Senior Engineer (Design Services) San Diego County Water Authority

SDCWA; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

San Diego County Water Authority is seeking a Senior Engineer to serve as a project manager and technical leader for complex engineering projects within the CIP and major maintenance programs.

The ideal candidate will supervise professional staff, provide design and construction management support, and ensure regulatory compliance while coordinating with multiple Water Authority initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering or related field.
• Eight years of professional engineering experience, including public water/utility design, construction, and scheduling/tools.
• At least two years of experience at the level of the Water Authority's Engineer (PE).

Responsibilities

• Manages, plans, organizes, and evaluates a project team to manage capital projects.
• Coordinates project plans to achieve CIP goals and milestones.
• Monitors performance against schedule and budget, ensuring quality standards.
• Supervises staff and provides project management and design support across CIP and maintenance projects.
• Represents the Water Authority with consultants and contractors; prepares project reports and correspondence.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Civil engineering

Engineering design

Contract management

Water utilities knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license (California)

Job description

JOIN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY!

The San Diego County Water Authority is an independent public agency established in 1944 that serves as San Diego County's regional water wholesaler. Our mission is to provide a safe and reliable water supply to 22 retail water providers, including cities, special districts and a military base.

For jobseekers, the Water Authority offers the opportunity to contribute to meaningful, high-impact work. Our team supports a $267 billion regional economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million residents through a multi-decade water supply diversification plan, maintaining major infrastructure, and forward-thinking policies that promote fiscal and environmental responsibility. We're also exploring new ways to strengthen regional water security, support strategic water resource management across Southern California, and deliver cost savings for local families. Learn more at www.sdcwa.org.

We welcome veterans and transitioning service members to apply. Are you a current or former member of the military with experience as a Combat Engineer, Civil Engineer Officer, Facilities Engineer, Construction Engineer, Public Works Officer, Engineering Duty Officer, or in a similar engineering leadership role? Your experience managing infrastructure projects, leading multidisciplinary teams, overseeing construction and maintenance activities, ensuring regulatory compliance, and delivering complex capital improvement programs may translate directly into success as a Senior Engineer. Applicants may also explore how their military experience aligns with civilian roles by using the Military Skills Translator at https://www.military.com/mst/military-iframe/mos-translator.

The Engineering Department

The Engineering Department is responsible for the design and construction of regional water facilities in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP); identifying and employing value engineering design concepts to optimize facility and aqueduct system performance; managing major emergency facility repairs; and providing overall CIP programmatic monitoring and controls. It also manages the Water Authority's real-estate interests by acquiring, disposing of, and leasing real property; patrolling and managing 168 miles of right of way; and providing survey services. In addition, the department provides technical support to other agencies, departments, and member agencies. The Water Authority's Energy Program also resides within the Engineering Department, focused on developing low-cost energy supplies, generation, and storage opportunities; improving the Water Authority's energy resilience; fostering collaborative energy relationships; and supporting the Water Authority's legislative energy initiatives.

The Design Services Group

The Engineering Department's Design Services Group is a team of engineers and drafters responsible for in-house design execution of Water Authority CIP projects. The Design Services Group develops biddable plans and specifications for a wide variety of water infrastructure projects and provides engineering support for the Right of Way and Construction Groups as well as the Operations and Maintenance and Water Resources Departments. The Design Services Group also procures and manages consultant designs for Water Authority CIP projects.

The Position

The Senior Engineer serves as a project manager and technical leader for complex engineering projects. The position conducts advanced engineering analysis, research, planning, design, and construction management support for a variety of capital improvement and major maintenance projects. The Senior Engineers will also supervise and review the work of assigned professional and technical staff and provide programmatic support across multiple Water Authority initiatives.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a proactive, independent self-starter and an effective communicator who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Highly organized and adaptable, the Senior Engineer will oversee contract development and management while supervising and supporting a team of engineers. The successful candidate will balance mentoring, supervising, and leading technical staff with hands-on project execution. This individual brings strong technical proficiency, including experience serving as Engineer of Record, and possesses solid knowledge of hydraulic principles, engineering design processes, quality assurance and quality control practices, and modern construction methods. The ideal candidate also demonstrates strong interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and the ability to resolve project challenges while working collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will:

• Demonstrate strong leadership in managing complex engineering projects from planning through construction.
• Excel in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and communicating effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Apply sound judgment, initiative, and strategic thinking to project challenges and organizational needs.
• Be highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Value collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement in engineering practices and project delivery.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The responsibilities of incumbents in this class require them to be technically competent in leadership, project management, project scheduling and controls, project financial management, Water Authority policies and procedures, and utilities engineering. Assist in providing required programmatic support to other Water Authority programs such as Capital Improvement Program (CIP), Right of Way management, Aqueduct Protection Program, and urgent repairs. Assignments are general, broad based and of a continuing nature, requiring the application of advanced leadership, project management and engineering knowledge, and the exercise of judgment and initiative in coordinating their work and that of others both inside and outside the Water Authority. This position is distinguished from the Engineer (PE) in that this position will manage larger more complex projects or manage a portfolio of capital projects and exercise leadership over a professional team who may be supporting the portfolio of projects. This position is distinguished from the Principal Engineer in that the Principal Engineer has a programmatic role for multiple project portfolios and supervisory responsibilities.

