Project Engineer - Civil Land Development

BKF Engineers; Salinas (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salaries

Profit sharing

401(k)

Generous paid time off

Flexible schedules

Education reimbursement

Paid annual dues for professional organizations

Job summary

A multi-service infrastructure consulting firm is seeking a Project Engineer for their Salinas, CA office. The role focuses on site development design and coordination, requiring at least 3 years of relevant experience and expertise in AutoCAD Civil 3D. The ideal candidate will also have strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams. This position offers a competitive salary and numerous benefits, including flexible schedules and education reimbursement.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in land development, site design, and utility systems.
• EIT certification is highly preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and coordinate site development projects for residential and commercial.
• Prepare grading and drainage plans per compliance standards.
• Develop construction specifications, quantity takeoffs, and cost estimates.

Skills

Land development design

Geometric calculations

Technical communication

Collaboration

Education

B.S. in Civil Engineering or a related field from an ABET-accredited program

Tools

AutoCAD Civil 3D

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.

We're seeking a Project Engineer for our Salinas, CA office. The ideal candidate will have a few years of industry experience and a strong technical Civil 3D foundation in land development design and civil engineering. This role involves independently applying standard engineering principles to a variety of projects, from small‑scale developments to major infrastructure efforts. Candidates should be confident performing geometric calculations and design tasks with minimal supervision. This position also offers opportunities to professionally develop, mentor junior staff, and provide technical support throughout all project phases.

Responsibilities

• Design and coordination of site development projects for residential, commercial, mixed‑use, and public works developments.
• Preparation of grading and drainage plans in compliance with local and regional standards.
• Design of utility systems including water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure.
• Preparation of technical reports, master planning studies, and entitlement support documents.
• Development of construction specifications, quantity takeoffs, and cost estimates.
• Site layout planning including parking, access, and circulation design.
• Integration of sustainable design elements such as low‑impact development (LID) and green infrastructure.
• Application of federal, state, city, and county codes and permitting requirements.
• Preparation of conceptual design studies and feasibility analyses.
• Collaboration across departments and external stakeholders, including other consultants throughout the project lifecycle.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in land development, working on site development and design of residential and/or commercial subdivisions, utility systems, roadways, and public works projects.
• B.S. in Civil Engineering or a related field from an ABET‑accredited program is required.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D.
• EIT certification highly preferred (candidates with EIT will be prioritized).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams and external partners, including public agencies, consultants, and community stakeholders.

Physical Demands: Must be able to regularly talk, hear and operate a computer, keyboard and mouse and occasionally lift, pull/push and carry up to 20 pounds with accommodations.

Work Conditions: Exposure to constant or intermittent sounds at a low or moderate level consistent with an office setting. Exposure to high‑stress, fast‑paced, deadline‑oriented environment. Travel to other BKF locations and client sites may be required.

Benefits

• The typical base salary range for this position is $90,000.00 – $125,000.00, annualized depending upon skills, experience, education, and geographical location. This is a salary position paid biweekly.
• Competitive salaries, profit sharing, and 401(k).
• Generous paid time off packages.
• 9 paid holidays.
• Flexible schedules.
• Education reimbursement.
• Paid annual dues for professional and societal organizations.
• BKF offers competitive and award‑winning benefits and perks. To learn more, click here.

BKF 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 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 for the position with BKF, BKF reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited submittals are at the risk of the recruiter.