Assistant Engineer I (Office) (Continuous) - City of Oakland, CA

Why join the City of Oakland?
The City of Oakland is recruiting to fill multiple Assistant Engineer II (Office) vacancies in Oakland Public Works (OPW), Department of Transportation (OakDOT), and Planning and Building Department (PBD).  The following section describes the various teams and their functions within the City.  Candidates may be referred to interview with one or more teams that have a vacancy as part of the continuous eligibility list.

Department of Public Works
Wastewater Engineering Management Division: 
Oakland Public Works owns and operates over 934 miles of sewer mains, ranging from 6 inches to over 66 inches in diameter, 28,500 sewer structures, and 11 pump stations. Most of the system is more than 50 years old, and some parts are as old as 100 years. The Wastewater Engineering Management Division includes engineering planning, design of the City's public sanitary sewer system through its Capital Improvement Program, implementation, oversight of the 2014 EPA Consent Decree for sanitary sewer overflows, and management of the Private Sewer Lateral Permit Program.  An Assistant Engineer I will work with engineers, sewer maintenance staff, and construction inspectors to ensure regulatory compliance and permit code compliance are met.
 
Watershed and Stormwater Management Division (WSMD):
Oakland has a large and complex watershed and storm drainage network that includes over 40 miles of open creek channel, approximately 400 miles of storm drainpipes and culverts, 18,000 structures, 11 pump stations, and a growing number of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) features and full trash capture devices. Many of the storm drainage assets are over 80 years old and are reaching the end of their serviceable life. The Watershed and Stormwater Management Division (WSMD) manages projects and programs involving, but not limited to, storm drainage rehabilitation and replacement, hydrology, hydraulics, erosion and sediment control, stream restoration, stormwater BMPs, GSI, and NPDES stormwater permit requirements.  An Assistant Engineer I will work with professional staff, engineers, storm drainage maintenance staff, and construction inspectors to deliver capital projects.  Additionally, this position provides technical support to both City maintenance staff and the City Attorney’s office related to various stormwater and drainage issues.

Construction Management Division: 
Construction Management in Public Works provides construction management and inspection services for capital improvement projects for both the Public Works and Department of Transportation departments. The types of projects are street improvements, sanitary sewer and storm drain improvements, renovation and new construction of city-owned buildings (including earthquake-damaged buildings, fire stations, libraries, parking facilities, and park and recreation facilities), new traffic signals, and streetlights. An Assistant Engineer I will work with the Civil Engineer during the construction of these capital improvement projects as they monitor the construction budget and schedule, conduct daily field inspections to monitor work activities in progress, negotiate and execute contract changes, review and approve contract payment for completed work, and serve as the project liaison with the Contractor, other City divisions, and outside agencies.
 
Department of Transportation (OakDOT)
The Oakland Department of Transportation's (OakDOT) mission is to envision, plan, build, operate, and maintain a transportation system for the City of Oakland and assure safe, equitable, and sustainable access and mobility for residents, businesses, and visitors. OakDOT is committed to designing traffic and transportation solutions that work to meet the needs of all Oaklanders and reduce existing inequities. OakDOT staff apply strong engineering, planning, policy, and implementation expertise to advance mobility, accessibility, equity, safety, and sustainability in our transportation system.
 
As Assistant Engineer I will contribute towards the City’s Bike & Ped masterplan, City’s paving plan, and creating a comprehensive multimodal corridor for transportation (bike lanes, vehicles, pedestrian/walking, buses) in the City.  Additionally, this position will work on projects in Downtown Oakland, Jack London, around Lake Merritt, and areas near BART stations implementing traffic calming measures and innovative bike lanes and bus boarding islands.
 
 
Planning and Building Department
Building and Infrastructure Plan Check Division:
Oakland has experienced a development boom as active construction continues throughout its communities. With over 220,000 buildings under the City’s jurisdiction, the Planning and Building Department maintains the public health and safety of buildings and private infrastructure by ensuring adherence to pertinent codes, ordinances, and regulations.  We welcome bright and talented engineers seeking a dynamic and rewarding work environment. In this dynamic environment, an Assistant Engineer I in the Planning and Building Department assists Architects, Engineers, Contractors, and the community with their development projects.   An Assistant Engineer will review plans, specifications, and supporting documentation associated with building permit applications for conformance to model building codes and regulations.  Additionally, this position interacts and coordinates with several departments throughout the City including the Planning Bureau, Fire Prevention Bureau, Department of Transportation, Public Works, Housing and Community Development, and City Administration. 

* Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland! *

Working for the City of Oakland

We are looking for someone who is:  

• A Team Player: You will be expected to work with others on your team for design decisions using everyone’s best engineering judgment. You will also be expected to collaborate with other teams in plan review and field issues in construction.
• Creative: You will be expected to find innovative and equitable solutions to challenging and technical problems.  
• Eager to Learn: You will practice Engineering, which will take a substantial amount of time and effort to master.  
• A Strong Communicator: You will engage with individuals and organizations within the community.  You will also be expected to write clearly when communicating with various stakeholders and local agencies. 
• Organized: You will be expected to ensure that everyone involved complies with project plans for a consistent and accurate outcome.

What you will typically be responsible for: 

• In the Planning and Building Department, you will be reviewing small residential development projects to ensure conformance with Building Codes and assist the public by answering questions about the Building Code.
• In OakDOT, you will be supporting Civil Engineers and Assistant Engineers II with street improvement projects including putting together plans, specifications, and estimate packages, reviewing plans from consultants, and providing construction support when projects are in construction.
• For some positions, you will be working on in-house design projects producing sheets for demo, civil, striping, electrical, and landscaping plans.
• In the Public Works Watershed and Wastewater Division, you will be assisting Civil Engineers and Assistant Engineers II with designing infrastructure rehabilitation projects and assisting oversight of their construction.
• In the Public Works Construction Management Division, you will be providing quality control and contract oversight for contractors hired by the City to perform construction work on simple infrastructure projects.

Read the complete job description by clicking here.


A few reasons you might love this job: 

• You will have the opportunity to deliver projects, programs, and services that contribute to creating a city where diversity is maintained, racial disparities have been eliminated, and racial equity has been achieved.
• You will have the opportunity to design projects and see them through construction. You will also learn standards and codes in design, field issues, and how to address them in construction.  This is a great place to learn and grow as an engineer!
• You will work in an environment where you are actively encouraged to obtain licensure, certifications, and education to grow as a professional within the organization.
• You will have the flexibility to work from home and have an alternative work schedule.

A few challenges you might face in this job:  

• Engineering codes standard operating procedures, and City-specific ordinances will take time to learn and understand.
• You may need to engage with members of the public who are frustrated due to long permit processing times or who are impacted by construction processes.
  
  

Competencies Required:

• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
• Adaptability: Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
• Using Technology: Working with electronic hardware and software application
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing
• Informing: Proactively obtaining and sharing information
• Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
• Mathematical Facility: Performing computations and solving mathematical problems
• Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
• Customer Focus: Attending to the needs and expectations of customers
• Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment
• Innovative Problem Solving: Identifying and analyzing problems in order to propose new and better ways of doing things
  
  

Flexible Staffing: This classification has been designated for flexible staffing. Incumbents in the Assistant Engineer I classification may be eligible to advance without formal examination to the Assistant Engineer II classification in accordance with established City flexible staffing policies and procedures.  

This recruitment may close without notice once a sufficient number of applications have been received.