Hydraulic Engineer

Job Description and Duties

Under the supervision of the Branch Chief, in the Division of Maintenance, Structure Maintenance and Investigations (SM&I), Office of Specialty Investigations, Hydraulics Branch, the incumbent is responsible for performing hydrology, hydraulic and scour appraisals (comprised of scour assessment and scour evaluation) to determine the scour vulnerability of in-service highway bridges on the State and Local highway networks in accordance with the federal regulation in 23 CFR Part 650 Subpart C National Bridge Inspection Standards (NBIS). The duties include: (i) Performing hydraulic and scour inspections, including flood/storm monitoring, (ii) Reporting the results of field and office investigations/appraisals in comprehensive, accurate, and timely written engineering reports, ensuring compliance with the Specifications for the National Bridge Inventory (SNBI), the Bridge Inspector’s Reference Manual (BIRM), the Manual for Bridge Evaluation (MBE), the Caltrans Bridge Element Inspection Manual (ELI), Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) guidance documents such as Hydraulic Engineering Circular (HEC) No. 18 (Evaluating Scour at Bridges), and SM&I Procedures Manual, (iii) Develop and maintain a written Scour Plan of Action (POA) document for critical bridges, (iv) During emergency events, the incumbent may be required to work off-peak hours to respond to bridge damage and direct field crews in the repair and stabilization of damaged bridges, (v) Develop scour countermeasure alternatives using guidance documents such as HEC-23 (Bridge Scour and Stream Instability Countermeasures).

PARF# 56-26-0135 / JC-526930

Candidates are required to review the Minimum Qualifications (MQs) for this classification. If you meet MQs under Pattern II and require the TE Civil in-person written hurdle exam, DO NOT TAKE the TE Civil online exam prior to passing the written hurdle. Candidates who take the TE Civil online exam prior to passing the written hurdle may negatively impact their hiring eligibility. Please contact the exam unit at [email protected] for additional information prior to taking the online examination.

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Working Conditions

Position located at 1801 30th St Sacramento, Sacramento County Multiple positions may be filled from this recruitment.

This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework is at the discretion of the Department and based on Caltrans’s evolving telework policy. Caltrans supports telework, recognizing that in-person attendance may be required based on operational needs. Employees are expected to be able to report to their worksites with minimum notification if an urgent need arises. The selected candidate will be required to commute to the headquartered location as needed to meet operational needs. Business travel may be required, and reimbursement considers an employee’s designated headquartered location, primary residence, and may be subject to CalHR regulations or applicable bargaining unit contract provisions. All commute expenses to the headquartered location will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

The Caltrans Transportation Engineer (Civil) Rotation Program is a mandatory 24 month to 33 months rotation assignment for all permanent, full-time Transportation Engineer (Civil) employees that have completed their probationary period hired by Caltrans Districts after June 22, 2018, or an earlier date as determined by the Districts. The purpose of Rotation Program is to provide opportunities for employees and Caltrans to benefit by participating in a standardized process that systematically engages newly hired engineers. Participants will develop well-rounded project delivery knowledge, skills, and abilities by rotating through diverse project delivery functional units. The Rotation Program includes mandatory core assignments in Design and Construction units, as well as a mandatory elective assignment. Each rotation assignment is typically between 6 to 12 months and will be based on workload needs and the employee’s goals. Assignments may involve long term travel and can be located throughout the state.

In addition to the Caltrans Transportation Engineer (Civil) Rotation Program, an incumbent may be required to go on loan to another project delivery function when there are temporary or peak staffing needs in those areas.

Special Requirements

• Appointment to Range D requires a valid Professional Engineering License (Civil) issued by the California Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. For all other ranges, a PE license is not required.

• Must possess a valid California Driver’s License.
  

• Statement of Qualification (SOQ) is required.

To apply for this position, you must submit a Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) highlighting your education, training, and applicable experience that qualifies you for this position in addition to the standard application form. A resume cannot be submitted in lieu of the SOQ. The SOQ should be typed in Century Gothic, 11-point font, no more than 2 pages in length (excluding attachments), and address the following topics (include each topic as a heading):

1. Relevant licenses. List any relevant licenses or certificates you hold, such as a Professional Engineer (PE) license, or Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certificate. Attach a copy of the license to the end of the SOQ.

