Engineer III

About the position
 
Job Appointment: Full time
Work Schedule: Flexible. 40 hours per week
Work Location: Hybrid - 1120 SW Fifth Avenue, Portland, OR 97201. Remote work must be performed within Oregon or Washington. For more information, click here.
Benefit: Please check our benefit tab for an overview of benefit for this position
Language Pay Premium Eligible: This position is or may be eligible for Language Pay Differential for qualifying employees (Include this for classifications identified as eligible or if bureau requests languages)
Union Representation: Nonrepresented

Application Material:  Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland’s online portal. You will need to attach a cover letter and resume.

Position Summary

The Water Bureau has an exciting opportunity in its Engineering Services Group (ESG) Design Section. This position will be responsible for managing complex capital projects for the ESG. The ESG is responsible for planning, design and constructing the bureau's capital improvement, developer and interagency projects using in-house and a variety of contracting methods.

The role will help in ensuring the delivering of high quality, efficient, and critical projects for PWB customers. The Engineer III will work closely with a Design Group Engineering Supervisor to lead a staff of Engineers, Technicians and Project Managers.

The position serves as a subject matter expert on groundwater hydrology, well construction, well pumping equipment, and pump station design. An ideal candidate would have a Municipal Groundwater Well Infrastructure background, project and program management experience and supervisory skills.

This position will primarily focus on supporting the bureau’s Groundwater Program, but will also help support the Pump Station and Distribution Storage Program projects. Responsibilities include (but are not limited to): providing engineering and technical assistance for the ESG, providing oversight, training, mentoring, and assigning projects to engineering staff in the work group, for advancing assigned projects, and for providing both technical, and supervisory support to staff, including consultants and contractors to ensure program/project goals and objectives are met. The position will supervise up to three full time employees.

Work includes review of scopes, schedules, and budgets for the program and that individual projects are established and maintained.  This position monitors and provides input for projects from Planning to Construction Management; performs design project quality assurance/quality control check. This position will also be the designated project manager to lead sensitive and/or technically complex projects requiring a senior level engineer.
To successfully fulfill the responsibilities, the Engineer III will collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, including staff throughout the PWB (operations, maintenance and construction, water quality, resource protection), consultants, construction contractors, other City bureaus, regulatory agencies, and the general public.

The Engineer III will continue to develop, support, grow equity and diversity in staff, workplace environment, processes, and program goals. The position will also actively participate in supporting the Bureau’s Strategic Plan, Vision and Mission statements. This is a permanent full-time position.  
 
What you’ll get to do:

• Lead your team by developing a vision and strategy to build a strong, equitable team focused on supporting stakeholder needs.
• Foster strong relationships with other groups in the Bureau as well as interagency and external customers through strong collaboration.
• Build a multicultural workforce, promote an equitable workplace environment, and apply equitable program practices to diverse, complex City services.
• Help shape policies, processes, and standards; help establish budgets and provide workload forecasting for number as well as types of staff needed to achieve goals.
• Supervise staff, including establishing performance expectations and goals; recruit and hire staff to meet program and project delivery goals; provide instruction for performance improvement and development; evaluate performance and complete annual performance reviews; recommend discipline as necessary.
• Proactively identify, mitigate, resolve, track design and project management issues.

About the Bureau

The Portland Water Bureau (PWB) serves almost a million people in the Portland area, about a quarter of Oregon's population. PWB values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public.
Our mission: We serve excellent water every minute of every day.
Our vision: The water our community loves is safe and abundant for generations to come.
Our equity commitment: We work to uproot systemic inequities and their impacts on our employees and the people we serve. We commit to the difficult – and essential – work of transforming Water Bureau policies, practices, and culture to better serve historically and currently oppressed communities.
Our values:
Honor our responsibility. We take part in a long legacy of careful stewardship of natural resources, infrastructure, and public trust. We never forget that water is essential.
Serve our community. We know people depend on us. We are dedicated to listening, communicating, and acting with compassion.
Work well. Our strength lies in the skills, expertise, and creativity our employees bring to work every day. We work hard, we work safely, and we adapt.
Use money wisely. We work to control costs while maintaining high standards. We invest to make our water system stronger, more flexible, and better prepared for challenges ahead.

Have a question?
Contact Information:
Anna Morgan, Senior Recruiter
Bureau of Human Resources
anna.morgan@portlandoregon.govApplicants must describe in their cover letter and résumé how their education, training, and/or work experience, meets each of the following minimum qualifications:

1. Thorough knowledge of engineering theory, principles, practices, materials, costs, construction techniques, current trends, regulations, standards and equipment applicable to water system design.
2. Knowledge of the principles of budget, personnel, cost control and administrative practices and policies, including developing, monitoring, managing, and reporting on budgets. 
3. Experience planning, assigning, supervising and coordinating the work of field, professional and technical staff.
4. Skills in managing professional and technical staff and consultants and managing multiple projects within a program budget.
5. Ability to engage in problem solving and communicate, both written and oral communication, scientific and technical matters to peers and non-technical individuals, including policymakers and the public.
6. Experience in engineering planning, design, contract administration, program planning and project management principles and techniques.

Applicants must also possess:

• A valid state driver's license and an acceptable driving record at the time of hire.
• A certificate to practice as a registered Professional Engineer.
• An Oregon Professional Engineer Certificate within six months after appointment.

Although not required, you may have one or more of the following skills/certifications/degree: 

• A minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in professional engineering is preferred. 
• Experience with engineering planning and design of groundwater supply wells, groundwater storage and treatment maintenance and operations, groundwater protection actions, and construction to preserve and enhance groundwater infrastructure and resources is highly desired.

STEP 1: Apply online between November 25, 2024 – January 6, 2025
 
Required Application Materials:
 

• Cover letter
  • Details are key! The city uses a merit-based system, so your cover letter should be thorough and specifically address each qualification listed in the "To Qualify" section of the job announcement. Your cover letter can exceed one page, to ensure you are able to provide the detailed information for every qualification. Follow the instructions, as a subject matter expert will be evaluating your details to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements.
• Resume
• Answer to three (3) Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

Optional Application Materials:
 

• If you would like to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your Veteran documents (ex, DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter, etc) by the closing date of the recruitment.

Application Tips:
 

• Your cover letter can exceed one page, to ensure you are able to provide the detailed information for every qualification. A subject matter expert will be evaluating your details to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements.
• Your résumé  should support the details described in your cover letter.
• How We Determine Pay: The City of Portland is covered by the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying.  It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all your relevant experience.
• Do not attach any additional documents.
• Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
• You can use AI tools to assist with your job application, but please make sure to personalize your responses to supplemental questions. Avoid copying and pasting. We encourage use AI to generate ideas and then tailor them to reflect your own experiences and skills.
• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. 
• E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted. 

STEP 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: Week of January 6 - Week of January 13th

• An evaluation of each applicant's training, paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their cover letter, and resume, weighted 100%.
• Your cover letter and résumé will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

 STEP 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Week of January 20th
 

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list. (Update if a Ranked list or other type of list is used)

 STEP 4: Selection (Interview): Late January/Early February
 

• Hiring bureau will review and select candidates for an interview

STEP 5: Offer of Employment: Mid - February

• Some positions will require those offered employment to complete and sign a criminal background statement before being considered for employment. (Include if requires an in-depth background investigation.)
   

STEP 6: Start Date: Late February
 
A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.
 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
 
Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• City of Portland Core Values
• Recruitment Process - Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations 

 
 

Salary : $117,957 - $168,709