Senior Engineering Technician

Senior Engineering Technician

Salary: $107,604.64 - $144,718.08 Annually

Location: Kearny Mesa, CA

Job Type: Full Time

Job Number: 2025-10-1307

Department: Engineering

Opening Date: 10/27/2025

Closing Date: 11/17/2025 5:30 PM Pacific

Description

JOIN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY!

We welcome veteran or transitioning military to apply

The San Diego County Water Authority is an independent public agency that serves as San Diego County's regional water wholesaler. The mission of the Water Authority is to provide a safe and reliable water supply to its 22 member agencies serving the region's $268 billion economy and 3.3 million residents.

The Water Authority is executing a long-term strategy to diversify the region's supplies, make major investments in the region's water delivery and storage system, and improve water use efficiency. Through dynamic leadership, thoughtful planning, and prudent fiscal policies, the Water Authority is cost effectively managing the region's water portfolio, while continuing to diversify supplies to enhance current and future reliability.

The Engineering Department

The Engineering Department is responsible for the design and construction of regional water facilities in the Capital Improvement Program (CIP); identifying and employing value engineering design concepts to optimize facility and aqueduct system performance; managing major emergency facility repairs; and providing overall CIP programmatic monitoring and controls. It also manages the Water Authority's real-estate interests by acquiring, disposing of, and leasing real property; patrolling and managing 168 miles of right of way; and providing survey services. In addition, the department provides technical support to other agencies, departments, and member agencies. The Water Authority’s Energy Program also resides within the Engineering Department, focused on developing low-cost energy supplies, generation, and storage opportunities; improving the Water Authority’s energy resilience; fostering collaborative energy relationships; and supporting the Water Authority’s legislative energy initiatives.

The Construction Section

The Engineering Department's Construction Section is responsible for supporting engineering project and construction managers in the planning, design, and construction phase of projects; providing a full range of detailed construction inspections of concrete, welding, structural, masonry, and soils, for multi-disciplined public works, waterworks and facility construction projects; interpreting plans and specifications to ensure construction contract compliance and documenting findings on a variety of software applications; providing lead work direction to lower-level technicians and staff; establishing work priorities and reviewing work in progress to ensure critical project milestones are met, and performing related duties as assigned.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is one who conducts their work in a positive, productive, and supportive manner with others to achieve the organization's project or program goals, and responds to internal and external customers in a timely, effective, and professional manner. The ideal candidate is able to apply their technical construction knowledge to effectively administer construction contracts in accordance with the Water Authority's standards, vision, and values.

The Position

The Senior Engineering Technician plays a key role in supporting the planning, design, permitting, and construction of the Water Authority’s capital improvement and maintenance projects. This position provides high-level technical support to professional engineers and project managers throughout all project phases—from initial design to field inspection and project closeout.

Senior Engineering Technicians perform a variety of complex technical duties, including reviewing engineering drawings, plans, and specifications; conducting detailed construction inspections to ensure quality and contract compliance; preparing cost estimates and change orders; and maintaining accurate project documentation. The position also provides technical guidance and oversight to lower-level technicians and coordinates with consultants, contractors, and member agencies to ensure successful project delivery.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Senior Engineering Technician is the advanced, journey-level class in the subprofessional Engineering Technician series. Under direction, incumbents are responsible for conducting the more difficult calculations, contractor submittal review, construction inspection and related technical duties. This classification must possess a thorough knowledge of Water Authority water conveyance facilities. Incumbents are expected to perform a full range of inspection duties independently. This class is distinguished from the Supervising Engineering Technician in that it does not have the supervisory responsibilities of the latter class. This class is distinguished from the Engineering Technician II class in that this class is generally responsible for independently performing more complex inspections, and providing technical guidance and assigned project supervision to lower-level technicians.

Representative Duties

The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the class.

