Salary: $196,128.00 - $250,308.00 Annually
Location : 1700 W. 162nd Street, Gardena, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Department: Public Works
Division: Public Works Administration
Opening Date: 08/17/2026
Closing Date: 9/25/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Description

Under the direction of the City Manager, plans, organizes, and directs all of the City's Public Works Department's functions.

Applications are being accepted through Peckham & McKenney. To apply please click on the following link: Director of Public Works/City Engineer Application
Examples of Duties

Representative Duties
The following duties are a list of typical duties of the various types of work that may be performed by this position. The duties included on this list are examples and the omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the class.

• Plans, schedules, coordinates and directs the implementation of programs in the various public service activities including sewer maintenance, street maintenance, fleet/equipment maintenance, and engineering including overseeing the engineering functions of the contract City Engineer;
• Prepares and recommends departmental programs and budgets for approval;
• Plans, organizes, directs and evaluates the performance of supervised staff and their assigned staff; establishes performance requirements and personal development targets while regularly monitoring performance and taking disciplinary action, up to and including termination, where necessary;
• Provides leadership to develop and retain highly competent, public service-oriented staff;
• Directs the forecasting of department requirements for funds, staffing, equipment, materials and supplies;
• Receives and investigates public complaints and takes action to have them resolved;
• Writes or directs the writing of a variety of reports and correspondence pertaining to City and departmental operations;
• Provides staff assistance to the City Manager, City Council and applicable commissions and other governmental agencies.
• Signs engineering plans and documents as a Professional Registered Engineer on behalf of the City as its City Engineer and seal parcel maps.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Organizational Responsibilities
This position reports directly to the City Manager and is responsible for the effective and efficient operation of the Public Works Department.
Typical Qualifications

Education and Experience
A Bachelor's Degree from a four-year college or university in Public Administration, Civil Engineering or a related field AND five (5) years of increasingly-responsible professional experience in public works management, including at least two (2) years of said experience in supervisory position; or an equivalent combination of education or experience.

A Master's degree in the above-mentioned areas of discipline and experience in grant-funded capital improvement projects, traffic, and engineering at the municipal level are highly desirable.

Knowledge and Abilities
Must have knowledge of the theory, principles, practices and techniques of public works, traffic engineering, municipal sewers engineering and public works maintenance functions; applicable federal, state and local law, codes and regulations governing the administration of public works functions and activities; principles and practices of public administration, including budgeting, purchasing and the maintenance of public records; organization and functions of an elected City Council; the City's personnel rules and policies; principles and practices of management and supervision.

Must have the ability to develop and establish work programs to insure that all equipment, facilities and structures for which the Department has responsibility are properly maintained; direct the operations of a large department performing diverse functions, including responsibility for personnel and budgetary matters; work cooperatively with representatives of other City departments and the public; to determine the best and most economical methods to implement the various maintenance programs for which the Department is responsible.

License
Must have and maintain a valid Class C California's Driver's License
Must possess a California Professional Engineer (P.E.) designation

Special Conditions
Designated Director-level Exempt position
Conflict of Interest Statement
Supplemental Information
Testing Process

• Supplemental Process (as necessary): September 28 - October 9, 2026
• City Selection of Candidates to Interview: October 14, 2026
• Initial In-Person Panel Interview: October 22, 2026
• Second In-Person Interview: October 29, 2026

*Testing process is subject to change
Candidates must pass all examinations to be placed on the eligible list. Possession of minimum qualifications does not guarantee an invitation to the next step in the selection process. All candidate materials will be carefully evaluated and only those considered best qualified will be invited to the next step in the selection process.
Vacation: 10 hours per month and increasing with years of service.

Holidays: 13 fixed holidays per year plus additional 20 hours of floating holiday.

Management Leave: Sixty (60) hours per calendar year.

Sick Leave: 10 hours per month with option to convert sick leave to cash after five (5) years of service, subject to other terms and conditions.

Retirement: The City offers the CalPERS 2.0% at 62 pension formula for new CalPERS members hired on or after January 1, 2013, or 2.0% at 55 pension formula for existing CalPERS member with less than a six-month break in service from another CalPERS or CalPERS reciprocal agency.

Health Insurance: The City will pay the PPO Plan premium for a full-time employee plus one (1) dependent.

Retiree Medical: Competitive retiree health benefit upon CalPERS retirement required years of City service, subject to other terms and conditions.

Vehicle Allowance: $750.00 per month.

Educational Reimbursement: $2,500 per fiscal year subject to course eligibility requirements.

Educational Incentive Pay: Eligible employees will receive five percent (5%) of base annual salary.

Wellness Reimbursement: Up to $750.00 per fiscal year to use towards wellness related programs and products.

Longevity Bonus Pay: Beginning at ten (10) years of service.

Bilingual Bonus Pay: The city shall pay each approved full-time employee a Bilingual Bonus of thirty-one dollars ($31.00) per pay period as long as the employee remains eligible for the bonus.

Life Insurance: City-paid Group Term Life Insurance Policy at 1 1/2 times regular salary.

Deferred Compensation: City shall contribute a matching amount equal to the employee's voluntary contribution, to the City-sponsored 457 plan each calendar year, up to a maximum of five percent (5%) of the employee's annual base salary.
401(A) Plan: Required contribution of $7,200/year.

Credit Union: Savings and loan services available through South Bay Credit Union, Kinecta, and F&A Federal Credit Union.