Location
Description
The City of Brisbane is seeking a Senior Civil Engineer to play a key role in delivering high-quality public infrastructure projects and strengthening day-to-day engineering operations within the Public Works Department.
This position is intended for an experienced, hands-on engineer who enjoys owning complex work, providing technical leadership to staff, and ensuring consistency and quality across both capital projects and private development reviews. The Senior Engineer will work closely with the Public Works Director/City Engineer to manage capital project delivery, oversee consultants, lead Public Works’ review of private development applications, and maintain clear, practical engineering standards.
In addition to capital improvement projects, this role will lead the department’s private development review function, including oversight of Public Works–issued permits (such as grading, encroachment, and traffic control permits) and review of planning and building permit applications for consistency with Public Works standards and requirements.
This role is primarily delivery-focused and internally oriented, with an emphasis on problem-solving, collaboration, and execution. While there may be opportunities to brief leadership or participate in select meetings, the position is not intended to be a representational or policy-setting role.
Ideal Candidate
Our ideal candidate is a seasoned municipal engineer who is confident in their technical judgment, comfortable leading complex work, and motivated by getting projects reviewed, approved, and built correctly.
We are looking for someone who:
- Brings strong experience delivering public works capital projects, including design review, consultant management, and construction support
- Has demonstrated experience leading or overseeing private development reviews, including grading, encroachment, traffic control, and related Public Works permits
- Is comfortable coordinating with Planning, Building, and other departments to ensure development projects align with Public Works standards and conditions of approval
- Enjoys mentoring and supervising engineering staff and improving internal workflows
- Exercises sound professional judgment and takes ownership of decisions without unnecessary escalation
- Communicates clearly and practically, especially when translating technical requirements into clear permit conditions and review comments
- Values accountability, consistency, and follow-through over titles or hierarchy
This position is well-suited for an engineer who wants to focus on meaningful technical leadership, project delivery, and development review oversight, with opportunities for growth based on performance and organizational needs over time.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Knowledge of:
- Principles, methods and practices of civil engineering as applied to the planning, designing and construction of municipal public works facilities, including streets, sewers, traffic and construction projects.
- Design principles, methods, materials, and techniques used in the construction and maintenance of public works, utilities or building construction projects.
- Design principles, strengths of materials, stress analysis and principles of mechanical, electrical and structural engineering and surveying as they apply to the design of public works structures.
- Engineering and construction management methods.
- Technical, legal, financial and public relations aspect of municipal government.
- Modern developments, current literature and sources of information on engineering laws and regulations.
- Applicable Federal, state and local laws, legal issues and regulatory codes related to design and construction.
- Principles and practices of municipal management, including supervision and evaluation of personnel, budget planning and preparation and public relations.
Skill in:
- Preparing engineering estimates, plans, drawings and specifications.
- Performing difficult engineering work in design and construction of public works facilities.
- Interpreting and accurately applying applicable Federal, state, and local policies, procedures, codes, laws, ordinances and regulations.
- Understand and implement laws, regulations, policies and procedures.
- Preparing construction contracts and requests for proposal; administer contracts.
- Planning, organizing and supervising the work or engineering projects.
- Planning, supervising, directing, scheduling and evaluating the work of subordinate staff.
- Develop and implement improvements to systems, organization, and operations within the division.
- Represent the City and the department effectively in contacts with representatives of other agencies and the public.
- Communicating clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing; preparing clear and concise written reports.
- Applying computer programs related to the work, including presentation, project management, GIS, and data management applications; using a personal computer, the Internet and other engineering technological resources.
- Making effective oral presentations.
- Establishing and maintaining cooperative and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work, such as with employees, contractors, consultants, elected and appointed officials, and the public.
Education/Experience:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor’s Degree in civil engineering or a closely related field. Five years of increasingly responsible professional civil engineering experience involving design, plan checking, project management, and construction management. Municipal professional engineering and supervisory experience is highly desirable.
Licenses:
Possession of a valid certificate of registration as a Civil Engineer issued by the State Department of Registration for Professional Engineers. Possession of, or the ability to obtain, a valid California Class C driver’s license and have a satisfactory driving record. Such licenses and certifications shall be maintained during employment.
Working Conditions:
Work in a standard office environment with some exposure to outdoors, mechanical hazards, traffic, and electrical hazards. Travel to different sites and locations.
Physical Demands:
Sufficient mobility and physical flexibility to negotiate difficult project sites and construction terrain where crouching, bending, stooping, climbing and/or kneeling would be required. Vision to adequately and quickly review plans and specifications, read printed materials, and a computer screen. Mental alertness and comprehension to learn and retain technical and administrative information, terminology, equipment, policies, procedures, and safety practices. Physical stamina to work extended or irregular hours and attend lengthy meetings and attentively follow proceedings. Ability to maintain sustained posture in a seated position for prolonged periods of time. Hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. Ability to speak clearly and write clear and concise English.
Benefits
SALARY AND HOURS:
$13,125.66 - $13,783.52 - $14,472.96 - $15,196.61 - $15,957.10 per month
Appointments are generally made at the first step in this range. This is a full-time, 40 hours per week position.
BENEFITS:
This position is eligible for benefits under the Mid-Management/ Professional Employees memorandum of understanding. Health benefits are offered through the CalPERS Health Program. The City contributes to a flexible compensation plan towards the cost of health plans offered, up to family coverage. City provides paid vision through VSP, dental through a self-insured reimbursement program, long-term disability and life insurance coverage through Voya Financial, and an Employee Assistance Program through Concern. Retirement benefits are provided through CalPERS, 2%@60 for “Classic” members, 2%@62 for “New” members. The City will make a contribution of 1.5% to a Deferred Compensation 457K plan with additional matching available. Flexible spending accounts (Health and Dependent Care) and transportation spending accounts are also available. Free commuter shuttle to and from BART and Caltrain.
Special Instructions
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Interested candidates must submit a completed online application at www.calopps.org. Applications must be received by March 13, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
SELECTION PROCESS:
Applications will be screened, and a limited number of the most highly qualified candidates will be invited to the oral panel. An eligibility list will be established from those who pass the oral panel interview process. A limited number of eligible candidates from the list will be invited for a Department Head/Manager interview, who will make the final recommendation. Eligibility lists are good for one year, unless abolished sooner. After a mutual interest has been established, the final candidate must pass a fingerprint check submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ), a pre-employment process, including a pre-employment physical and drug screening (when applicable), a driving record review, and a reference check.
The City of Brisbane is an Equal Opportunity Employer and as such does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or national origin in its employment actions, decisions, policies, and practices. The duties described in this job announcement 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 position. This job announcement does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.