Senior Civil Engineer

Onward Search; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule with WFH Thursdays and

Paid overtime

Discretionary annual bonus program

Direct access to office leadership

Strong career growth opportunities

Job summary

Onward Search is seeking a licensed Senior Civil Engineer to join our San Diego team. This position leads land development projects from entitlement through construction, mentoring staff and coordinating with clients.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years in land development, CA PE preferred, and strong skills in grading, drainage, hydrology, hydraulics, and AutoCAD Civil 3D. Hybrid schedule and growth opportunities are offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering required.
• PE license required; California PE strongly preferred.
• 8+ years of land development experience in an AEC consulting environment.
• Strong experience with grading, drainage, stormwater, hydrology, and hydraulic design.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD Civil 3D; project budgeting and client relationship experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead land development projects through all phases of planning, design, permitting, and construction support.
• Prepare and oversee grading, drainage, stormwater, hydrology, and hydraulic designs and calculations.
• Manage project budgets, schedules, deliverables, and multidisciplinary team coordination.
• Serve as a primary client contact while building and maintaining long-term relationships.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across project teams.

Skills

Team Leadership

Client Relationship Management

Engineering Project Management

Land Development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD Civil 3D

Job description

A *recognized employee-owned engineering firm with more than 900 professionals and 23 offices nationwide* is seeking a *Senior Civil Engineer* to join its growing San Diego team. This role offers the stability, resources, and project diversity of a national organization while maintaining the culture, visibility, and collaboration of a local office.

The San Diego office supports a variety of healthcare, mixed-use, commercial, life science, higher education, municipal, and land development projects throughout Southern California. This is an opportunity for a licensed Civil Engineer who enjoys leading projects, working directly with clients, mentoring staff, and taking projects from entitlement through construction.

*Senior Civil Engineer Responsibilities:

• * Lead land development projects through all phases of planning, design, permitting, and construction support.
• * Prepare and oversee grading, drainage, stormwater, hydrology, and hydraulic designs and calculations.
• * Manage project budgets, schedules, deliverables, and multidisciplinary team coordination.
• * Serve as a primary client contact while building and maintaining long-term relationships.
• * Mentor junior engineers and provide technical leadership across project teams.

*Senior Civil Engineer Qualifications:

• * Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering.
• * PE license required; California PE strongly preferred.
• * 8+ years of land development experience within an AEC consulting environment.
• * Strong experience with grading, drainage, stormwater, hydrology, and hydraulic design.
• * Proficiency with AutoCAD Civil 3D.
• * Experience managing projects, budgets, schedules, and client relationships.
• * Ability to lead design teams and mentor junior engineers.
• * Healthcare, mixed-use, higher education, life sciences, municipal, or commercial project experience preferred.

*Perks and Benefits:

• * Recognized employee-owned engineering company with 900+ professionals and 23 offices nationwide.
• * Opportunity to work on impactful healthcare, mixed-use, commercial, and infrastructure developments throughout Southern California.
• * Hybrid schedule with work-from-home flexibility on Thursdays and Fridays.
• * Paid overtime and discretionary annual bonus program.
• * Direct access to office leadership and strong career growth opportunities.
• * Collaborative multidisciplinary environment with civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and fire protection teams.
• * Strong project backlog and long-term stability with the feel of a close-knit local office.

*Not eligible for sponsorship.

If you're a licensed Civil Engineer looking for project ownership, leadership opportunities, and a strong land development portfolio, we'd welcome the opportunity to connect. Our team will guide you through the interview process, advocate for your success, and help you evaluate whether this opportunity aligns with your long-term career goals.