Principal Engineering Technician

El Dorado County, located in east-central California, encompasses 1,805 square miles of rolling hills and mountainous terrain. The County’s western boundary contains part of Folsom Lake, and the eastern boundary is also the California-Nevada State line. The County is topographically divided into two zones. The northeast corner of the County is in the Lake Tahoe basin, while the remainder of the County is in the “western slope,” the area west of Echo Summit.

DEFINITION

Under direction, has day-to-day supervision of an assigned technical engineering support unit and performs a variety of the most complex engineering technical work in the field and in the office.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the full supervisory level of engineering technical classification in the engineering unit, having day-to-day responsibility for an assigned technical support unit and providing supervision, evaluation and training for assigned staff. In addition, the incumbent in this classification performs the highest level of technical paraprofessional engineering work requiring a high degree of independent judgment. This class is distinguished from that of Chief Engineering Technician in that the latter has overall management responsibility for the work of a section of technical engineering staff.

Examples of Essential Functions:

• Supervises and directs technical engineering support staff and activities, either directly or through subordinate lead staff.
• Plans, organizes, trains, reviews and evaluates the work of assigned staff; sets priorities and follows up as required.
• Participates in the hiring of assigned staff, recommending selection for management approval.
• Evaluates employee performance, counsels employees and effectively recommends initial disciplinary action and other personnel decisions.
• Coordinates and oversees construction inspection, materials testing, contract administration, quality control, and record keeping for Capital Improvement - Projects, Assessment/Mello Roos District, Road Improvement Agreements, and Class I and Rural subdivisions.
• Approves subcontractor and materials/equipment submittals.
• Reviews water pollution control plans.
• Reviews contractor compliance with safety requirements.
• Has responsibility for accurate record keeping on Federal Aid projects.
• Prepares periodic status reports regarding the assigned area of responsibility.
• Assists in the development and control of the unit budget.
• Reviews and approves the issue of a variety of permits.
• Investigates complaints and permit enforcement problems.
• Serves as Chairperson for committees.
• Assists in the development of safety manuals for inspection and laboratory staff.
• May prepare the agenda, sets meeting dates, and services as primary staff for the Traffic Advisory Committee.
• Receives and processes all communications relating to accidents, safety, signing, striping, and other traffic issues.
• Provides material for claims adjustment, prepares "Responses to Interrogatories", and provides testimony regarding traffic issues.
• Analyzes annual accident data and selects locations for road improvements.
• Reviews and processes permits for road closures.
• Oversees the maintenance and updating of the traffic database.
• Performs a wide variety of professional engineering studies and assignments.
• Reviews plans, specifications and engineering estimates for construction related issues.
• Uses Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) to complete plans and details for difficult construction projects, including performance of requisite research and development of contract document drawings and other graphic exhibits.
• Develops policies and procedures for use of Computer Aided Design and Drafting (CADD) stations and trains other staff in the use of CADD software.
• Attendance and punctuality that is observant of scheduled hours on a regular basis.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education & Experience Requirements:

Where college degrees and/or college course credits are required, degrees and college units must be obtained from an accredited college or university. Courses from non-accredited institutions will not be evaluated for this requirement.

Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university with major course work in an engineering discipline or possession of a valid California certificate as an Engineer-in-Training AND three years of engineering or technical work at a level equivalent to the County's level of Senior Engineering Technical or Senior CADD Technician. Additional work experience at a level equivalent to the County's Senior Engineering Technician or Senior CADD Technician may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis.

NOTE: The above qualifications are typically accepted ways of obtaining the required knowledge and skills.

Other Requirements:

Possession of a valid driver's license. Some positions may require regularly lifting and carrying of objects weighing up to sixty (60) pounds.