About Orinda
The beautiful City of Orinda is a family-oriented community of approximately 20,000 residents who enjoy a semi-rural setting surrounded by majestic tree-studded hillsides within its 12.8 square miles. It is bordered by the cities of Lafayette, Moraga, Berkeley, and Oakland. Orinda is located in Contra Costa County, within 20 minutes of downtown San Francisco. A BART station is situated in the center of the community allowing a convenient commute within the Bay Area.
Orinda incorporated as a City in 1985, after more than 100 years of gradual development and has a reputation as a well-managed and stable municipal government. The City operates under a Council/Manager form of government, with five elected city council members who serve at-large, each for a four-year term. The City of Orinda has a dedicated and professional staff of approximately 40 budgeted employees supplemented with part-time and seasonal staff.
Location
Description
Are you a skilled and motivated civil engineer with expertise in capital project delivery, traffic engineering, and stormwater compliance?
If you are seeking a full-time, hands-on position in a collaborative and community-focused environment, this may be the perfect opportunity for you!
The City of Orinda is seeking creative, curious, and technically strong engineers who are excited to take on meaningful challenges and serve an engaged community.
The Public Works and Engineering Department is a small, dedicated team committed to planning, building, and maintaining infrastructure that supports safety, mobility, environmental stewardship, and quality of life for Orinda residents.
Under supervision of the Senior Engineer, this position plans, manages, and coordinates engineering programs and capital improvement projects, with a strong focus on:
- Capital Project Management and implementation
- Traffic Engineering and traffic safety programs
- Stormwater management, including NPDES and C.3 compliance
- Development review and engineering standards
The vacancy may be filled at one of the following classifications based on experience and qualifications:
Assistant Engineer or Associate Engineer.
Salary Ranges (DOE):
Assistant Engineer: $9,940.75 - 12,129.60 monthly
Associate Engineer: $10,634.54 - 12,976.16 monthly
Minimum Qualifications
Experience
Assistant Engineer: Two years of increasingly responsible professional engineering experience
Associate Engineer: Three years of increasingly responsible professional engineering experience
Education
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in Civil Engineering.
License / Certification
Assistant Engineer: Valid California driver’s license. Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification desirable. Valid California driver's license.
Associate Engineer: Registration as a Professional Civil Engineer in the State of California. Valid California driver’s license.
Special Requirements
Ability to work in a standard office environment and conduct field inspections at project sites
Ability to attend evening meetings as required.
Key Responsibilities (Examples of Duties)
Manage and deliver capital improvement projects from planning and design through construction and closeout, including scope development, budgeting, consultant selection, and contract administration.
Administer traffic engineering and traffic safety programs, serving as technical staff to the City’s Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC), preparing agendas, responding to traffic calming requests, and working with neighborhood groups.
Administer and support the City’s Stormwater Program, including compliance with NPDES permits and C.3 (post-construction stormwater requirements).
Oversee drainage improvement projects and respond to drainage and flooding concerns from residents.
Conduct development review for public works and engineering aspects of private development projects, coordinating with Planning and other City departments and managing engineering consultants.
Prepare and review engineering plans, specifications, cost estimates, environmental documents, and technical reports for public infrastructure projects.
Manage the subdivision approval process, including preparation of improvement agreements and review of parcel and final maps.
Prepare staff reports and present technical information to the City Council, commissions, and the public; conduct public meetings and hearings on assigned projects.
Establish and apply engineering standards and technical criteria for roads, traffic systems, storm drains, lighting, and related infrastructure.
Ideal Candidate
The City of Orinda is a small, service-oriented community committed to excellence in public safety, thoughtful land use planning, infrastructure investment, and responsible stewardship of public funds.
We are seeking a talented and dedicated civil engineer with strong technical expertise, sound judgment, and outstanding professional skills. The ideal candidate will bring a positive attitude, thrive in a collaborative environment, and be comfortable managing multiple priorities in a dynamic and evolving municipal setting.
