Assistant Electrical Engineer (Department of Utilities)

Salary : $80,630.59 - $113,455.34 Annually
Location : Sacramento, CA
Job Type: Full-Time Career
Job Number: 011019-26-DOU-2
Department: Utilities
Division: Electrical Engineering
Opening Date: 11/06/2026
Closing Date: 12/4/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

THE POSITION
THIS POSTING IS FOR ASSISTANT ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
With supervisor approval, incumbents may be eligible for intermittent remote work; however, they must physically reside within the Sacramento region or have the ability to regularly report to a City of Sacramento physical worksite with little notice.
The City of Sacramento Department of Utilities (DOU) Electrical Engineering Division is seeking a motivated Assistant Electrical Engineer to join the team that plays a vital role in providing electrical engineering support for our drainage, water, and sewer capital improvement programs. This position offers a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful, hands-on work that encompasses technical engineering design and project management. Engineers in the Electrical Engineering Division are directly involved in technical tasks such as the preparation of plans, specifications, and power system studies. Additionally, this position supports Capital Involvement Program (CIP) project delivery tasks which could include preparing project reports, budgets, estimates, providing project management, and working closely with Operations and Maintenance staff. The Electrical Engineering Division team develops well-rounded skills ensuring that staff gain valuable experience in both the design and implementation phases of infrastructure projects.

IDEAL CANDIDATE STATEMENT

The ideal candidate will be a highly motivated self-starter and team player who can meet deadlines and learn on the job. They will have excellent customer service, communication skills, and can think critically to resolve work-related issues. Experience in electrical power distribution, industrial motor controls, and process automation and controls (e.g. PLCs, SCADA, and instrumentation) to support water, wastewater, and stormwater operations, as well as knowledge of the National Electrical Code and software tools such as AutoCAD, MS Project and MS Office suite, are highly desirable in the ideal candidate.

DEFINITION

The purpose of this position is to perform professional electrical engineering work in the planning, design, technical investigation, and construction of projects or implementation of environmental regulatory programs in the areas of traffic, transportation, water resources and structural engineering.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Assistant Electrical Engineer is a journey-level classification filled with multiple incumbents. Incumbents are responsible for performing moderately difficult professional engineering work in electrical engineering. Assignments are limited in scope and/or complexity, and incumbent applies or adjusts established processes and procedures to complete the tasks within defined guidelines. Assistant Electrical Engineers are typically considered to be in a continuing training status. This classification is distinguished from the next higher-level classification of Associate Electrical Engineer in that the latter has greater complexity of the assignments received, greater responsibility and accountability for the resulting work product, and is expected to perform duties with greater independence. Additionally, the Associate is registered as a Licensed Professional Electrical Engineer in the state of California.
Some positions in the Electrical Engineer classification series are flexibly staffed at the Junior, Assistant , and Associate levels. Appointment to the higher classification requires that the employee be performing substantially the full range of duties for the classification and meet the qualification standards for the classification.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Direct supervision is provided by an Associate Engineer, or other higher-level personnel. Lead responsibilities may include the guidance and coordination of technical personnel or student trainees/interns.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This information is intended to be descriptive of the key responsibilities of the classification. The list of essential functions below does not identify all duties performed by any single incumbent in this classification.

• Participate in the implementation of the City's traffic, transportation, utilities (water, wastewater, and drainage), or building engineering design and plan review programs.

• engineering projects. Prepare and revise plans, reports and specifications for engineering projects. Prepare standard studies and reports and coordinate major projects.
• Research project design requirements, and perform complex calculations and prepare estimates of material costs and time considerations.
• Assign routine inspection, investigation, design, and drafting tasks to technical personnel and review completed work.
• Investigate field problems affecting property owners, contractors, and maintenance operations, and prepare estimates and feasibility reports for new or modified services and structures.
• Participate in the plan check, review, and processing of plans for private developments and ensure they meet all City imposed requirements.
• Serve as staff to a variety of City commissions, boards, and committees.
• Manage construction projects.
• Perform related work of a similar nature and level as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS
QUALIFICATIONS:

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of electrical engineering as applied to public works, utilities, traffic, or building construction projects.
• Methods, materials, and techniques used in the construction of public works, building and utilities projects.
• Modern developments, current literature, and sources of information regarding mechanical engineering and building codes and ordinances.

Skill in:

• Technical and analytical report writing.

• Perform complex engineering computations.
• Use and care for engineering and drafting instruments and equipment.
• Use of modern office equipment, including computers, computer applications, and computer software, to accomplish a variety of tasks.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

Hiring Path 1: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in electrical engineering or closely related field.