Representative Duties

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the class.

• Manages, plans, organizes, controls, integrates, and evaluates the work of a project team of professional and technical staff chartered with responsibility to manage capital projects.
• Coordinates with staff and team members to develop, implement, and monitor project plans to achieve CIP vision, goals, objectives, and key performance indicators; works with project team to identify critical path events and success factors for a successful resolution.
• Monitors performance against the project plan and CIP schedule/budget; manages project standards, work processes, systems and procedures to achieve goals and objectives.
• Assists in the development of Water Authority programs including CIP and engineering department priorities.
• Supervises, leads, and trains assigned staff; provides daily leadership and project management to project team staff to ensure a high-performance work environment which supports achieving the department’s and Water Authority’s mission and goals.
• Manages the project planning design, preparation and construction of assigned capital improvement projects utilizing in-house staff, consulting firms and construction contractors; prepares cost estimates; establishes the scope, schedule and task level budgets and prepares variance analysis reports for design and construction projects; prepares professional service RFPs; evaluates and selects consultants; negotiates, administers and manages agreements for geotechnical services, design, construction management, inspection and other specialty services; collaborates with project team members and other departmental personnel in a participative manner.
• Reviews drawings and specifications for compliance with Water Authority standards; interprets specifications and Water Authority policies, and initiates or reviews change orders; ensures compliance with project regulatory requirements.
• Prepares periodic project reports; responds to requests for information; seals final design plans and documents.
• Represents the Water Authority with consultants and contractors; prepares correspondence on technical engineering, contract management and community issues.
• Coordinates project engineering design, planning and construction activities with Water Authority departments, member agencies and other entities.
• Proposes revisions to design and construction standards, and to Water Authority processes to improve methods, procedures and practices; makes interpretations of applicable laws, regulations, policies and design standards.
• Participates in the preparation of CIP and Operating Budget recommendations; authorizes the purchase of materials and monitors work activities and expenditures to control costs, quality, and safety.
• Analyzes and responds to requests for information from member agencies, other public entities and the public; represents the Water Authority at meetings.
• Tracks, evaluates, and prepares reports and presentations on project progress and issues to Water Authority management and Board.
• May represent the Water Authority at public hearings; participates in preparing interagency agreements.

For further details regarding the duties and responsibilities, and qualification guidelines for this class specification, please click on the following link: Senior Engineer.

Work Schedule:

Employees assigned to work at the Kearny Mesa office work a 9/80 schedule, where the entire facility is closed every other Friday. An option to telework up to one day bi-weekly is available for this position. Employees authorized to telework must be able to report to Water Authority facilities as needed, depending on the operational needs of the department and/or area of assignment.

Qualification Guidelines

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a degree in civil engineering or related field supplemented by eight years of professional engineering experience, including experience in public water/utility design, construction, and project scheduling and control tools with at least two years of experience at the level of the Water Authority's Engineer (PE) class.

Licenses and Other Requirements

• A valid certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) issued by the State of California.
• A valid California driver's license and the ability to maintain insurability under the Water Authority.

Application Procedure

Application Deadline: Sunday, November 29, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application and supplemental questionnaire.

All applications and supplemental questionnaires will be evaluated in relation to the criteria outlined in this job announcement. The selection process may consist of an appraisal interview, writing exercise, and/or other appropriate screening devices.

Application Deadline: 11/29/2026

Written Exam: 12/09/2026

Tentative Interview Date: Week of 12/16/2026

For technical assistance with the online application system, please review the Government Jobs online application guide, or contact their toll-free applicant support line at [phone]. If you have questions regarding the position, please contact Patricia Duran, Senior Human Resources Analyst, at [phone].

The San Diego County Water Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy status), gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, genetic information, mental or physical disability (whether perceived or actual), ancestry, military or veteran status, citizenship status, medical condition, and/or national origin.

The San Diego County Water Authority welcomes veterans or transitioning military. If you have questions whether your Military Occupational Specialties or rating qualifies you for a job opening, please visit TIPS & RESOURCES FOR VETERANS APPLYING FOR JOBS IN WATER, on the Water Authority's regional workforce development website, SanDiegoWaterWorks.org. Applicants may also explore how their military experience aligns with civilian roles by using the Military Skills Translator at https://www.military.com