City of Palo Alto

  • PROJECT ENGINEER

  • City of Palo Alto
  • Palo Alto, California United States View Map
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:
Project Engineer ($165,027.20 - $202,030.40 Annually) or Engineer ($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
To learn more about benefits, click here.
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, clickhere
To see full job description for Engineer click here

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.
  • 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 HERE.

Closing Date/Time: 7/19/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
City of Palo Alto

City of Palo Alto

650-329-2376

The Community


The birthplace of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, is a community of approximately 68,000 residents and nearly 100,000 jobs. Located on the mid-Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, Palo Alto is recognized worldwide as a leader in cutting-edge technology, medicine, and green innovation. The community's treelined streets and historic buildings reflect its California heritage, and, at the same time, many world-class businesses maintain or started offices here, such as Stanford Health Care and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Amazon, Broadcom, Hewlett-Packard, Houzz, Rivian, SAP and SAP Ariba, Tesla, and Varian Medical Systems. Numerous start-ups are also at home in Palo Alto, arguably making it the start-up capital of the world. Stanford University is foundational to the history and prestige of Palo Alto, reflected in the community's dedication to lifelong learning. Stanford's cultural and educational offerings are integral to the vibrancy and charm of Palo Alto, while the City's exceptional K-12 school district ranks among the top public-school systems in the country. With more than 50% of adult residents holding a graduate degree or higher, Palo Alto is frequently listed as one of the most educated cities in the nation. Palo Alto boasts a genuine sense of community and an active citizenry with strong environmental values. Beautiful neighborhoods are complemented by vibrant commercial corridors and a bustling economy featuring premium shopping and dining options. Excellent healthcare facilities, performing arts, and diverse recreational opportunities are some of the community's incredibly desirable and cherished amenities. To learn more, visit https://www.paloalto.gov/Departments/City-Manager/Latest-News

City Government

Palo Alto is a full-service charter city with a council-manager form of government. The seven-member City Council is elected at large, and the City Council annually selects the Mayor and Vice Mayor from among its members. The Mayor and City Council appoint the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and City Auditor. The City Manager is responsible for the strategic direction and day-to-day operations of the City. Palo Alto is organized into 15 departments/offices with 1,093.10 authorized positions in FY 2025. There is also a FY 2025 capital budget of $316.2 million. Palo Alto owns and operates its own utilities, including electricity (carbon-neutral), gas, water, wastewater, and an expanding fiber network. This dynamic municipal environment ensures an ever-engaging platform for unique problem-solving and advances new initiatives, including sustainability, broadband, and effective service delivery. Community assets also include five libraries, 36 parks, five community centers, a museum and zoo, youth centers, a general aviation airport, an 18-hole golf course, a regional water treatment plant, and wildland open space preserves at the San Francisco Bay and in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains offering 41 miles of walking/biking trails in addition to its police, fire, and ambulance services. Palo Alto has long been a leader in sustainability, and the City's ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals are part of what sets it apart. Since the City's first Climate Protection Plan was passed in 2007, Palo Alto has set goals that exceed State and Federal targets. Today, the City's goal to reduce emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2030 (the "80x30" goal) and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 guides sustainability efforts. An award-winning City, Palo Alto is recognized nationally as innovative and well-managed. City services and performance also receive impressive marks from community members in the Palo Alto Community Survey.

Many of those ratings put City programs and services in the highest percentiles among the hundreds of benchmark cities. Palo Alto makes decisions through comprehensive processes and proactively seeks to involve its extremely informed, educated, and engaged residents. Projects are naturally a cooperative effort among the City Council, Boards, Commissions, Committees, engaged residents, neighborhoods, businesses, property owners, and staff.

Join an Award Winning Team 

Palo Alto is an award-winning City recognized nationwide as innovative and well-managed. Palo Alto is one of a small number of California cities with a AAA bond rating. Recently, Palo Alto became one of the most livable cities in the U.S. by Livability.com. It's the only city to receive the Platinum Beacon Award in sustainability best practices by California’s Institute for Local Government. We offer a variety of career paths that relate to building and improving communities. The City has fourteen departments employing 1,000 full-time staff. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and building inspectors keep us safe. Engineers and public works staff build and re-build the physical infrastructure. City planners help envision and shape future community growth. Recreation, arts and library professionals enhance community life. Utilities provides electric, gas, water, sewer and other services. Internal services departments help manage, staff, and protect the City.

Want to learn more about our benefits? Learn more by reviewing our "Benefits at a Glance Booklet."

Contact Us

Phone: 650-329-2376   

Email: Recruit@paloalto.gov   

Location: City Hall, 1st Floor | 250 Hamilton Ave 94301 | View Map

 

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