Associate Engineer

About the role

The City of Wildomar is recruiting for an Associate Engineer to join its growing Public Works Department. This new role seeks skilled individuals knowledgeable in various areas of Public Works engineering who are ready to help develop a robust team. The City offers great health benefits and a welcoming work environment, and participates in the CalPERS Pension Retirement System (classic members have a 2.7%@55 retirement formula, with the City paying 100% of the employee contribution rate).

Definition

Under general supervision, performs responsible, complex and professional civil engineering and technical work in the field or office associated with the design, development, investigation, construction and maintenance of land development projects, public works and/or capital projects, and specialized traffic engineering assignments; to assist with project management as part of a team; and performs related duties as required.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Associate Engineer is the journey level classification in the Engineering series. Incumbents assigned to the Associate level are experienced professional engineers who are expected to perform with a high degree of independence in preparing designs and in fully managing mid-size projects, or in managing aspects of large and complex projects as part of a team. Incumbents work independently on assignments and participate in coordinating and leading the work of less experienced staff.

Supervision Received and Exercised

Receives direct to general supervision from a Senior Engineer, the Principal Engineer and/or Public Works Director/City Engineer, as assigned. Associate Engineers may exercise lead direction over professional, para-professional, technical, administrative, and skilled and semi-skilled assigned staff, as assigned.

Responsibilities

All Assignments

• Reviews operational procedures to ensure compliance with applicable policies and quality control standards; recommends changes to departmental procedures, policies, and regulations, including engineering design standards.
• Prepares specialized studies, cost analysis studies, specifications; compiles and analyzes statistical data and prepares technical reports relating to public works and/or capital projects.
• Coordinates engineering activities and represents the City in meetings with other department staff, City personnel, and other internal and external agencies to ensure timely progress and completion of projects; may attend and make presentations to City committees and commissions.
• Coordinates the work and provides lead direction to other staff.
• Provides technical assistance to other departments and City personnel.
• Evaluates compliance with laws, ordinances, and acceptable engineering standards, and recommends corrections or improvements.
• Represents the City in meetings with other department staff, City personnel, and other internal and external agencies; may attend and make presentations to City committees and commissions.
• Monitors contracts with consultants and vendors.
• Maintains records in accordance with departmental policy.
• Participates in the development and implementation of various systems and procedures to meet division goals, objectives, and policies.
• Attends workshops and participates in professional groups and committees; stays abreast of new trends and innovations; answers questions and provides information to the public; investigates inquiries; recommends corrective actions to resolve issues.
• Ensures compliance with City and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.
• Performs other duties of a similar nature.

Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Division Duties

• Participates in a variety of professional engineering work, including the preparation and review of special projects, and project specifications; may provide public counter support.
• Participates in the preparation and review of preliminary and final engineering plans, cost estimates, and specifications for public works municipal projects; evaluates compliance with acceptable engineering standards, and recommends corrections or improvements.
• Participates in the preparation of requests for proposals relating to projects requiring contract engineering work; directs the preparation of project cost estimates for competitive bidding purposes.
• Reviews plans of consulting engineering firms performing work for the City and evaluates their performance; conducts pre-construction conferences; performs construction contract modifications and negotiates contract changes.
• Assists in the preparation of cost projections for the department budget and monitors expenditures; assists in preparing annual capital improvement budgets.
• Examines, prepares, and maintains designs, specifications, plans, estimates, and reports for various capital improvement projects.
• Performs investigations on public works, municipal, and capital projects; assists with contract negotiations, and makes recommendations for contract change orders.
• Assists inspectors with coordination of assigned projects.

Land Development Division Duties

• Participates in a variety of professional engineering work, including the preparation and review of private development plans, subdivisions, special projects, project specifications, and may provide public counter support.
• Serves as a liaison with engineers and consultants to assist in the design of land development projects.
• May participate in the preparation and review of preliminary and final engineering plans, subdivision plans, and cost estimates; evaluates compliance with laws, ordinances, and acceptable engineering standards, and recommends corrections or improvements.
• Participates in the preparation of legal descriptions and deeds for easements and rights-of-way.
• Provides assistance to the public regarding the City's land development policies and procedures.

