Salary : $121,388.80 - $163,134.40 Annually
Location : Yuba City, CA
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number:
Department: DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
Opening Date: 09/16/2026
Closing Date: 10/7/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

JOB SUMMARY
Development Services is seeking a Principal Engineer to join their team.

Under general direction, a Principal Engineer supervises and manages the activities of staff engaged in varied and difficult professional and technical engineering functions, such as, the County's land development, water resources, or capital projects functions. Responsibilities include providing professional civil engineering expertise, in addition to planning, organizing, directing and coordinating the projects and day-to-day activities for an assigned area; train, supervise and evaluate subordinate staff and perform related work as assigned. Duties may vary somewhat, depending on the area of assignment; however, all positions are characterized by the need for program planning, coordination and evaluation and the necessity to direct the work of staff. Incumbents are fully qualified to perform all duties specified as a Professional Engineer by the State of California.

EXAMPLE OF DUTIES

The following duties are normal for this position. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive. Other related duties may be required and assigned.

1. Plan, organize, assign and administer the programmatic, administrative and operational responsibilities within the area of assignment; monitor and evaluate the work activities to ensure compliance with all local, state and federal mandates and guidelines.
2. Manage and evaluate the divisions work activities, projects and programs; assign work and set priorities; monitor progress to ensure timely and efficient operations and participate in long-range plans.
3. Participate in the select ion of staff; plan, organize, supervise, review, train and evaluate the work of professional, technical and/or support staff; ensure effective morale and productivity and discipline of departmental staff.
4. Direct a variety of road, bridge, flood control, and other public works projects, including maintenance and retrofit projects.
5. Coordinate and administer all aspect s of the County's Stormwater Management Program to ensure compliance with the Small MS4 General Permit .
6. Coordinate and administer all aspect s of the County's Floodplain Management Program including FEMA elevation certificates and the Community Rating System.
7. Conduct feasibility and cost studies; recommend alternative approaches, including the use of contract services and the incorporation of new methods and materials.
8. Review plans and inspect projects; provide engineering design and code information and ensure that designs meet accepted industry and legal standards.
9. Directly participate in the work of the division particularly with extremely complex, difficult or politically sensitive situations.
10. Plan, organize, direct , review and evaluate the design, construct ion and inspect ion of flood control, storm water management, water resources and other related projects.
11. Interpret and explain complex and technical laws, codes and regulations and provide information related to Public Works Engineering activities; receive and respond to complaints and recommend corrective act ion as necessary.
12. Develop and administer professional services or construct ion project contracts. Follow the County's applicable Ordinance Code Sections for professional and construction contract procurement, including relevant sections of the Public Contract Code.
13. Initiate and maintain professional relationships with other departments, businesses, local community and other professional organizations.
14. Prepare a variety of writ ten communications, including analytical reports and correspondence; direct the preparation of maps, plans and graphic materials.
15. Make oral and graphic presentations or prepare materials for presentation to boards, commissions and community groups; answer questions, provide information and assistance to the public.
16. Use computers and software programs for various technical modeling, calculation, database, mapping, computer-aided drafting and similar engineering applications.
17. Comply with all County equipment and safety policies and procedures, and California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (CalOSHA) rules and regulations.
18. Use standard office equipment, including a computer, in the course of the work; drive a motor vehicle to attend meetings and inspect project sites.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:
Principles and practices of personnel management and employee supervision, including selection, work planning, organization, performance review and evaluation, employee training and discipline; basic business management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership techniques, production methods and coordination of people and resources; principles and practices of leadership, motivation, team building and conflict resolution; engineering and architectural procedures and principles; engineering design analysis; construction practices and safety requirements; the strength, properties, and use of materials in building construction; budget preparation; general knowledge of city, county, state, and federal building codes and regulations and the principles upon which the codes and regulations are based; specification writing; plans and specification requirements; contracts and the legal relationships between owner, architect, consultant, contractor and sub-contractor; program requirements; bidding process; principles and practices applicable to the structural evaluation and design of complex buildings and structures; construction code requirements including, but not limited to, occupancy safety, fire resistive construction, approved standards and state disability accessibility requirements; and building permit procedures used by local governments.

Ability to:
Train, supervise and evaluate employees effectively; motivate, develop, and direct people as they work and identify the best people and resources for the job; plan, manage, supervise, direct, coordinate and evaluate the work of staff and contracted personnel; manage one's own time and the time of others; monitor and assess the performance of one's self, other individuals, or programs to make improvements or take corrective action; listen carefully to what other people are saying, take time to understand the points being made and ask questions as appropriate for clarification; interpret, explain and enforce codes, plans, specifications and contracts; review and evaluate difficult building design work; review plans and specifications, recognize and require needed changes prior to approval; analyze engineering and architectural problems to determine an effective course of action; determine feasibility and appropriateness of contract changes; review construction methods and schedules in determining acceptable methods to ensure structural stability and safety during and after the course of construction; establish and maintain effective working relationships; prepare correspondence and written reports; prepare public presentations; communicate effectively both orally and in writing.

Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in civil engineering and/or architect, and four years civil engineering experience. An advanced degree in civil engineering and up to five years of professional civil engineering experience in the design and construction of roads, bridges, drainage structures, and related Public Works facilities with at least two years in a supervisory or management capacity is desired.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Essential duties require the following physical, mental and work requirements.
Requires the ability to exert a small amount of physical effort in sedentary to light work involving moving from one area of the office to another; ability to maintain mental capacity which allows the capability of exercising sound judgment and rational thinking under varied circumstances; ability to see and make observations, perform close-up work, discriminate the full spectrum of colors; ability to hear and communicate orally; requires sufficient hand/eye coordination to perform semi-skilled repetitive movements, such as drafting, typing, data entry or use of other office equipment or supplies; occasional walking on uneven terrain at construction sites; ability to operate a motor vehicle; may need to attend meetings outside of normal working hours.

Disaster Service Workers:
All Sutter County employees are designated as Disaster Service Workers during a proclaimed emergency and may be required to perform certain emergency services at the direction of the department and/or County.

License or Certificate:
Must be registered as a Professional Civil Engineer in the State of California. Must maintain professional development and continuing education activities for valid certification as required by the position. This classification may require a valid California driver's license.

Recruitment Process
The recruitment process for this position includes completing an application and participating in oral interview(s). Please notify the Human Resources Department prior to the final filing date for this position if you believe you have a disability, which would make it difficult to participate in any portion of the recruitment process and would require reasonable accommodation. Sutter County reserves the right to require medical documentation concerning the need for accommodation. Offers of employment are contingent upon investigation of employment history, references, drug testing, medical review/exam and fingerprinting in addition to other appropriate requirements of the position.

NOTE: Sutter County utilizes E-Verify to confirm the eligibility of employees to work in the United States.

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Full-time employees are eligible for benefits.
Extra-help employees working more than 30 hours per week MAY be eligible for some benefits.
01

Do you have a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in civil engineering and/or architecture? If so, please attach a copy of your transcripts or degree.

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have four years of civil engineering experience? Did you include this experience on your application?

• Yes
• No

03

Are you registered as a Professional Civil Engineer in the State of California? Did you attach proof on your application?

• Yes
• No

Required Question