sr civil engineer

COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ

SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER
Salary:

$132,202 – 176,772 Annually

Final Filing Date:

Friday, January 16, 2026

To apply, go directly to:

ABOUT THE COUNTY OF SANTA CRUZ
Santa Cruz County has approximately 268,000 residents and is situated in the
northern area of Monterey Bay,70 miles south of San Francisco and 35 miles
southwest of the Silicon Valley. The County's natural beauty is apparent in its
pristine beaches, lush redwood forests, and rich farmland. It has an ideal
Mediterranean climate with low humidity and 300 days of sunshine a year. Its
unique shops and restaurants, coupled with a multitude of cultural and
recreational activities, including theatre, music, art as well as golfing, surfing,
hiking, and biking, offer a wealth of leisure activities. Higher education
includes Cabrillo College and the University of California, Santa Cruz, with two
additional State Universities less than an hour's drive away. These elements of
high-quality living make Santa Cruz County one of California's most desirable
living areas.

LIVE Here WORK Here PLAY Here

County Equity Statement

Equity in action in Santa Cruz County is a transformative process that
embraces individuals of every status, providing unwavering support, dignity,

and compassion.
Through this commitment, the County ensures intentional opportunities and access,

fostering an environment where everyone can thrive and belong.

IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in civil engineering, with a focus on
reviewing complex site development engineering and geology projects. They should
demonstrate a solid understanding of stormwater management principles, road and
transportation engineering, sanitary sewer design, site grading design, geotechnical
engineering, and engineering geology principles, with the ability to review and approve
technical reports and plans for residential, commercial, and subdivision developments.

This candidate will have proven leadership abilities, as they will supervise a team of
engineers and support staff, providing technical guidance and direction. Excellent
communication skills are critical, as they will work closely with other departments,
agencies, developers and the public, ensuring projects comply with federal, state, and
local regulations. Experience managing budgets, preparing reports, and solving
complex engineering challenges will further enhance their ability to thrive in this role.

Additionally, the ideal candidate will hold a valid California Civil Engineer Professional
Engineering certificate of registration. A solid history of progressively responsible
experience in civil engineering; experience participating in the permit review process as
a private consultant and public agency reviewer is highly desirable.

ABOUT THE POSITION
Under general direction, plan, direct, coordinate, schedule, review and evaluate the work
of a section of the Public Works Department or Planning Department; review and
analyze technical and engineering issues; and perform other duties as required.
Positions in this classification work directly for an Assistant Director and are typically
responsible for managing a section in the Public Works or Planning Departments. This
classification is the first full supervisory and management level classification in the
professional and technical engineering series. Incumbents supervise a staff of
engineers, paraprofessional engineers, engineering aides, maintenance staff and other
support staff. In addition to supervising the work of staff, incumbents perform the most
difficult and complex engineering work or serve as the technical expert in reviewing and
analyzing engineering issues.

The option for remote work may be available based on the type of work and
operational needs, following the successful completion of the probationary period.

The current vacancy is in the Public Works Traffic Engineering section of the
Department of Community Development and Infrastructure. This group is responsible
for reviewing and analyzing the traffic components of development proposals and
designing transportation plans and projects. Projects/activities also include traffic signal
design, complete street design, prepare traffic control plans, and prepare transportation
planning documents. This position supervises 5 technical and professional engineering
staff who are responsible for performing analysis on traffic studies, signal timing, traffic
safety reviews, traffic engineering designs, speed surveys and signal and stop sign
warrants. The work also includes preparing traffic control plans, striping and signage
plans and reviewing CHP collision data.

During the life of the eligible list, the list established from this recruitment may be
used to fill current and future vacancies in the following sections: Permit Engineering
Group, Road Operations and Encroachments, Water/Wastewater (Sanitation),
Recycling and Solid Waste, Construction Management, and Flood Control.

The Planning Permit Engineering Group is responsible for implementation of permitting
requirements for private development infrastructure, including the areas of stormwater,
roads/transportation, sanitation, subdivision mapping, grading, soils engineering and
geology. The position generally consists of overseeing the staff who review permits for
compliance with the Public Works Design Criteria and Subdivision Map Act; the County
Grading, Erosion Control, and Geologic Hazards ordinances; and the geotechnical
requirements of the California Building Code.

The Public Works Road Operations and Encroachments section approves engineering
drawings; directs and oversees the preparation of engineering designs, plans and
specifications for the construction of public works improvement projects including
roads, sanitation systems, storm drains, refuse disposal sites, bike paths and street
maintenance; reviews improvement plans prepared by private firms for accuracy,
design and completeness and conformance to laws and County design criteria;
supervises the review and approval of various permit applications.

The Public Works Water/Wastewater (Sanitation) section plans, organizes and
manages the operation and maintenance of the County's sanitation facilities; directs,
through subordinate supervisors, the work of a staff engaged in a wide variety of
activities connected with sanitation operations and maintenance; ensures that all
sanitation facilities comply with State and Federal laws and regulations.

The Public Works Recycling and Solid Waste section oversees landfill and