Bridge Inspector Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Under the direction of the Chief of the Office of Specialty Investigations at Structure Maintenance and Investigations (SM&I), the incumbent is responsible for supervising and directing engineering staff who perform federally mandated scour appraisals (comprised of scour assessments and scour evaluations) to determine the scour vulnerability of in-service highway bridges on the state and local highway networks in accordance with the federal regulation in 23 CFR Part 650 Subpart C National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS), and reporting the results of both field and office investigations/appraisals in comprehensive, accurate, and timely written engineering reports. The duties include (i) Assigning, directing, and overseeing the hydraulic inspections and scour analysis work of the engineer staff under his/her supervision, (ii) Quality control reviews of the hydraulic inspections, analysis, and hydraulic inspection reports, bridge work repair recommendations, and Scour Plans of Action (POAs) (iii) Performing hydraulic inspections, including routine hydraulic inspections, flood/storm monitoring of Scour Critical bridges, and response to emergency situations, (iv) Providing technical advice on scour-related or hydraulic-related issues to individuals both inside and outside the Department, (v) Implementing and ensuring compliance with the NBIS, the Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (SNBI), the Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual (BIRM), the Manual for Bridge Evaluation (MBE), the Metrics for the Oversight of the National Bridge Inspection Program, the Caltrans Bridge Element Inspection Manual, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidance documents such as Hydraulic Engineering Circular (HEC) No 18 (Evaluating Scour at Bridges) and HEC-23 (Bridge Scour and Stream Instability Countermeasures), and the SM&I Procedures Manual, (vi) Participating in research, including technical committees, related to the evaluation of the scour vulnerability of bridges.
The incumbent must possess and maintain a valid certificate of registration as a Civil Engineer in California, and a C California Driver License.
The incumbent must be certified, or obtain certification within 12 months, as a Team Leader in accordance with the NBIS. This certification shall be maintained over the entire period of performing the duties of the position.
Possession of, or obtaining an FAA Part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Remote Pilot Certificate is desirable but not required.
The incumbent must be registered as a Civil Engineer in Cali fornia.
PARF# 56-26-0123 / JC-522577
Eligibility for hire may be determined by your score on the Senior Bridge Engineer exam. For those who do not have current eligibility (e.g., transfer, permissive reinstatement, or voluntary demotions) and/or who will be new to state civil services employment, you must be on the state examination list to be eligible for these positions. To apply for the exam, please click here and search by typing in the classification title.
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You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement .
Working Conditions
Position located at 1801 30th St Sacramento, Sacramento County.
This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the Department and based on Caltrans's evolving telework policy. Caltrans supports telework, recognizing that in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksites with minimum notification if an urgent need arises. The selected candidate will be required to commute to the headquartered location as needed to meet operational needs. Business travel may be required, and reimbursement considers an employee's designated headquartered location, primary residence, and may be subject to CalHR regulations or applicable bargaining unit contract provisions. All commute expenses to the headquartered location will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
Minimum Requirements You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

• SENIOR BRIDGE ENGINEER

Additional Documents

• Job Application Package Checklist
• Duty Statement

Position Details Job Code #:
JC-522577
Position #(s):
913-625-3185-XXX
Working Title:
Bridge Hydraulic Inspection Senior
Classification:
SENIOR BRIDGE ENGINEER $11,437.00 - $14,315.00
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
Multiple
Work Location:
Sacramento County
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Permanent, Full Time
Department Information
Caltrans Mission: Improving lives and communities through transportation.
Caltrans Vision: A thriving and connected California.
The Caltrans workforce is made up of diverse and unique individuals who contribute to our organizational success.
Department Website: www.dot.ca.gov
Director's EEO Policy : https://dot.ca.gov/programs/equal-employment-opportunity
Director's EEO Policy Statement: https://dot.ca.gov/programs/equal-employment-opportunity
Special Requirements

• The incumbent must possess a valid certification of registration as a Civil Engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers.

• Possession of a valid driver's license is required when operating a state owned or leased vehicle.

• In order to apply for this position, you must submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) highlighting your education, training, and applicable experience that qualifies you for this position in addition to the standard application form. A resume cannot be submitted in lieu of the SOQ. The SOQ should be typed in Century Gothic, 11-point font, no more than 2 pages in length (excluding the embedded attachments requested within the 5th bullet below), and address the following topics (include each topic as a heading):

Describe your experience and duration (number of years and months) performing scour appraisals (comprised of scour assessments and scour evaluations) of Bridges under the NBIS.

