CIVIL ENGINEERING ASSISTANT (GEM Fellowship)

Position/Program Information

EXAM NUMBER

C3424U-R

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT

We welcome applications from anyone!

JOB TYPE

Temporary Summer Internship

(Typically 10 - 12 weeks)

HOURLY PAY

$41.10

FILING PERIOD

We will be accepting applications from Monday, March 16, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. (PT) until

Monday, March 16, 2026, by 4:00 p.m. (PT). Applications received after 4:00 p.m. (PT) will not be considered.

Why work for us?

With more than 10 million residents, Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the nation! As the largest employer in Southern California, over 116,000 employees in more than 38 Departments, we provide vital public services as diverse as law enforcement, property assessment, public health protection, water conservation, cultural activities and many more.

We are Los Angeles County Public Works, the largest municipal Public Works agency in the nation. Public Works has over 4,000 employees and offers over 500 different types of career opportunities that promote professional and personal growth as well as a rewarding and exciting work environment. Don't miss an opportunity to join our team!

About the Fellowship
GEM offers MS and Ph.D. level students an outstanding opportunity and access to dozens of the top Engineering and Science firms and Universities in the country. The GEM Fellowship was created to focus on promoting opportunities for individuals to enter industry at the graduate level in areas such as research and development, product development, and other high level technical careers. For more information, please click HERE .

Essential Job Functions

A Civil Engineering Assistant is responsible for the following essential functions:

• Assists in the preparation of plans, specifications, and cost estimates for various public infrastructure projects (e.g., flood control, road maintenance, retaining walls, parking lots, drainage and wastewater systems, dams, mountain roads, highways, street lighting and water distribution systems, debris basins, storm drains, spreading grounds, other flood control and water conservation facilities) .
• Assists in field investigations and studies for various public infrastructure projects (e.g., flood control, road maintenance, retaining walls, parking lots, drainage and wastewater systems, dams, mountain roads, highways, street lighting and water distribution systems, debris basins, storm drains, spreading grounds, other flood control and water conservation facilities).
• Performs calculations requiring knowledge of algebra, trigonometry, calculus, elementary mechanics, strength of materials, statics, geodesy, and structural analysis.
• Assists in conducting hydraulic and hydrologic studies to determine design criteria and operational requirements for flood control and water conservation structures.
• Compiles data for and assists in making studies or tests relating to the location, size, and capacity of other engineering structures or facilities.
• Assists in the review of plans for engineering structures prepared by other public agencies or by private firms to determine if they conform to department standards and practices and sound engineering.

Requirements

SPECIALTY REQUIREMENTS

Current Round 2 GEM (The National GEM Consortium)* Applicant AND a Bachelor's degree or higher** from an accredited college or university with specialization in a civil engineering curriculum approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET)***.

Withhold Information

If you will meet the requirements within six months of the end of the filing period, then you can still apply for this exam. However, we will not include you on the list sent to hiring managers until you provide proof of meeting the requirements.

Special Requirement Information

*Must be a "Round 2 GEM Applicant." Applicants MUST provide a legible copy of their GEM notification of "Round 2" status.

**To receive credit for your education, include a legible copy of your official diploma, official transcript, or letter/certificate from an accredited institution with seven (7) days of the end of the filing period. The document should show the date the degree was conferred and be in English; if it is in a foreign language, it must be translated and evaluated for equivalency to U.S. standards. For more information on our standards for educational documents, please visit: https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/070812_PPG123.pdf and https://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/dhr/205105_PPG_123_ACE_Resource_Guide.pdf

***A qualifying degree is one where either the undergraduate or postgraduate civil engineering curriculum is accredited by ABET, as supported by the California Department of Consumer Affairs.

Applicants with degrees from foreign universities will be accepted ONLY if evaluated and deemed to be equivalent to degrees from United States accredited institutions by an academic credential evaluation agency recognized by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or Association of International Credential Evaluation, Inc. (AICE).

Applications submitted that do not include the referenced documents will be marked as incomplete:

1) A copy of the GEM notification of Round 2 status, and 2) a copy of the diploma/official transcripts.

We do not accept password-protected documents. Ensure documents are unlocked before attaching to your application or sending to the exam analyst.

License

A valid California Class C Driver's License or the ability to use an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related duties.

Physical Class II

Light: This class includes administrative and clerical positions requiring light physical effort that may include occasional light lifting to a 10-pound limit and some bending, stooping, or squatting. Considerable ambulation may be involved.

