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Professional Engineer Jobs in Colfax, WA (NOW HIRING)

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Professional Engineer information

See Colfax, WA salary details

$47K

$98.2K

$138.1K

How much do professional engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average yearly pay for professional engineer in Colfax, WA is $98,168.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,400.00 and $111,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a professional engineer?

Professional Engineers (PEs) are licensed engineers who have met the education, experience, and exam requirements established by their state or country. They are legally authorized to sign off on engineering projects, offer their services to the public, and take responsibility for the safety and integrity of engineering work. Becoming a PE typically involves earning an accredited engineering degree, passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, gaining relevant work experience, and passing the Professional Engineering (PE) exam. The PE license signifies a high standard of competence and ethics in the engineering profession.

What does a professional engineer do?

A professional engineer uses mathematics and science to create safe and efficient buildings, machines, and applications. Engineers typically specialize in a particular field, such as aerospace, mechanical, or structural engineering. Your job duties vary depending on your area of expertise and employer but may include creating plans, designing machinery, or building skyscrapers. This career often involves a combination of office and field work. Frequent travel is an additional job requirement for many professional engineering jobs. Long hours and overtime work are also expected to meet deadlines.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a professional engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Professional Engineer, you need a solid grasp of engineering principles, problem-solving skills, and a degree in engineering, typically complemented by a Professional Engineer (PE) license. Familiarity with industry-standard software such as AutoCAD, MATLAB, or project management tools, along with ongoing continuing education, is often required. Strong communication, teamwork, and project management abilities help engineers deliver effective solutions and collaborate with diverse stakeholders. These skills and qualifications ensure engineers can design safe, efficient systems and maintain high professional standards in complex technical environments.

What are some common challenges professional engineers face when managing multiple projects simultaneously?

Professional Engineers often juggle several projects at once, which can present challenges in prioritizing tasks, coordinating with diverse teams, and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Effective time management and clear communication are essential to handle shifting deadlines and resource allocation. Collaborating closely with project managers, clients, and other engineers helps maintain project momentum and quality, while regular progress reviews ensure that no critical detail is overlooked.

What is the difference between Professional Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer?

AspectProfessional EngineerMechanical Engineer
CredentialsRequires PE license, degree, work experience, examRequires degree, possibly fundamentals exam, but not license
Work EnvironmentDesign, review, sign off on projects, often in consulting or engineering firmsDesign, analysis, manufacturing, and testing in various industries
Industry UsageLicensed in engineering projects, legal responsibilityCommonly employed in manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and more

The main difference between a Professional Engineer and a Mechanical Engineer is that the PE is licensed and authorized to sign off on engineering projects, ensuring legal and safety standards are met. Mechanical Engineers typically hold the necessary education and experience but do not have licensing requirements unless they pursue PE licensure. Both roles work closely in engineering fields, but the PE designation signifies a higher level of responsibility and legal accountability.

What can professional engineers do?

Professional engineers design, develop, and evaluate systems, structures, and products across various engineering disciplines. They apply technical knowledge, use tools like CAD software, and often require licensure to approve projects and ensure safety standards are met.

What cities near Colfax, WA are hiring for Professional Engineer jobs?

Cities near Colfax, WA with the most Professional Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Professional Engineer job openings in Colfax, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 72% Full Time, 22% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $98,168 per year, or $47.2 per hour.

Job description

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Personnel of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.
About the Position: This position is located at Lower Granite Project, operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers and situated on the Snake River, 32-river miles downstream from Clarkston, Washington.Qualifications:Who May Apply: US Citizens
In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.
Basic Requirement for Electrical Engineer:
A. Degree: Bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree (or higher degree) in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET); OR (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.
OR
B. Combination of Education and Experience: College-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:
1. Professional registration or licensure - Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
2. Written Test - Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination, or any other written test required for professional registration, by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.
3. Specified academic courses - Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in A above. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program.
4. Related curriculum - Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:
GS-11 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes experience with professional electrical engineering activities at a manufacturing or industrial facility. Must include experience in analyzing policies, procedures and governing regulations. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).
OR
Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Electrical Engineering.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.
GS-12 Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes experience with professional electrical engineering activities supporting a manufacturing or industrial facility. Must include experience analyzing policies, procedures, and governing regulations in a lead role or leading a team of engineers with minimum supervision. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-11).
Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job at the GS-12 level, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.Education:FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/Employment Type: OTHER

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About Army Corps of Engineers

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Industry

National security, national security and international affairs and public administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Washington, DC, US