Principal Civil Engineer - Utilities

Applications will be accepted on a continuous basis. The first review of applications is scheduled to occur for applications received before 5:00 PM on February 5, 2026. This recruitment may close at any time after that date, once a sufficiently strong candidate pool has been established.

Here in Huntington Beach, we believe passionately that the key to becoming the best beach City in the world starts and ends with finding the right people to join our team. At this time, we have an outstanding career opportunity available, as we’re looking for the “right person” to serve as Principal Civil Engineer (Utilities) to join our Public Works Department team.

The Utilities Division is seeking a strong, hands-on leader with the ability to develop and mentor staff in Potable Water, Wastewater (Sewer), Storm Drain, and Flood Channel systems. The ideal candidate will bring technical depth, sound judgment, and a collaborative leadership style to support the City’s critical utility infrastructure.

Experience maintaining and applying hydraulic models, particularly WaterGEMS, is highly desirable. Proven experience in the planning and design of groundwater wells and sewer lift stations is essential as the City continues to expand its well field and replace aging lift stations. The successful candidate will be an effective communicator, capable of leading complex capital projects while ensuring regulatory compliance, fiscal responsibility, and long-term system reliability.

Public Works Department

The Public Works Department provides outstanding customer service and is responsible for the design, construction, maintenance, and operations of public facilities and infrastructure. This requires us to respond to requests for service, coordinate efforts with local, regional, state, and federal agencies, and working with the community in all of our efforts. Public Works manages over 30% of the city’s total budget, including three enterprise funds and seven designated funds, as well as the citywide capital improvement program. The five divisions in public works are committed to providing the highest quality of service to the community. These five divisions include Engineering, Utilities, Administration, Operations and Transportation.

The Position

The Principal Civil Engineer supervises, assigns, reviews, and participates in the work of staff responsible for providing civil engineering services for an assigned section including the planning and design of various public works projects such as storm drains and sewer systems, water systems; street improvements, improvements of property, and construction by private developers and other departments; ensure work quality and adherence to established policies and procedures; and perform the more technical and complex tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

Examples of Essential Duties:

• Participates in the development of the five-year water system plan; oversees financial forecasting and analysis activities to ensure that system plans meet future City water needs
• Performs special water system studies to ensure existing facilities are rehabilitated, maintained and operated in an economic manner
• Manages and oversees the maintenance and operations of the water system distribution network analysis model to simulate field conditions; identifies system improvements and upgrades
• Coordinates the review of environmental impact reports and developer studies to ensure water rates, rules and regulations are clarified and understood
• Establishes schedules and methods for providing water engineering services; identifies resource needs; reviews needs with appropriate management staff; allocates resources accordingly
• Administers projects from inception to completion including planning, design, review, public meetings, bidding and construction
• Determines the scope of engineering projects; oversees the preparation of plans and specifications by City staff; prepares requests for proposals and contracts for consulting services; reviews plans of consulting engineers and private contractors; makes technical engineering decisions and establishes technical criteria and standards
• Monitors design criteria and communicates City ordinances, standards, and policies to ensure compliance with laws, guidelines, and standards
• Manages all phases of private development processing for the Engineering Division, including environmental review, entitlement, plan check, and administration
• Demonstrates thorough knowledge of codes and regulations pertaining to land development including Subdivision Map Act, CEQA, NPDES and other local, state and federal requirements
• Applies knowledge of civil engineering principles particularly with respect to site development (e.g. grading and drainage, hydrology and hydraulics, utilities, water quality, and public improvements)
• Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills when preparing written reports for City Council and/or Planning Commission action, and providing in-person support at public hearings
• Develops and maintains strong working relationships with staff, management, technical consultants, contractors, developers, and public and private agency representatives
• Successfully manages, in a data-driven and results oriented manner, challenging and competing deadlines through proactive supervision, efficient allocation of resources, and cooperative relationships with staff in other departments as well as other divisions of Public Works
• Represents the department and provides comments to the Planning Department to ensure private development projects conform to City code, policies, and procedures.
• Approves engineering plans and specifications
• Directs and participates in the planning of assigned capital improvement projects
• Responds to questions and inquiries from the general public, other agencies, developers, contractors, engineering professionals, and City staff regarding engineering and development projects
• Prepares reports and studies on current and future planning and capital improvement projects
• Prepares regional, state and federal grants; monitors and tracks application requests and approved grant programs
• Participates in budget preparation and administration; prepares cost estimates for budget recommendations; monitors and controls expenditures
• Develops processes to ensure business continuity in the event of a disaster

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The preceding duties have been provided as examples of the essential types of work performed by positions within this job classification. The City, at its discretion, may add, modify, change or rescind work assignments as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would likely provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform in the position is qualifying. A typical combination includes:

Education: Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a closely related field from an accredited college or university. 

Experience: Eight (8) years’ professional civil engineering experience in the option applied including three (3) years in a senior or supervisory capacity.

Licenses/Certifications:  A valid California Class C driver’s license and an acceptable driving record are required at the time of appointment and throughout employment.

Registration in the State of California as a Professional Engineer required. If licensed in another state as a Professional Engineer, California registration must be obtained within twelve (12) months of employment.

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

Employees regularly assigned/required to drive a city or personal vehicle in the course and scope of work shall be required to participate in the DMV Employer Pull Notice program.

Public Employee Disaster Service Worker: In accordance with Government Code Section 3100, all Huntington Beach city employees are required to perform assigned disaster service worker duties in the event of an emergency or a disaster.

Please click here to view the full job description