Caltrans Student Program Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary : $135,975.84 - $172,099.20 Annually
Location : San Jose
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 202601721
DEPART: Public Works
Opening Date: 08/06/2026
Closing Date: 8/18/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.
The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY), or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov.
About the Department
The City of San José, the Capital of Silicon Valley, is the center of cultural, government and economic activity for the region. The employees of the City of San José have embraced the following values: Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Respect and Celebration. The City's Department of Public Works (DPW) is seeking an individual whose values align with the values of the City's employees.
The is responsible for delivering capital improvement projects for a wide variety of City facilities and infrastructure, maintaining City facilities and fleet assets, facilitating and regulating development activities, and providing animal care and services. The Department is committed to high-quality service, partnering with the community, and providing an excellent environment in which to work.
Salary Information
Salary range for this classification is $135,975.84 - $172,099.20 annually. This range includes an approximate five percent +(5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay. Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates' qualifications and experience.
Position Duties
The Department of Public Works is currently seeking to fill one (1) full-time Associate Engineer vacancy in the Engineering Services (ES) Division, Materials Testing Laboratory (MTL) Section.
ES Division MTL section is responsible for providing essential quality assurance testing services, plans and specifications review, pavement design, and limited geotechnical engineering services that directly impact public safety, infrastructure durability, state and federal regulatory compliance, and project delivery timelines. The quality assurance testing services provided by the MTL are essential to ensuring that public works constructed in the City of San Jose meet all applicable standards and specifications.
Under the general direction of the Senior Engineer, the Associate Engineer assigned to the Materials Testing Lab (MTL) will be responsible for supervising the work of a group of engineers, inspectors, technicians, engineering trainees, and student interns who are responsible for providing day to day field, laboratory, and geotechnical testing operations in support of the Capital Improvement Program, Development Fee Program, and other Citywide needs.
Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Provides leadership and management of the Materials Testing Laboratory.
• Assists Senior Engineer in the preparation and monitoring of operating and capital budgets.
• Coordinates and maintains ongoing laboratory accreditation activities to ensure compliance with AASHTO Accreditation Program (AAP) and Caltrans requirements.
• Reviews materials submittal, construction plans and specifications for compliance with City pavement and construction material standards.
• Prepares cost estimates for construction projects and other engineering related projects.
• Prepares and manages professional consultant agreements for testing and inspection services to augment MTL's testing capacity and expertise.
• Evaluates and implements innovative construction material technologies to support Department of Transportation and Public Works construction activities.
• Develops material specifications for Department of Transportation and Public Works.
• Researches and implements new test methods to expand Lab capabilities.
• Acts as a subject matter expert for construction materials and methods.
• Prepares Performance Appraisals for the non-management employees.
• Serves as the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), managing the MTL's nuclear gauge testing equipment and licensing requirements to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal regulations.
• Serves as the Senior Engineer during the Senior Engineer's absence.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in the required professional engineering discipline or possession of an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certificate.
Experience: Three (3) years of increasingly responsible professional engineering experience.
Acceptable Substitutions: A Master's degree from an accredited college or university in the required professional engineering discipline may be substituted for one (1) year of professional engineering experience.
Required Licensing:

• Certificate of Registration in a relevant professional engineering discipline may be required for some positions.
• Possession of a valid State of California driver's license is required.
• Other licenses or certifications may be required for particular positions

Physical requirement:
Possess ability to:

• Move between/within work areas, including but not limited to sitting, walking, and standing on various surfaces, turning, bending, grasping, and making repetitive hand movements;
• Maintain professional demeanor during interactions with staff, customers, and the public.

When assigned to an office environment, possess ability to:

• Operate, access, enter, and retrieve data using standard office equipment, including but not limited to a computer or tablet;
• Read printed materials and a computer screen;
• Communicate in person and over the telephone;
• Be exposed to moderate noise levels and controlled temperature conditions.

When assigned to field inspection, possess ability to:

• Work in and inspect changing site conditions and work in progress;
• Perform light to medium physical work, including climbing/descending ladders;
• Operate a motor vehicle and visit various City sites;
• Be exposed to unpredictable working conditions including but not limited to loud noise levels, inclement weather conditions, road hazards, vibration, confined workspaces, toxic or caustic chemicals, hazardous physical substances, fumes, odors, gases, dust, and air contaminants;

Lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects averaging a weight of 40 pounds, or heavier weights, in all cases with the use of proper equipment
Form 700 requirement
This position requires a disclosure of outside investments, real property interest, income, and business positions. You must complete and file an "Assuming Office Form 700" with the City Clerk's Office within the first 30 days of employment with the office.
Other Qualifications
The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

• Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.
• Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people's ideas and thoughts.
• Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
• Creativity - Addresses objectives and problems while questioning traditional assumptions/solutions in order to generate creative ideas and new ways of doing business; exhibits creativity and innovation when contributing to organizational and individual objectives; seeks out opportunities to improve, streamline, reinvent work processes.
• Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions.
• Planning - Acts to align own unit's goals with the strategic direction of the organization; Defines tasks and milestones to achieve objectives, while ensuring the optimal use of resources to meet those objectives.
• Problem Solving - Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem; collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.
• Supervision-Sets effective long and short-term goals based on good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources; provides motivational support; empowers others; assigns decision-making and work functions to others in an appropriate manner to maximize organizational and individual effectiveness.

Selection Process:
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. You must answer all questions to be considered or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.
If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Charmaine Guerrero at
Additional Information:
Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.
Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.
This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.
Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email and we will research the status of your application.
AI and the Hiring Process
We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.
The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's for detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.
For information on the City's Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.
In additional to the benefits above, there is an to explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.
01
We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect the candidate's own knowledge, s