions.
• Review, audit, and reconcile payroll for accuracy and compliance.
• Collaborate with Payroll, HR, Finance, Project Accounting, and Operations to resolve payroll issues.
• Support labor compliance reviews, audits and regulatory reporting.
• Support multi-state payroll processing and ensure employees are paid accurately and on schedule.
• Support payroll tax compliance requirements, including payroll tax reporting, reconciliations, filings, and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.

Skills

Payroll processing

Prevailing wage

ERP systems

Excel

Multi-state payroll

Analytical skills

Education

Associate or Bachelor degree

Tools

Deltek Vantagepoint

UKG

Job description

BKF is a multi-service infrastructure consulting firm providing civil engineering and surveying services across California, the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. With offices throughout California and the Portland area, BKF has served transportation, water resources, land development, government, and federal clients for over 110 years.

At BKF, you’ll find a unique opportunity to grow your career with intention. Our culture values professional autonomy, innovation, and meaningful collaboration across offices. We are proud to be recognized with the Great Place to Work certification for the second year in a row.

BKF Engineers is seeking an experienced Prevailing Wage & Payroll Administrator to support payroll operations for employees working on prevailing wage and public works projects. This role is responsible for ensuring prevailing wage employees are paid accurately and timely by maintaining wage rates in payroll systems, validating employee and project assignments, reviewing payroll calculations, administering fringe benefits and apprenticeship contributions, and resolving payroll discrepancies.

Essential Responsibilities

• Process and administer California prevailing wage payroll.
• Ensure compliance with wage determinations, classifications, fringe benefits, overtime, and apprenticeship requirements.
• Maintain payroll records, rate tables, and payroll system data.
• Validate employee classifications, project assignments, and labor allocations.
• Process payroll corrections, retroactive adjustments, true‑ups, and fringe payments.
• Calculate and administer fringe benefits and CAC apprenticeship contributions.
• Review, audit, and reconcile payroll for accuracy and compliance.
• Collaborate with Payroll, HR, Finance, Project Accounting, and Operations to resolve payroll issues.
• Support labor compliance reviews, audits and regulatory reporting.
• Support multi‑state payroll processing and ensure employees are paid accurately and on schedule.
• Support payroll tax compliance requirements, including payroll tax reporting, reconciliations, filings, and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of payroll processing experience.
• 3+ years of experience processing prevailing wage.
• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, Human Resources, or a related field.
• Experience with California prevailing wage payroll.
• Strong knowledge of prevailing wage laws, classifications, fringe benefits, overtime, apprenticeship requirements, and rate changes.
• Ability to interpret wage determinations and maintain payroll rate tables.
• Experience auditing payroll, performing reconciliations, and processing payroll adjustments.
• Experience with ERP and payroll platforms such as Deltek Vantagepoint (VP), UKG, or equivalent systems.
• Experience processing payroll for a large organization with 500+ employees.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem‑solving abilities.
• High level of accuracy and confidentiality.
• Experience processing multi‑state payroll.
• Experience with overall payroll administration.
• Experience supporting payroll tax compliance requirements.

Benefits & Compensation

• The typical base salary range for this position is $87,141.60 – $116,688 annually, depending upon skills, experience, education, and geographic location. This is a salaried position paid on a biweekly basis.

• Competitive salary, year-end bonus opportunities, profit sharing, and 401(k).

• Generous paid time off packages.

• 9 paid holidays annually.

• Education reimbursement programs.

• Paid annual dues for professional and industry organizations.

• BKF offers competitive and award-winning benefits and perks. Learn more at BKF Benefits.

BKF Engineers provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

BKF Engineers does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement and a specific solicitation for the position or other approved engagement request with BKF Engineers, BKF Engineers reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited submittals are made at the sole risk of the recruiter or agency.