Additional Information

This examination will consist of a multiple-choice and/or simulation assessment worth 100% assessing:

• Following instructions
• Graduate potential
• Responsibility
• Fostering team cohesion
• Maintaining good working relationships
• Analyzing information
• Learning quickly
• Generating new ideas
• Using time efficiently
• Working to high quality standards
• Adapting to change
• Coping with setbacks and criticism
• Striving to achieve

Testing will take place on March 19, 2026.

Applicants must meet the requirements and achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the assessment in order to be placed on the eligible list.

MULTIPLE-CHOICE AND SIMULATION ASSESSMENTS ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.

Transfer of Test Components
If you have taken identical components recently for other exams, your responses may be automatically transferred to this examination. This exam contains test components that might be used on future exams, and your responses could be transferred to that exam.

Test Preparation
We provide study guides and other test preparation resources to help applicants prepare for employment tests. While the guides may help in preparing for the test, we recommend reviewing all related materials that seem necessary.

• Various information can be found on our website at https://hr.lacounty.gov/job-search-toolkit/ . The section dedicated to test preparation is "Employment Test Assistance".
• Online practice tests are available at https://www.shldirect.com/en-us/practice-tests/ .

Eligibility and Vacancy Information

Applicants who passed the assessment are placed on an eligible list in the order of their score group for a period of six (6) months. The list of successful candidates created from this exam will be used to fill vacancies throughout the Department of Public Works as they occur.

Application and Filing Information

We only accept applications filed online. Applications submitted by U.S. mail, fax, or in person are not accepted. Apply online by clicking on the "Apply" green button at the top right of this posting. This website can also be used to get application status updates.

Please fill out the application completely. Provide relevant job experience including employer's name and address, job title, beginning and ending dates, number of hours worked per week, and description of work performed.

We may verify information included in the application at any point during the examination and hiring process, including after an appointment has been made. Falsification of information could result in refusal of application or rescission of appointment. Copying verbiage from the Requirements or class specification as your work experience will not be sufficient to demonstrate meeting the requirements. Doing so may result in an incomplete application and may lead to disqualification.

We will send notifications to the email address provided on the application, so it is important that you provide a valid email address. If you choose to unsubscribe or opt out from receiving our emails, it is possible to view notices by logging into governmentjobs.com and checking the profile inbox. It is every applicant's responsibility to take steps to view correspondence, and we will not consider claims of missing notices to be a valid reason for re-scheduling an exam part. Register the below domains as approved senders to prevent email notifications from being filtered as spam/junk mail.

• info@governmentjobs.com
• talentcentral@shl.com
• noreply@governmentjobs.com
• noreply@proctoru.com
• donot-reply@amcatmail.com
• vsanchez@hr.lacounty.gov
• klent@hr.lacounty.gov

New email addresses need to be verified. This only needs to be done once per email address and can be done at anytime by logging in to governmentjobs.com and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of the online application and to prevent incorrectly entered email addresses.

Federal law requires that all employed persons have a Social Security Number, so include yours when applying.

For those who do not have access to a computer or the internet, access to complete an application is available at public libraries throughout the county.

All applicants must file their application online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's login information may erase a candidate's original application record.

Anti-Racism, Diversity, and Inclusion (ARDI)

The County of Los Angeles recognizes and affirms that all people are created equal and are entitled to all rights afforded by the Constitution of the United States. The Department of Human Resources is committed to promoting Anti-racism, Diversity, and Inclusion efforts to address the inequalities and disparities amongst race. We support the ARDI Strategic Plan and its goals by improving equality, diversity, and inclusion in recruitment, selection, and employment practices.

Testing Accommodation

If you require an accommodation to fairly compete in any part of the assessment process, you will be given the chance to create a request when completing your application. Please note, you may be required to submit documentation from a qualified medical provider or other qualified professional to support your request for a testing accommodation.

Testing Accommodations Coordinator: TestingAccommodations@hr.lacounty.gov

Testing Accommodations Coordinator Phone: ( 213) 441-3150

Teletype Phone: (800) 899-4099

California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922

Department Contact Name: Valentina Sanchez

Department Contact Phone: (213) 349-8031

Department Contact Email: vsanchez@hr.lacounty.gov .

Exam Number: C3424U-R

For detailed information, please click here

Closing Date/Time: 3/16/2026 4:00 PM Pacific

• 

• Los Angeles County

• (800) 970-5478

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