Salary : $165,027.20 - $202,030.40 Annually
Location : City Hall, 250 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA
Job Type: Regular Full-Time
Job Number: 202501143
Department: Public Works Department
Opening Date: 06/22/2026
Closing Date: 7/19/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
Description
Career Opportunity
The Engineering Services Division of the Public Works Department is recruiting for a
Project Engineer to support the delivery of diverse, complex, and impactful Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects. This position will work on a variety of community-focused streets, sidewalks, transportation, and special projects that enhance public infrastructure, improve mobility, and advance the City's long-term goals.
Additionally, the Project Engineer assists with managing consultant contracts and engaging with the public to provide information on programs and projects and gather community input. Responsibilities include preparing staff reports and requests for proposals; evaluating proposals for professional services; supporting consultant selection and contract administration; coordinating public outreach efforts; collaborating with internal and external stakeholders; and maintaining project documentation and as-built records.
Ideal Candidate
- Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of California
- Ability to exercise independent judgment and lead technical coordination with consultants, contractors, internal teams, and external agencies to resolve issues and support timely project delivery
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills that support effective coordination with project team, management, the public, and stakeholders, including the ability to adapt complex technical information for non-technical audiences
- Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent CIP projects, including scope, schedule, budget, risk, and documentation control
- Demonstrated experience in construction management and contract administration, including field inspections, contractor coordination, progress payments, change orders, and project closeout
- Knowledge of roadway and drainage design, including curb and gutter systems, roadway grading and cross-slope drainage, and integration of Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) features such as bioretention into transportation projects
- Ability to prepare clear plans, specifications, reports, and project documentation for CIP delivery
- Proficiency with engineering and project management tools such as AutoCAD, ArcGIS, StreetSaver, Bluebeam, Microsoft Project, and Excel
Depending on the applicant's qualifications, the position will be filled at the appropriate level/salary of either:
($165,027.20 - $202,030.40 Annually) or ($153,524.80 - $187,928.00 Annually).
The Engineer class differs from the higher classification of Project Engineer in that incumbents in the latter class perform advanced engineering assignments on a wide range of complex municipal projects, exercise a high degree of independent judgment, and serve in a project management capacity.
Embark on this rewarding career. Apply today!
Compensation (SEIU): Comprehensive compensation plan. To learn more, click here.
Benefits:The City offers a fantastic benefits package including:
- Schedule: Option of a 9/80 work schedule with every other Friday off
- Professional development: Tuition reimbursement, leadership training, and career growth opportunities
- Education benefits: Potential enrollment for dependents in the Palo Alto Unified School District (pilot program, subject to change)
- Childcare support: $10,000 in childcare subsidies (pilot program, subject to change)
- Commute benefits: Incentives for walking, biking and taking transit to work. The City of Palo Alto participates in the Clipper Bay Pass program (Employee Cost: $5 per month).
- Defined-Benefit Retirement Plan: with competitive pension benefits
This position is represented by Service Employee International Union position (SEIU).
Essential Duties
Essential and other important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Manage assigned Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects from planning and design through construction and closeout, including scope, schedule, budget, risk management, and regulatory compliance
- Perform professional engineering work related to the design and delivery of public works projects, including researching data, verifying field conditions, and applying applicable engineering principles, codes, standards, and City policies
- In conjunction with City staff, develop and explore new concepts and ideas related to meeting new green building, environmental, and civil engineering standards and requirements
- Prepare, review, and coordinate project documents such as plans, specifications, engineer's estimates, schedules, reports, assessments, and technical justifications to support project implementation
- Administer public works contracts and related procurement processes, including review of bid documents, preparation of contracts and amendments, writting staff reports, processing progress payments and change orders, and ensuring compliance with applicable City purchasing procedures and contract requirements
- Respond to inquiries from residents, businesses, and other stakeholders; prepare presentation and outreach materials; attend public meetings; and communicate project impacts and technical information in a clear and accessible manner
- Provide technical guidance and work direction to engineering and technical staff, and may perform the duties of Senior Engineer on a relief basis including performing related duties and responsibilities as required
To see full job description for
Project Engineer, click
here
To see full job description for
Engineer click
Minimum Qualifications
Sufficient education, training and/or work experience to demonstrate possession of the following knowledge, skills and abilities, which would typically be acquired through:
- Bachelor of Science degree in civil, mechanical, or other approved engineering curriculum depending upon assigned area; and,
- Equivalent to four years increasingly responsible engineering experience.
(Note: PE Certificate or Master's Degree in Engineering may be considered in lieu of one year of experience.)
Special Requirement for
Project Engineer:
- Registration as a professional engineer in the State of California, or ability to obtain registration within one year of appointment to the classification or registration as a professional architect in the State of California.
- Possession of a valid California Driver's License.
Special Requirement for
Engineer:
- Registration as a professional engineer in the State of California required to attain top step in Engineer classification.
- Possession of a valid California Driver's License.
Supplemental Information
The Selection Process:
- This posting may be used to fill more than one vacancy.
- Qualified candidates may be placed on an eligibility list.
- Applicants will receive recruitment status notifications via email. Governmentjobs.com account also has notification status updates.
- Applications will be screened throughout the recruitment process, and highly qualified candidates may be invited to interview at any time.
- The screening process for this position will include panel interviews and a written assessment preceding final interviews with the hiring manager or their designee
Written Exam:
Candidates invited for an interview will be expected to perform a written exam as part of the interview process. You will have 30 minutes to complete this exercise after your initial in person interview.
Technical Support:
Our online application system is provided by NeoGov. If you have problems while applying online, please contact NeoGov's Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday.
The City of Palo Alto is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
See our
Benefits at a Glance Bookletfor more details.
Learn more about our Memorandum of Agreements (MOAs) between the City and its bargaining units, by clicking
01
Briefly explain why you are interested in this position and how your background and experience have prepared you to fulfill the essential duties of a Project Engineer.
02
Describe your experience managing a complete streets and street resurfacing projects from design throughconstruction. Include your role in project scoping, internal and external stakeholders coordination, budget and schedulemanagement, bid and construction administration, key challenges encountered, and how you ensured successfulproject delivery.
03
Describe your experience with public outreach and communication. Please include an example of a time when you interacted with a resident during a construction project. What was the resident's concern, and how did you address or resolve it?
04
Describe your experience managing projects funded through grants or outside funding sources. Include reporting, compliance, and reimbursement responsibilities along with the specific grant programs you are familiar with.
05
Are you registered as a professional engineer in the State of California? If so, please provide your active license number and type.
06
Do you have the ability to obtain a professional engineering license in the State of California within one year? If so, what are your current plans to do so? If you answered yes to question 6 above, please type N/A in this field.
Required Question