2. Describe your Civil Engineering experience. Place emphasis on Hydrologic and Hydraulic evaluations, and any experience with bridge maintenance and design. Clearly outline the specific duties you performed and the duration (years and months) in each assignment. Provide clear examples that demonstrate the depth and relevance of your work in these disciplines.

3. Describe your Bridge Inspection experience. Include your responsibilities and the duration (years and months) of your duties, if applicable. Highlight any experience associated with hydraulics.

4. Bridge Construction experience. Describe any experience and duration (years and months) you have with bridge construction.

5. Relevant training courses. List and summarize any Bridge Maintenance or Bridge Inspection training courses or certifications you have completed. Emphasize National Highway Institute (NHI) courses where applicable (e.g., Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges, Bridge Inspection Refresher, Scour at Highway Bridges, Stream Stability Factors and Concepts, CountermeasureDesign for Bridge Scour and Stream Instability, etc.).

6. Education. Describe how your education, training, experience, and technical skills align with the criteria outlined in the Duty Statement and demonstrate your qualifications for the position.

Possession of Minimum Qualifications will be verified prior to interview and/or appointment. If you are basing your eligibility on education, you must include your unofficial transcript(s)/diploma for verification. Unofficial, original, or official sealed transcripts will be accepted and may be required upon appointment. Applicants with foreign transcripts/degrees must provide a transcript/degree U.S. equivalency report evaluation that indicates the number of units and degree to which the foreign coursework is equivalent. Please visit either of the following two websites for a list of evaluation agencies: or . Please redact birthdates and social security numbers .

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

Must have a solid understanding of hydrology and hydraulic principles and methods.

Knowledge of scour processes and the complex interactions between streams and structures is desirable.

The incumbent should be willing to learn the basics of sediment transport, fluvial morphology, 2D hydraulic modeling, and surveying, and should develop proficiency in the principles of scour countermeasure design as outlined in HEC 23.

The position requires strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to make neat and accurate engineering field notes and prepare clear and concise technical reports.

The ability to apply sound engineering judgment in field conditions and analyze factors affecting the safe load capacity of bridges.

The ability to collect physical and statistical data in field conditions and accurately maintain that data in a comprehensive database.

The ability to work independently and make decisions with a minimum of direction or supervision.

The ability to travel and work throughout California on a routine basis. The incumbent must demonstrate a willingness to learn from others and apply the knowledge needed to complete project-specific tasks effectively.

Benefits

Click HERE to view the Benefits Summary for Civil Service Employees in the State of California.

Important Application Instructions:

T he State application (STD. 678) is required and each section must be filled out completely and thoroughly. For mailed or hand delivered applications to be considered for this position, the Job Control number (JC-526930), PARF# 56-26-0135, and title of the position (Transportation Engineer (Civil)) must be included on the STD. 678 form.

Electronic applications through your CalCareers account are highly recommended and encouraged.

Candidates that meet the minimum qualifications based on possession of EDUCATION, LICENSE, OR CERTIFICATE must include a copy of your DEGREE/TRANSCRIPTS, LICENSE, or CERTIFICATE, along with your State application (STD. 678), to be considered for this position.

NOTE: Do not submit the “Equal Employment Opportunity” questionnaire (page 5) with your completed State application (STD. 678). This page is for examination use only. Do not include any confidential information on any documents you submit for this job vacancy, such as your state application, resume, or educational transcripts. Confidential information that should be excluded or removed from these documents includes, but is not limited to, your Social Security Number, birth date, driver’s license number, examination results, LEAP status, marital status, and age. The job application packet checklist is not required to apply for this position. Failure to follow these instructions may result in your application not being considered for this position.

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

• Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
• Resume is optional. It may be included, but is not required.
• Statement of Qualifications -

  Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is required. Please see the Special Requirements section for SOQ instructions.