Principal Engineer - Water Pipeline Infrastructure
City of Santa Fe Springs
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
City of Santa Fe Springs seeks a Principal Engineer – Water Pipeline Infrastructure to serve as the agency's senior engineering leader. You will guide complex capital projects, drive asset management initiatives, and act as the technical authority on water pipeline infrastructure, including design standards and materials.
You will lead multidisciplinary teams, coordinate with contractors and regulators, and mentor staff while ensuring safety, quality, and regulatory adherence across programs.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in civil, environmental, mechanical engineering, or a related field is required.
- Graduate degree is preferred.
- Active California Professional Engineer license is required or equivalent.
Responsibilities
- Leads multi-phase capital projects from planning through construction closeout.
- Develops and implements asset management strategies and preventive maintenance plans.
- Provides expert recommendations and coordinates with contractors, regulators, and stakeholders.
- Mentors project and construction managers and ensures regulatory compliance.
- Leads technical discussions and reviews documents prepared by others.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Functional Competencies
The Principal Engineer – Water Pipeline Infrastructure serves as the Agency's senior individual contributor engineering role, providing expert technical leadership across complex capital projects, infrastructure repair and rehabilitation initiatives, and asset management programs. They lead multi-phase projects from planning through construction closeout, develop and implement Agency-wide asset management strategies and emergency response protocols, and function as the Agency's technical authority on water pipeline infrastructure including but not limited to design standards, materials, etc. Responsibilities include leading technical evaluation teams, facilitating coordination across multidisciplinary teams, and representing the Agency in technical discussions with contractors, regulatory agencies, stakeholders, and customers. The Principal Engineer works under the general direction of the Engineering Manager.
Functional Competencies
- Anticipates and mitigates potential project risks.
- Leads root cause analysis and develops innovative or cross-disciplinary solutions.
- Makes well-justified decisions under pressure.
- Oversees large, complex, or multi-phase capital projects.
- Develops and executes project delivery plans, risk management strategies, and QA/QC programs.
- Resolves high-level construction issues, including claims, disputes, and change negotiations.
- Ensures alignment with agency goals, regulatory mandates, and funding conditions; mentors project and construction managers.
- Leads technical evaluation teams.
- Performs in-depth assessments of complex or innovative designs, value engineering proposals, and contract compliance.
- Provides expert recommendations.
- Leads complex pipeline system projects involving advanced materials, trenchless technologies, or large-scale renewals/replacements.
- Develops and implements asset management strategies, preventive maintenance plans, and emergency response protocols.
- Leads technical discussions with contractors, regulatory agencies, and the Agency customers.
- Reviews and edits technical documents prepared by others.
- Facilitates coordination between multidisciplinary teams.
- Ensures all projects comply with applicable local, state, and federal requirements, including but not limited to SWRCB DDW.
- Leads CADD, GIS, and/or other engineering software applications for complex water system analysis and decision support.
- Develops custom tools, dashboards, or workflows to support asset management, risk assessments, and capital planning.
- Coordinates data integration with other systems (e.g., CMMS, SCADA).
- Listens actively and asks clarifying questions.
- Communicates clearly, concisely and respectfully to coworkers and customers.
- Manages emotions constructively in routine and stressful situations.
- Follows through on commitments and updates others when plans change.
- Adheres to policies, safety standards, and procedures.
- Owns mistakes and takes corrective action.
- Shares information and resources proactively.
- Recognizes and values others' expertise and responsibilities; seeks input when needed.
- Offers and requests help during high-demand or cross-team tasks.
- Adapts to new processes, technologies, and priorities.
- Identifies, suggests and helps implement improvement opportunities.
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in civil engineering, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, or a related field is required.
- A graduate degree in one of the above-mentioned fields is preferred.
- 8 years minimum of progressively responsible professional engineering experience is required, including at least 3 years leading complex or multi-phase capital projects.
- Experience in the planning, design, and implementation of water pipeline infrastructure projects, including asset management, is preferred.
- Valid California Class C driver’s license and current automobile insurance are required.
- Active Professional Engineering License, State of California is required.
- Work in an office setting, primarily sitting, occasionally standing and walking
- Operate standard office equipment, including computer, keyboard, mouse, monitor
- Read printed materials and digital text and images
- Occasionally lift, carry, push or pull materials up to 60 pounds with the use of proper equipment
- Operate a motor vehicle to visit various Agency sites
- Work outside at infrastructure or construction sites, occasionally in cramped spaces, walking in operational areas, sometimes with uneven terrain and exposure to noise, dust, cold or hot weather, etc.
- Follow strict safety procedures and risk mitigation measures
- Occasionally may be required to interact with Agency customers or members of the public
This position can be hybrid—typically with three days a week in the office at 13846 Conference Center Drive, Apple Valley, CA—if the employee qualifies under Mojave Water Agency’s Remote Work Policy. In-office presence is expected on a flexible basis, depending upon departmental needs and in coordination with the Engineering Manager. Remote work isn’t guaranteed and may change over time.
- PERS Retirement: 2% at age 62 calculated as average of highest 3 consecutive years of pay, 5-year vesting
- (Prior Public Service before 2013 is 2% at age 55 calculated on highest annual salary - without a 6-month gap in service)
- Flexible Benefits Package $36,705.76 annually to go towards:
- Medical Insurance: Choice of PPO or HMO Plan
- Deferred Compensation 457(b) plan (pre-tax and post-tax options)
- Employee cost share of CalPERS
- Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) Plan available
- Additional amounts beyond what is provided in the Flexible Benefits Package may be contributed by employee to Deferred Compensation 457(b) plan (pre-tax and post-tax options)
- 5% of base pay rate placed into 401 (a) account by Agency
- Vacation: 10 days per year, maxing out at 20 days per year, based on years of service
- Vacation pay out option available
- 40 hours of flex time leave per fiscal year
- Paid Holidays: 14 days per year
- Sick leave: 12 days per year
- Life, Dental and Vision Insurance: 100% paid by Agency for employee and dependent(s)
- Tuition Reimbursement up to IRS non-taxable amount per IRC Section 127, after 12 months of employment
- Employee Assistance Program
- Long-Term Disability: 100% premium paid by Agency with coverage of up to 66 2/3% of salary allowable income in coordination with State Plans
- Interest Free Computer Loan Program up to $3,000 after 12 months of employment
- Professional development, seminars and conferences
- 9/80 Work Schedule
The Agency does not participate in the Social Security program, except for the mandatory 1.45% Medicare contribution.
01. How many years of professional __________ experience do you have?
- No experience
- Less than 5 years of experience
- At least 5 years but less than 8 years of experience
- 8 or more years of experience
02. Which statement below best describes the highest level of education you have completed?
- High school graduate, diploma or the equivalent (GED)
- Associate degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Master's degree
- Professional degree
- Doctorate degree
03. Describe a large, complex, or multi-phase capital project you led. How did you develop and execute the project delivery plan, manage risk, manage schedule, and resolve high-level issues such as claims, disputes, or regulatory conflicts?
04. Describe a complex pipeline infrastructure or rehabilitation program you led. How did you balance technical, operational, and long-term asset management considerations?
05. Tell us about a time you had to communicate a complex engineering issue or recommendation to non-technical decision-makers. How did you frame the information and how did it influence the outcome?
06. Describe a significant process, program, or technical approach you introduced or redesigned that improved how infrastructure work was planned or delivered at your organization. What drove the change and what were the results?
- Required Question
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