Describe your experience and duration (number of years and months) inspecting Bridges under the NBIS.

Describe your experience and duration (number of years and months) performing construction oversight of Bridges.

Describe your experience and duration (number of years and months) performing design, hydraulic analysis, structural analysis, and/or load ratings of Bridges.

Summarize any National Highwa y Institute (NHI) Bridge Maintenance/Inspection training courses you've completed (include course completion date). Emphasis should be placed on the following NHI courses: Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges, Bridge Inspection Refresher Training, Stream Stability and Scour at Highway Bridges, or other Hydraulic Related NHI courses, where applicable. Please include as an embedded/inline attachment (IE image or screenshot) at the end of the SOQ a copy of each NHI course completion certificate.

Summarize any NBIS inspector qualifications you possess. Explanation shall be provided as to the method in which each qualification was met (23 CFR Section 650.309).

Summarize any graduate leave degree (MS, ME, PhD) in Civil Engineering, or a related engineering field, that you've competed (include the completion date).

Describe any special skills and/or certifications you possess in the follow inspection access method: UAS, where applicable.

Possession of Minimum Qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment. If you are basing your eligibility on education, you must include your unofficial transcript(s)/diploma for verification. Unofficial, original, or official sealed transcripts will be accepted and may be required upon appointment. Applicants with foreign transcripts/degrees must provide a transcript/degree U.S. equivalency report evaluation that indicates the number of units and degree to which the foreign coursework is equivalent. Please visit either of the following two websites for a list of evaluation agencies: https://www.naces.org/members or https://aice-eval.org . Please redact birthdates and social security numbers.
Application Instructions
Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.
Final Filing Date: 7/9/2026
Who May Apply
Individuals who are currently in the classification, eligible for lateral transfer, eligible for reinstatement, have list or LEAP eligibility, are in the process of obtaining list eligibility, or have SROA and/or Surplus eligibility (please attach your letter, if available). SROA and Surplus candidates are given priority; therefore, individuals with other eligibility may be considered in the event no SROA or Surplus candidates apply. Individuals who are eligible for a Training and Development assignment may also be considered for this position(s). Applications will be screened and only the most qualified applicants will be selected to move forward in the selection process. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated in the Classification Specification(s).
How To Apply
Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:
Address for Mailing Application Packages
You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:
Department of Transportation
N/A
Attn: Caltrans DHR Contact
Certification Services MS-90
P O Box 168036
Sacramento , CA 95816-8036
Address for Drop-Off Application Packages
You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:
Department of Transportation
Drop-Off Address
Caltrans DHR Contact
Classification and Hiring Unit - ECOS
1727 30th Street, MS 90
Sacramento , CA 95816
Closed on weekends and State holidays.
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Required Application Package Documents
The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Statement of Qualifications -
  Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required. Please see the Special Requirements section for SOQ instructions.

Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.
Desirable Qualifications In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:
The incumbent is required to have thorough knowledge of the standards, specifications, manuals, policies and procedures for evaluation of the scour vulnerability of in-service bridges, which is a complex process that may include stream stability assessment, geomorphic assessment, hydrologic, hydraulic and scour analyses, foundation capacity and stability analyses, field inspection, and coding SNBI Item B.AP.03 as well as other SNBI codes which pertain to bridge and channel hydraulics.
The incumbent is required to be familiar with the methods for hydrologic, hydraulic, and scour analyses of various stream/structure interfaces, sediment transport, fluvial geomorphology, hydraulic modeling, surveying principles, and computer programs for 1-dimen sional and 2-dimensional hydraulic flow modeling, such as HEC-RAS and SRH-2D.
The incumbent is required to have the ability to: (i) perform visual observations, measurements, testing and checks during the inspections, (ii) use engineering judgment to assess the structural condition, functionality, and load-carrying capacity of highway bridges, (iii) take accurate field notes of the observed deficiencies and report the inspection results in comprehensive reports, (iv) collect physical and statistical data for use in computer database and analysis programs, and (v) work independently and make decisions with minimum direction or supervision.
Benefits
Click HERE to view the Benefits Summary for Civil Service Employees in the State of California.
Contact Information
The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the appli