Traffic Engineering Division Duties

• Participates in a variety of professional engineering work, including the review of private development plans, project specifications, and may provide public counter support; performs traffic control plan checks for public and private projects.
• Participates in the preparation and review of preliminary and final engineering plans, including traffic signal plans, signing and striping plans, traffic control plans, cost estimates, and specifications.
• Coordinates the design and construction of traffic signals, signing and striping, and CCTV camera and Communication projects.
• Compiles and analyzes statistical data, including traffic counts, accident history, speed surveys, channelization studies, and signal timing and coordination and makes recommendations.
• Reviews development plans, traffic impact analysis and makes recommendations for implementation of mitigation measures.
• Coordinates the work of consultants and traffic signal maintenance personnel.
• Develops traffic engineering programs, policies and procedures.
• Determines the need for certain types of traffic control devices.

Environmental/Water Quality Duties

• Participates in a variety of professional engineering work, including the review of private development plans, subdivisions, special projects, and may provide public counter support.
• Performs plan checks relating to Water Quality Management Plans (WQMP) procedures for subdivision development, transportation projects, and capital improvement projects.
• Participates in the preparation and review of preliminary and final plans; and reports for public works and municipal projects.
• Evaluates compliance with laws, ordinances, and acceptable WQMP standards; recommends corrections or improvements.
• Coordinates the work of consultants and reviews the work of Division field personnel in a variety of areas.
• Develops public works and municipal programs/procedures.

Knowledge of

• Operations, services and activities of a public works engineering program including streets, signals, traffic control systems, traffic management, parks, City facilities, and City water/wastewater systems.
• Civil, traffic or environmental engineering principles (as assigned).
• Modern principles and practices of civil engineering design and construction including roadway design, traffic, grading, hydrology/hydraulics, soils, pavements, environmental compliance, water quality, and construction practices.
• Methods, and practices as applied in the planning, design, and construction of municipal public works projects.
• Methods employed in the preparation of land development projects.
• Pertinent laws and regulations governing the design and construction of streets, capital projects and other public works including CEQA, Subdivision Map Act and Public Contracts Code.
• Budgets, contracts, agreements, plans, specifications, procedures, and forms associated with public works projects.
• Principles and techniques of engineering, drafting and estimating.
• Alternative financing mechanisms for public works projects, including municipal finance principles and special assessment districts.
• Standard Specifications for Public Works Construction.
• Principles and practices of construction surveying.
• Principles and practices of project and construction management.
• Principles and practices of contract administration.
• Terminology, methods, practices and techniques used in technical civil engineering report preparation.
• Principles of mathematics as applied to engineering work.
• Grant programs, grant applications, and compliance.
• Principles of City government organization, functions, and management.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.
• Methods and techniques of research, statistical analysis, and report preparation.
• Methods and techniques for effective record-keeping and maintenance.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and supporting software applications.
• Recent and on-going developments, current literature, and sources of information related to the operations of the assigned areas.
• City and mandated safety rules, regulations, and protocols.

Ability to

• Perform professional and increasingly complex engineering duties in support of a comprehensive public works engineering and construction program including Streets, Signals, Traffic Control Systems, Traffic Management, Parks, City Facilities, and City Water/Wastewater Systems.
• Conduct engineering studies and develop appropriate recommendations.
• Review and check increasingly complex engineering designs, computations, plans and studies.
• Respond to emergency and problem situations in an effective manner.
• Interpret and reconcile expenditure reports.
• Perform technical research and solve increasingly complex engineering problems.
• Prepare and maintain technical civil engineering records and prepare comprehensive reports.
• Compile rough technical data and prepare statistical and narrative reports from field studies.
• Develop, review and modify civil engineering plans, designs, and specifications.
• Exercise professional engineering judgment to achieve results consistent with objectives.
• Understand the organization, operation, and services of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to perform assigned responsibilities.
• Prepare clear and concise reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written materials.
• Exercise sound judgment and common sense.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Interpret and apply federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations.
• Develop and maintain effective interdepartmental [relationships].

Pay

$43.48 - $54.30 Hourly
$90,438.40 - $112,944.00 Annually

Effective July 1, 2025:
$50.34 - $62.86 Hourly
$104,707.20 - $130,478.80 Annually