Hiring Path 2: None

Experience:

Hiring Path 1: One (1) year of experience in professional electrical engineering work.

Hiring Path 2: Current employment as a Junior Engineer and one (1) year of experience in the classification of Junior Engineer with the City of Sacramento.

Substitution:

Additional experience may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis.

OR

Possession of an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) Certification may substitute for education.

PROOF OF EDUCATION

Should education be used to qualify for this position, then proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment. Unofficial documents and/or copies are acceptable.
An applicant with a college degree obtained outside the United States must have education records evaluated by a credential's evaluation service. Evaluation of education records will be due at time of appointment.
PROOF OF CERTIFICATION

Should certification and/or license be used to qualify for this position, then proof of said certification and/or license should be submitted with your application and will be required at the time of appointment.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Driver License:

The employee is not required to hold a driver's license but must be able to arrange reliable and timely transportation through private or public transportation for attendance at off-site meetings, events, and trainings.

Certification:
None

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

Employees must complete twelve (12) months of probation at a satisfactory performance level prior to gaining permanent status.

THE SELECTION PROCEDURE
Please note, the City of Sacramento's preferred method of communication with applicants is via e-mail. As such, please ensure you verify the e-mail address on your application, and check your e-mail frequently, including your spam and junk folders. All e-mail notifications can also be accessed through the governmentjobs.com applicant inbox.

1. Application: (Pass/Fail) - All applicants must complete and submit online a City of Sacramento employment application by the final filing deadline;

• Employment applications must be submitted online; paper applications will not be accepted.
• Employment applications will be considered incomplete and will be disqualified:
  • If applicants do not list current and/or past job-related experience in the duties area of the "Work Experience" section. Note: Qualifying experience is based on full-time experience (40 hours per week). Qualifying experience is calculated to the full-time equivalent (pro-rated if less than 40 hours/week).
  • If "see resume" is noted in the "Work Experience" section; a resume will not substitute for the information required in the "Work Experience" section.
• Proof of education such as, but not limited to, university/college transcripts and degrees should be submitted online with your application. Proof of education will be required at time of appointment.
• Proof of certification and/or license should be submitted online with your application. Proof of certification and/or license will be required at time of appointment.
• Position/job titles will not be considered in determining eligibility for meeting the minimum qualifications for this position.
• If you're requesting Veteran's credit, a copy of your DD214 must be submitted online with your application or emailed to the Employment Office by the final filing deadline. Information regarding the use of Veteran's credit can be found in the Civil Service Board rules under rule
• Applicants are responsible for attaching a copy of their DD214 to each position for which they apply.

2. Training and Experience Exam: (Weighted 100%) - The questions located at the end of the application are the Training and Experience (T&E) Exam. Responses to the T&E questions will be rated and scored. This exam will evaluate the relevance, level, and progression of a candidate's education, training and experience. The exam score will determine your ranking on the eligible list for this job. When completing the T&E questions, please note:

• Responses to the T&E questions must be submitted online; paper questionnaires will not be accepted.
• A resume will not substitute for the information required in the T&E questions.

3. Eligibility: Candidates who pass the Training and Experience Test will be placed on the eligible list. The hiring department may contact candidates for interview at any time during the life of the one-year list. Candidate's eligibility expires one year from the date of notification of a passing score for the Assistant Electrical Engineer examination.

4. Screening Committee: (Pass/Fail)- All candidates that pass the examination and are in one of the top three ranks will have their application forwarded to the hiring department for review. The hiring department will select the most competitive applications for further consideration. Human Resources will only evaluate employment applications for the minimum qualifications, as stated on the job announcement, for applications selected by the hiring department.

5. Conditional Hire: Upon receipt of a conditional offer, the selected candidate must complete and pass Live Scan/fingerprinting. If applicable, candidates may also need to pass a pre-employment medical exam, controlled substance and/or alcohol test, and possess any required licensure or certification prior to receiving a start date from the Department. Failure to meet these prerequisites will be grounds for withdrawal of your conditional offer of employment.

QUESTIONS:
For questions concerning this job announcement and the application process:

• Please visit for a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to the application process.
• For technical support between 6 AM - 5 PM PT, contact Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627.
• Visit the City of Sacramento Human Resources Department website at ;
• Send an email to ; or
• Call the Human Resources Department at (916) 808-5726

Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? That's right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.

Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employee's Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicant's eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.