Engineering Specialist 3

The City of Renton is hiring an Engineering Specialist (technician) with an interest in stormwater management, and a desire for a mix of both in-office and field work assignments. This exciting position is within the Surface Water Engineering section which delivers drainage improvement projects and manages programs aimed at complying with the Municipal Stormwater General permit issued by the Washington State Department of Ecology. This position supports projects through computer-aided drafting (CAD), data analysis, project inspections, coordinating meetings with stakeholders, and preparation of permit applications and project specifications. This position also supports regulatory compliance efforts though site inspections at Renton businesses to identify and control potential sources of stormwater pollution.

Working for the City of Renton comes with an excellent benefits package, including:

• Deferred compensation with the City contributing 3% of the employee's salary.
• VEBA Plan with the City contributing 1% of the employee's salary.
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance at affordable rates
• Paid leave for vacation, sick, eleven holidays and two "personal" holidays a year
• State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems Public Employee Retirement Systems (PERS) plan enrollment

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Perform a variety of complex and independent duties involved in the management of departmental programs, large-scale engineering studies and capital improvement projects.
• Design and/or review engineering plans for various economic development, utility, or transportation projects to assure compliance and compatibility with existing systems and applicable codes, standards, specifications, and practices.
• Plan and assist in implementing projects and programs within City departments or with the assistance of outside consultants, and coordinate activities with City departments, personnel, and outside agencies.
• Conduct studies and research to gather data from various sources in order to establish scope of study and to propose appropriate action alternatives; determine funding sources availability, including agency grants, City funds and Local Improvement District (LID) funds.
• Provide leadership and project review for complex private development projects; prepare bid documents, pay estimates, change orders and federal reimbursement requests for engineering projects; approve plan changes, answer technical questions, and resolve issues and concerns with the public, contractors, and outside agencies.
• Review engineering plans and SEPA submittals to assure compatibility with existing systems and with the City's standards and comprehensive plan; assist in the maintenance and updating of comprehensive plans.
• Prepare construction plans and specifications for projects using standard design criteria as required; perform calculations for alignment surveys, right-of-ways, easements, quantities of materials required and cost estimates; assure plans comply with environmental requirements and standards.
• Develop and advertise for bids; organize pre-construction meetings with developers, contractors, and City personnel; preside over and moderate meetings; coordinate the bid opening and contract awarding process; establish guidelines and special conditions for construction projects; direct interagency coordination of contracts.
• Issue permits for off/on site improvements and review construction schedules and project management submittals, and review engineering cost estimates for project development.
• Manage projects through construction phases to completion; monitor contractors and developers with projects in progress to assure compliance with project specifications and applicable laws and codes.
• Review requests for deferrals and variances to plans and projects and present recommendations to the Decision Authority; review project cost estimates and calculate bonding requirements; review City codes, ordinances, policies, and procedures to Decision Authority actions.
• Review and respond to public requests and complaints; investigate issues involved and recommend appropriate corrective action.
• Acquire right-of-ways, easements, restrictive covenants, and rights of entry; meet with the public on related issues and negotiate costs; submit required documents and records to the City Clerk.
• Prepare and maintain a variety of office and engineering records and reports related to civil engineering projects, activities and departmental programs; assist in the preparation and update of annual reports and budgets; assure project costs are within budgets; prepare and file expenditures and progress reports.
• Review and approve construction cost estimates to establish permit fees, performance bond amounts, maintenance bond amounts, and fees-in-lieu of construction amounts.
• Review, process, and record final plats and short plats.
• Prepare and maintain financial records used to verify accuracy of billing invoices received from consultants and contractors; update status of project budgets; recommend the processing of invoices for payment within established timelines.
• In support of the Transportation Operations section only, operate automated computer-aided drafting (CAD) software and hardware; operate survey level, graphics equipment and manual drafting machine, tools and equipment using modern principles and techniques; update City maps for departments, agencies, developers, and the public.
• In support of the Surface Water Engineering section only, conduct site inspections at public and private institutional, commercial and industrial properties with pollutant generating activities.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS:

• 2 years of college level course work in civil engineering and/or drafting.
• Minimum 4 years of increasingly responsible experience in a civil engineering environment.
• Or 6 years of relevant education and experience.
• Valid driver's license.

• Successful passing of a required driving record check.
• Successful passing of a required background check.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Drive to offsite locations to perform essential functions.
• Move throughout City facilities and buildings.
• Operate a computer and other office equipment.
• Communicate with City employees and residents.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Work is performed in an office environment, and outdoors in all weather conditions occasionally.
• Noise level out in the field is moderately loud and noise level in the office is moderately quiet.
• Work evening and/or weekend hours as needed.
• Night meetings may be required.

Approved reasonable accommodation requests will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

The City of Renton embraces a diverse and inclusive workforce and prides itself on promoting collaboration and teamwork in a positive environment while providing high quality services to the community. For more information about the City of Renton, please visit the following website: Why Renton?

The City has adopted an anonymous application process that prevents hiring managers from seeing personal identifiers, including candidates' names, addresses, and other similar information. This eliminates the possibility of unintentional or implicit bias during the screening of applications. For that reason, you will not have the ability to attach any documents to your application, including a cover letter or resume. Please make sure to submit a complete, detailed, and updated job application.

Accommodation
Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process may contact msato@rentonwa.gov at least 2 days prior to the need.

Communication from the City of Renton:
We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from rentonwa.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders. We also communicate via text and encourage you to sign up for text alerts when completing your job application.

Recruitment Process:

The screening process will include a review of minimum qualifications and applicants selected for an interview will be invited via email to self-schedule a time through the Government Jobs account. At minimum, this position will be subject to a standard criminal background check and professional reference check. This position requires driving and is also subject to a driving record check from the WA State Dept of Licensing (or other state equivalent). Driving records will be evaluated based on a points system depending on the infraction and severity.