Entry Level Wastewater Engineer Jobs in California

Salary : $114,288.00 - $138,912.00 Annually
Location : Oakland, CA
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number: 26-109
Department: Wastewater Dept
Opening Date: 08/31/2026
Closing Date: 9/18/2026 4:30 PM Pacific
The Position
Engineering Designer I is the entry level classification in the Engineering Designer series. This position will perform the more routine tasks and duties including CAD/BIM design drafting of complex facilities, site reconnaissance and documentation of wastewater assets, pipeline and utility systems plan and profile designs, grading and drainage designs, and mechanical and electrical layouts. Individuals can advance to Engineering Designer II after gaining experience and achieving proficiency which meets the requirements for the Engineering Designer II classification.
This position works closely with supervisors, Engineering Designer IIs, project managers and engineers, construction managers, contractors, consultants, surveyors, and other technical and administrative personnel. Major responsibilities require the use of initiative, independent judgment, critical thinking, and interactions with a variety of personnel throughout East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). The immediate vacancy is in the Wastewater Drafting Unit of the Design Section, part of EBMUD's Wastewater Engineering Division.
The subject matter of the design work varies depending on assignments and may include the design drafting of wastewater facilities and pipelines. The different types of facilities include, but are not limited to, wastewater treatment plants, pumping plants, interceptors, wet weather facilities, reservoirs, rate control stations, sanitary sewer pipelines, storm drains, and related facilities. All assignments are characterized by the performance of detailing and planning work within the various engineering disciplines and estimating quantities of work and costs. Technical assignments are conducted in the field and in the office and are performed within EBMUD standards and pre-determined limits. Duties include field investigations and frequent contact within and outside of EBMUD.
Engineering Designers are distinguished from engineer positions in EBMUD's Junior/Assistant/Associate Engineer series where incumbents are responsible for performing professional engineering work related to the planning, design, construction, and operation of a large municipal water supply and wastewater treatment utility, recycled water system, and hydroelectric generation system, and which requires an engineering degree for Junior/Assistant Engineer positions and a CA professional engineering license at the Associate Engineer level.
Typical responsibilities include:
• Using CADD/BIM systems (AutoCAD, Revit, Civil 3D, Plant 3D, MicroStation, etc.) to draft/design new wastewater facilities or rehabilitation of existing facilities for various engineering disciplines (civil, mechanical, electrical, and structural) under the guidance of engineers.
• Field Investigation and documentation of existing and newly constructed wastewater assets.
• Understanding of surveying principles and ability to analyze survey data, site drawings, topographic maps, improvement plans, utility drawings, as-built drawings, and system maps.
• Preparing civil plans and profiles for interceptors, storm drain, sanitary sewer, access roads, embankments, and other pipelines and facilities.
• Calculating cut and fill quantities for earthworks and performing hydraulic calculations for gravity drainage and pressured piping systems.
• Creating facility models and drawings using EBMUD standards, specifications, standard drawing practices, and District-approved CADD/BIM systems.
• Providing necessary drafting support for engineering design and construction which includes preparation of base drawings, floor plans, sections and details, diagrams, schedules, etc.
• Managing drafting project responsibilities of construction documents throughout the design process by coordinating and reviewing drawings for completeness and accuracy.
• Investigating and documenting field conditions for proper design background by using simple surveying equipment.
• Coordinating and reviewing consultant project design drawings to ensure accuracy, completeness, and proper EBMUD standards are followed.
• Managing and recording as-built drawing data from contractors, construction managers, and inspectors to ensure EBMUD possesses the most accurate and up-to-date records of drawings and models for constructed facilities.
• Providing migrating data support between various CADD/BIM platforms and analysis tools.
• Evaluating, implementing, and supporting new Building Information Modeling (BIM), and related software and technologies.
The most competitive candidates will have design drafting experience in producing engineering drawings of various disciplines using CADD/BIM software; experience in performing complex drafting/modeling and making accurate field observations; ability to create digital terrain models; and experience generating site sections and profiles using CADD/BIM design tools such as AutoCAD, Revit, Civil 3D, MicroStation, and/or other CADD/BIM related software; experience in surveying.
Experience with design software packages such as Revit and Civil 3D are highly desirable, as is the ability to generate and complete design sketches and notations into readable, clear, and well-organized drawings, plans and details using CADD/BIM design tools.
Flexible/hybrid work from home schedule may be available for some positions in this job classification.
The salary range is $9,524 per month increasing to $10,000, $10,500, $11,025, and $11,576 after 6, 18, 30, and 42 months, respectively.
EBMUD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity (including transgender status), gender expression, marital or registered domestic partnership status, age for individuals age forty or older, national origin, ancestry, disability (mental or physical), medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, sexual orientation, military and veterans status, family or medical leave status, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation or related medical condition), pregnancy disability leave status, domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and other categories protected by federal, state and/or local laws.
Requirements
1. A high school diploma, or its equivalent; and
a. Experience in any or a combination of designing, drafting, mapping, or field recording of pipeline, facilities, or water/wastewater treatment system installations; or
b. One year as a crew worker installing or maintaining underground pipelines, facilities, or water/wastewater treatment systems; or
c. Experience as a member of a pipeline location survey crew operating surveying instruments or water/wastewater system inspection.
2. Must possess a valid California driver's license and have a satisfactory driving record.
3. Must be able to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions.
4. Must possess physical characteristics to perform the critical and important duties of the job, including sufficient agility to climb hills and traverse rough terrain.
5. Must be willing to work overtime as needed.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered. To be considered under the "equivalent combination of education and experience" provision, it is your responsibility to include in your application materials written evidence of employment performed at the level of the typical duties of this position and/or coursework in subject areas directly related to this position. For more information, see our FAQ page at http://www.ebmud.com/jobs/job-resources/job-faqs-frequently-asked-questions/.
The Selection Process
1. Submit a completed EBMUD application and the required supplemental question responses online at www.ebmud.com by 4:30 p.m., Friday, September 18, 2026. Only application materials submitted online during the filing period will be accepted.
2. Candidates must achieve a passing score on each test part in order to advance to the next step in the selection process.
3. All qualified applications and supplemental responses will be competitively evaluated, with those candidates demonstrating the strongest qualifications for the position to be invited to a panel interview tentatively scheduled for late October 2026.
4. Successful candidates will be placed on the hiring list, based on rank, for further consideration to fill the current regular vacancy, as well as others occurring over the next 12 to 24 months.
5. The probation period for this position is 12 months. For those holding civil service status the probation period is 6 months.
6. All employment offers are conditional, pending the results of a Live Scan background screening. All selected finalists must participate in the Live Scan background screening process to remain in consideration for EBMUD employment.
Supplemental Information
As the first step in the selection process, responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted online with the regular EBMUD application. Please provide thorough, accurate descriptions of assignments you have personally performed. Should you respond with comments such as "see application" or "see resume" instead of addressing the questions directly, your application may not be considered.
Your responses should demonstrate your ability to write concise and well-organized documents using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. The questions cover a range of work responsibilities. Although you may use the same experience as the basis for answering more than one question, describing a variety of experience will provide the panel with a better understanding of the breadth and depth of your experience. When describing your experience, please confine your remarks to assignments you have personally performed.
Our excellent benefits package includes:

• 12 days paid vacation; 16 holidays; 13 days paid sick leave;
• Family health insurance (choice of Kaiser fully paid or Sutter Health Plus or Anthem Blue Cross 85% paid);
• Fully paid family dental and vision care plans; life insurance; long-term disability insurance;
• EBMUD Retirement Plan (reciprocal with CalPERS);
• $1,000/yr. contributed to flexible spending account or cash;
• $145/mo. public transit subsidy;
• 401(k), 401(a) and 457(b) tax-deferred retirement plans; Roth 401(k);
• $3,500/yr. tuition reimbursement;
• And opportunities for professional growth including training and career development.

01
Describe your hands-on experience with CADD/BIM software such as AutoCAD, Revit, Civil 3D, Plant 3D, MicroStation, OpenRoads, Navisworks, Projectwise, or other engineering design software. In your response, include the number of years of experience, familiarized operations/setups, and programming skills for each software.
02
Describe in detail your drafting/design experience in the following engineering disciplines: Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, and Survey. In your response, include the number of years of work experience, your responsibilities, types of drawings created, and software used for each discipline listed below. • Civil• Structural• Mechanical• Electrical• Survey
03
Describe your experience developing complex base drawings required for the expansion of existing facilities. In addition, discuss and describe all of the steps required to attain a precise base drawing.
04
Describe your experience making independent decisions and/or recommendations for better design or display approaches on assigned work and projects with the use of CADD/BIM software.
Required Question