• Plan checks and revises water facilities plans and specifications submitted by consultants for accuracy and conformance with Authority standards.
• Provides lead work direction to lower-level technicians and staff; established work priorities and reviews work in progress to ensure critical project milestones are met.
• Drafts correspondence, memoranda, reports, position papers and legal descriptions pertaining to capital improvement and maintenance projects to consultants, contractors, materials suppliers, utilities, public agencies and property owners; prepares purchase order requests, service requests and work status reports; coordinates administrative documents with other Authority departments, as necessary.
• Reviews retained consultants' and construction contractors' invoices for compliance with contract agreements; reviews project budget documents and prepares monthly progress payment requests for project manager approval.
• Utilizes field survey data, project design criteria and standards, and computer-aided design and drafting software to produce engineering plans, sketches, profiles, plats, tables, graphics and maps; performs routine-to-difficult mathematical calculations; prepares and revises record drawings; performs manual drafting when necessary.
• Creates manual and computer-generated graphics and illustrations for reports, presentations and Board meetings.
• Performs construction site visits prior to initiation of construction to record and document site conditions using still and video photography; reviews contractors' materials submittals; assists project managers with change order, addendum and amendment preparation; conducts project research as directed.
• Monitors and inspects a variety of water conveyance construction projects and installations to ensure compliance with project documents including the installation and construction of pipelines, flow control facilities, valves, metalwork fittings and welds, earthwork, asphalt paving and structural concrete.

Interprets engineering plans, documents and construction specifications; makes recommendations on change orders; confers with supervisors, consultants, contractors and various Authority staff on field design conflicts, construction requirements and contract documents.

• Review, evaluates and comments on shop drawings, project documents and construction sites prior to the start of construction, thereby identifying potential problems; reviews and modifies contractors' material submittals prior to construction.
• Determines elevation of pipe, flow control facilities and other structures; verifies alignment and obtains measurements as pipeline and structures are being constructed; verifies concrete construction, including placement of reinforced steel, embedded items, concrete quality, placement of form work, expansion and sealant materials and welded joints; responds to contractor requests for information.
• Prepares inspectors' daily report and periodic progress reports on construction and installation work; drafts and maintains accurate, up-to-date as-built drawings to depict current status or changes of projects; records drawings, hydrostatic test data sheets, vertical traverse sheets and various miscellaneous reports as needed; reviews contractor change orders and makes recommendations for changes or approval; reviews and prepares contractor pay estimates for project managers; maintains job site project and computer files.
• Coordinates the work of consultants retained for construction material testing, construction inspection, soil compaction analysis, geotechnical investigations and site environmental analysis/mitigation.
• Assists project managers and project engineers in many aspects of contract administration.

For further details regarding the duties and responsibilities, and qualification guidelines for this class specification, please click on the following link: Senior Engineering Technician

Work Schedule:

Employees assigned to work at the Kearny Mesa office work a 9/80 schedule, where the entire facility is closed every other Friday. This position is not eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

Qualification Guidelines

The qualification guidelines generally describe the knowledge and ability required to enter the job in order to successfully perform the assigned duties. Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities will be considered.

Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by college-level course work in civil engineering, drafting, surveying, construction management, engineering mathematics or related fields; and six years of progressively responsible sub-professional experience in computer-aided design drafting, or construction management and public works construction inspection OR an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Licenses and Other Requirements

Requires a valid California driver's license and the ability to maintain insurability under the Authority's Vehicle Insurance Policy.

Possession of a Certified Inspector of Sediment and Erosion Controls and/or Certified Welding Inspector are desirable.

Application Procedure

To be considered for this position, please submit an employment application and supplemental questionnaire by Monday, November 17, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application and supplemental questionnaire.

All applications and supplemental questionnaires will be evaluated in relation to the criteria outlined in this job announcement. The selection process may consist of an appraisal interview, writing exercise, and/or other appropriate screening devices.

To ensure timely and successful navigation, please consider applying early if you are new to the governmentjobs.com application system. For technical assistance with the online application system, please review the Government Jobs online application guide, or contact their toll-free applicant support line at (855) 524-5627. If you have questions regarding the position, please contact Patricia Duran, Senior Human Resources Analyst, at (858) 522-6663.

The San Diego County Water Authority is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy status), gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, age, genetic information, mental or physical disability (whether perceived or actual), ancestry, military or veteran status, citizenship status, medical condition, and/or national origin.

The San Diego County Water Authority welcomes veterans or transitioning military. If you have questions whether your Military Occupational Specialties or rating qualifies you for a job opening, please visit TIPS & RESOURCES FOR VETERANS APPLYING FOR JOBS IN WATER, on the Water Authority’s regional workforce development website, SanDiegoWaterWorks.org.

Should you have any questions regarding the recruitment process or require accommodations pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact Patricia Duran, Senior Human Resources Analyst, at (858) 522-6663.

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• San Diego County Water Authority