Job Details

Principal Engineer

There are currently two (2) vacancies within the Engineering Division of Public Works Department.

At the City of Santa Barbara, the best part of our organization is our people. As a City of Santa Barbara employee, you will work in a collaborative environment with other motivated individuals who are passionate about their work. We strive to provide employees with the support they need to thrive and grow while fulfilling our Mission.

The mission of the Public Works Department is to provide the community with the sustainable foundation to thrive by delivering quality services and public infrastructure through efficient and fiscally responsible practices.

Make a difference. As a City of Santa Barbara employee, the work that you do has a tangible impact on our community. We are about more than the bottom line; our work ensures the health and safety of residents and visitors, protects and preserves our architectural heritage and the natural environment, and enriches lives.

As City employees, we are the stewards of this beautiful place. Our job is to help the elected officials serve everyone in our community and ensure Santa Barbara continues to be a special place for future generations. This is an exciting, and sometimes demanding, responsibility. It is important work that you can be proud to perform.

Employee benefits and pay include an attractive compensation package including competitive pay, comprehensive health and welfare benefits, retirement, paid time off, flexible work policies, commuter support, training and educational reimbursement.

The City of Santa Barbara's Public Works Department is undergoing a search for two (2) Principal Engineers to deliver Water and Wastewater capital infrastructure projects in design and construction. Both positions are in the Engineering Division and will support the robust Water and Wastewater capital programs by leading and mentoring a team of engineers responsible for delivery of capital infrastructure projects. One position will focus on delivering capital projects in design and the other will focus primarily on delivering capital projects in construction.

The two Principal Engineers will work collaboratively with the Water Resources Department to identify, prioritize, and budget for capital project needs. The positions recommend and assist in the implementation of capital program goals and objectives. Both positions will frequently prepare and present items to Council, Boards and Commissions, private and public organizations, outside agencies, and City management staff.

The Principal Engineer leads with a customer-focused approach, ensuring that neighbors, local businesses, City leadership, and partner departments are well-served throughout the delivery of public Water Resources projects. This role balances technical expertise with community engagement, fostering trust and transparency, while overseeing projects that safeguard and enhance our community's infrastructure. The Principal Engineer is expected to provide exemplary customer service to all individuals by demonstrating a willingness to be attentive, understanding, responsive, fair, courteous, respectful, and to actively participate in maintaining a positive customer service environment.

The ideal candidate(s):

• Has strong technical and interpersonal skills and experience necessary to manage and oversee delivery of capital programs within a collaborative team environment.
• Has a proven track record of project management and contract administration experience that demonstrates the ability to successfully deliver projects.
• Has a demonstrated ability to manage, schedule, and monitor projects within a large capital program to ensure timely completion within budget.
• Is an experienced engineer with proven problem solving and interpersonal skills who enjoys leading and mentoring team members, working closely with colleagues in other departments, and is committed to excellent customer service.
• Solves and communicates controversial and complex technical problems to a wide variety of stakeholders.

Design: This position will manage a team of engineers focused primarily on delivering Water and Wastewater capital projects in design. The Design Principal Engineer will be a technical expert in capital planning and design, with a focus on Water and Wastewater infrastructure, which includes Water Treatment and Distribution, Wastewater Treatment and Collections, Recycled Water, and Desalination. Working collaboratively and independently in a dynamic environment, the Principal Engineer will serve a vital role in bringing projects to successful completion.

Construction: This position will manage a team of engineers focused primarily on delivering Water and Wastewater capital projects in construction. The Construction Principal Engineer will be a technical expert in the field of construction administration and management, with a focus on Water and Wastewater infrastructure, which includes Water Treatment and Distribution, Wastewater Treatment and Collections, Recycled Water, and Desalination. Working collaboratively and independently in a dynamic environment, the Principal Engineer will serve a vital role in bringing projects to successful completion.

Distinguishing Characteristics: The Principal Engineer is a management level classification, having broad responsibility for a diverse range of professional and technical project design and construction management operations. Both positions report to the City Engineer in Public Works and provide leadership to project level staff supporting capital programs. These positions require a thorough knowledge of civil engineering, including technical design and construction, and program management, including capital planning and budgeting. This Principal Engineer class is distinguished from the Supervising and Engineering classifications by its broader program management responsibilities, scope of supervision, and more specialized knowledge of engineering design and construction practices.

Knowledge of:

• Principles of management, supervision, training, and performance evaluation.
• Principles and practices of engineering design and administration.
• Principles and practices of project and construction management.
• Terminology, methods, practices, and techniques used in technical report preparation.
• Principles of public administration and management.
• Principles and practices of budget preparation and control.
• Principles of mathematics as applied to design work.
• Recent developments, current literature, and sources of information regarding engineering design and construction management.
• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment and software applications.
• Pertinent Federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations applied to design, civil engineering, and construction engineering.

Ability to:

• Plan, organize and supervise the work of professional and technical staff.
• Train and evaluate staff.
• Write concise and clear reports and other written communication.
• Manage large and complex capital improvement projects.
• Ensure project compliance with appropriate Federal, state and local rules, laws and regulations.
• Review construction for compliance with applicable state and federal construction-related standards, including accessibility.
• Coordinate phases of construction projects and prepare progress reports.
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals.
• Conduct comprehensive technical studies and develop appropriate recommendations.
• Perform technical research and solve difficult technical problems.
• Select, train, supervise, coordinate and evaluate staff.
• Prepare and maintain technical records and prepare comprehensive reports.
• Exercise professional judgment to achieve results consistent with objectives.
• Compile rough technical data and prepare statistical and narrative reports from field studies.
• Develop, review and modify design plans and specifications.
• Work cooperatively with staff, management, vendors, contractors, and others encountered in the course of work.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Make public presentations.
• Work independently.

Experience and training guidelines:

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: At least six (6) years of increasingly responsible experience in civil engineering, preferably in a governmental agency.

Education and/or Training: Equivalent to a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university with major course work in Civil Engineering, or a closely related field.

License, Certificate and/or Other Requirements: Possession of a valid driver's license. Registration as a Professional Engineer (PE) in the state of California.

Selection process:

It is important that your application and supplemental questionnaire show all the relevant education, training, and experience you possess which qualifies you for this position. All applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed and the most qualified candidates will be invited to continue in the selection process. Be sure to be thorough in your responses. Statements such as "See application", "Extensive Experience", or "See Resume" are not an acceptable substitute for a completed application and supplemental questionnaire.

The selection process may consist of an application screening, written exam, computer skills exam and/or an oral interview. The successful candidate's employment history will be thoroughly evaluated prior to appointment.

Additional information:

There are currently two (2) vacancies within the Engineering Division of Public Works Department.

The Principal Engineer classification is scheduled to receive a 4% salary increase effective July 1, 2026.

Communication regarding your application and/or status will be sent to the email address listed on your application. Please check your email and spam regularly throughout the recruitment process. You may also log into your governmentjobs.com account to view these emails.