Salary : $92,049.00 - $153,724.00 Annually
Location : Public Utilities, 730 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number:
Department: Public Utilities
Opening Date: 07/22/2026
Closing Date: 8/5/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Description
The City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is seeking an Engineer, Principal who is a dedicated and focused self-starter and who can manage engineering and construction efforts within the drinking water and wastewater capital infrastructure project portfolio. This position may assist plant operations and maintenance staff in the organization of plant processes and the development of O&M and small capital improvement projects.

The Engineer, Principal provides professional engineering administration and management for a variety of public services and construction projects. The position will provide supervision and management of engineers and technical staff for large and complex citywide projects, which may be highly visible or politically sensitive. As assigned, work may include supervising construction from conception to close-out; defining project scope, operational problems, and specific needs; managing the engineering design process; providing technical expertise to projects; serving as the City's key staff contact for architects, engineers, consultants, and outside agencies; managing work assignments, project scheduling, and budgets; reviewing specifications and drawings; inspecting job sites as required; coordinating project standards and procedures; preparing bid documents; reviewing and approving invoices, change orders, and design scope changes; attending or facilitating meetings; researching and compiling complex information and preparing complex reports; attending public meetings and making public presentations; assisting in budget preparation; maintaining project records; and coordinating with outside entities.

As assigned, the Engineer, Principal may supervise professional, paraprofessional, and support staff including conducting performance evaluations, coordinating training, and implementing hiring, discipline, and termination procedures.

Duties include but are not limited to

• Managing engineering consultants as they assist DPU with the development of (engineering and construction) design efforts at the Water Treatment Plant, Wastewater Plant, or other utility asset. Reviews proposals to ensure design drawing and detailed specifications are prepared according to project requirements.
• Managing construction management firms as they provide services for the construction phase of capital improvement projects.
• Assisting Plant operations and maintenance staff in the optimization of plant processes and the development of O&M and small capital improvement projects.
• Acting as Project Manager for all large capital Plant projects; developing annual, five year, and ten-year capital program budgets and providing needed input to O&M budgets.
• Supervising engineers and technical staff to include prioritizing and assigning work; conducting performance evaluations; ensuring staff is trained and employees follow policies and procedures to maintain a safe work environment.
• Leading and mentoring engineers.
• Some assignments may require a Professional Engineering (PE) License.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses
MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's Degree in engineering
• Five years of professional engineering experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Civil, Environmental, or Mechanical Engineering
• Professional Engineering (PE) Registration license
• Envision SP Certification
• Two years of supervisory experience
• Three (3) years of planning, design, and construction management experience for water and wastewater capital improvements projects

LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS, and OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Some assignments may require a Professional Engineering (PE) Registration
• Some assignments may require a valid Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record and a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's License within 30 days of hire

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
TYPICAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: These are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Construction practices and processes
• Design practices and processes
• Various construction contract delivery methods
• Envision sustainable design principles
• City finance system and budget process
• Hydraulics
• Water Treatment and Wastewater Treatment processes
• Drinking Water conveyance design/modeling
• Equipment and material selection
• Procurement
• Cost estimating and funding opportunities
• Concepts of project management such as the triple constraint, scheduling, budgeting, and project management software
• Applicable federal and state laws, regulations, rules, standards, and codes

Skills (some combination of the following):

• Project Management
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, scheduling software, eBuilder
• Reading and interpreting drawings, P&IDs, as-builts
• Basic GIS
• Basic CAD design
• Developing/managing a CIP and operational budget
• Public speaking, oral/written communication and presentations
• Procurement processes and documentation

Abilities (some combination of the following):

• Prepare and read easements, survey data, right of way agreements, etc.
• Navigate through and manage difficult situations while working with diverse groups of individuals and agencies

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to finger (pick, pinch, type or otherwise work primarily with fingers), talk, see, hear and use substantial repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and fingers. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, and feel; and the employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and reach extending hands and arms in any direction, push, pull, or lift. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be sedentary, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.

* Internal use: HR Generalist to review.
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