The successful candidate will demonstrate experience and strengths in the following areas:
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify challenges, develop practical solutions, and independently resolve issues while recognizing when additional review or coordination is required.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear technical reports and deliver effective presentations to staff, commissions, and the public.
Experience with capital improvement projects, including project scoping, consultant coordination, plan review, and construction oversight.
Working knowledge of stormwater regulations, including NPDES and Clean Water Act requirements and post-construction (C.3) compliance.
Understanding of traffic engineering principles and regulations, including the MUTCD, and the ability to represent the City on boards and committees such as the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC).
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to respond tactfully to residents, developers, and colleagues while establishing credibility and trust.
A professional demeanor marked by honesty, integrity, diplomacy, patience, and a strong work ethic.
All employees of the City of Orinda are expected to uphold the City’s core values by serving the public with respect and accountability, maintaining professionalism, and demonstrating responsibility in all aspects of their work.
Benefits
This position is part of the General Employees' Unit and is represented by Teamsters Local Union No. 856. The City of Orinda offers a comprehensive benefit package, including:
- 9/80 Work Schedule: To support employee work/life balance, City employees work a 9/80 Work Schedule with every other Friday being a standard "Regular Day Off".
- Salary Increases: Employees have an opportunity for 5% step increases dependent upon performance in addition to the negotiated COLA increases.
- Retirement: The City contributes thirteen percent (13%) of base salary to a MissionSquare Retirement 401(a) Money Purchase Plan defined contribution plan. There is a three-year vesting period. The City of Orinda does not provide a defined benefit pension plan (i.e. CalPERS). The City does not participate in Social Security, except for Medicare premiums.
- Deferred Compensation: Employees have an option of participating in an MissionSquare Retirement 457 deferred compensation plan where contributions are from employee earnings. The City will match up to three percent (3%) contributed by the employee.
- Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance: The City offers several medical benefit plan options for the employee and his/her dependents. The city contributions vary by plan and there are zero or very low cost plans available. An in-lieu medical option is available upon proof of medical coverage for the employee and their dependents. The City pays up to the full family premium for dental and vision coverage.
- Retiree Health: The City contributes to a Retiree Health Savings (RHS) Plan for employees helping support long-term healthcare costs at retirement.
- Leave Accruals: In lieu of vacation and sick leave, the City provides General Leave (PTO) of 19 days during the first year of employment. Accrual is increased by one day for each subsequent year, up to a maximum of 25 days.
- Holidays: The City observes 14 paid holidays per year. This includes 2 floating holidays (9 hours each) provided each fiscal year.
- Life Insurance, Long-Term Disability & SDI: The City pays for a life insurance policy for an amount equal to one (1) times the annual salary up to a maximum of $150,000, as well as the cost of the monthly premium for Long Term Disability. The City participates in SDI, which is fully funded by the employee.
Additional Benefits:
- The City offers a Flexible Benefits Plan for out-of-pocket health care expenses and dependent care expenses.
- The City participates in a Transit Plan allowing participants to purchase transit fare on a pre-tax basis. We are located close to the Orinda BART station.
- The City provides an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) paid for by the City.
- Reduced employee and dependent fees for City of Orinda Parks & Recreation classes and programs.
- Educational/Professional Growth benefits.
Special Instructions
To be considered for this opportunity, please submit a completed online application, resume, and cover letter through CalOpps.org by the application deadline.
Resumes and supplemental materials may be attached but will not substitute for a fully completed application.
Selection Process
Only the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the selection process. Applicants selected to move forward will be notified by email and/or phone.
The selection process may include one or more of the following: written or practical exercises, job-related simulations, phone interviews, and in-person or virtual panel interviews.
Appointment is subject to successful completion of a twelve-month probationary period.
Equal Opportunity Employer & Accommodations
The City of Orinda is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal employment opportunities in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. All hiring decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification.
Candidates requiring reasonable accommodation during any phase of the application or selection process should submit a request by the final filing date to: gstaton@cityoforinda.org. Supporting documentation must accompany the request.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.