Job Description

Posting number: 26-00846

Department: Planning and Public Works

Division: PPW Development Services

Job classification: Civil Engineer 2

Posting type: Open

Categories: Building & Safety, Building Maintenance, Code Enforcement, Engineering, Environmental Services, Facility Management, Planning and Development, Public Works, Trades, Water Treatment, Management, Land Use, Wastewater, Community Development, Utilities, Construction Maintenance, Building & Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance, Construction Trades, Geographic Information Systems, Stormwater

20251118062234_PC_HR-Email-Header_PCBlue.png

Examples of duties

Why it's a great opportunity: This is a great opportunity to help shape the future of Pierce County through meaningful, public-facing engineering work. In this role, you will review a wide variety of private development projects to include home remodels, commercial buildings, warehouses, commercial pretreatment, subdivisions, and full community developments, while also supporting State Environmental Policy Act review, sewer, and utility coordination. You will collaborate with developers, consultants, the public, and multiple County divisions while using tools such as Bluebeam, GIS, FloMaster, and emerging AI-assisted workflows for reviews. You may also represent the County at the front counter of the Development center to answer sewer related questions and evaluate the pretreatment responsibilities of commercial and industrial projects. This position offers a strong mix of technical engineering, customer service, problem solving, and community impact for someone who wants to grow professionally while helping ensure development is reviewed thoughtfully, consistently, and with care.

Why it's a great department: PPW stewards a healthy and vibrant community by collaboratively planning and investing in our people, infrastructure, systems, and policies. PPW’s team has more than 800 members that collaborate, innovate and inspire in performing essential services to the community. The department is responsible for the County road and levee systems, sewer systems, airports, ferries, building permits, environmental review, sustainability, community planning, and code enforcement - just to name a few!

Learn more about Planning and Public Works here.

How to be successful in the role: Your success in this role will come from bringing a positive attitude, strong customer service, sound engineering judgment, and a willingness to keep learning. You will be most successful by communicating clearly, making thoughtful independent decisions, supporting your teammates, and building strong working relationships with applicants, consultants, County staff, and the broader Pierce County community.

Your future in this role: You will have access to professional development through robust online learning and other training opportunities throughout your career to ensure your success. This position has multiple career growth and promotional opportunities in Pierce County to build on a great career while directly impacting the communities in Pierce County.

Core daily responsibilities:

• Reviews and recommends changes to consulting engineer prepared plans to meet County standards.
• Reviews projects for compliance with Critical Areas regulations and writes project conditions. Evaluates project impacts and reviews proposed mitigation.
• Reviews development projects for compliance with County ordinances, state and federal statutes and regulations, and adopted standards and county policy.
• Communicates with staff and the general public regarding departmental policies and procedures. Provides technical advice regarding engineering-related problems or projects to the public and customers.
• Provides public testimony to hearings, boards, commissions, elected officials and the public on projects or cases being reviewed by the department.

A classification description with a more detailed list of essential functions can be found here.

Qualifications

• Registration as an Engineer-in-Training AND
• Seven years of progressively responsible experience related to the position is required.
• A bachelor’s degree from an ABET accredited program in civil engineering, or a closely related field, may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis, up to four years.
• A valid driver's license is required.
• A resume and cover letter are required for this position.

As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case-by-case and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration.

Supplemental information

To be considered for this opportunity please:

• Complete and submit a detailed online Pierce County Employment Application by selecting “APPLY” above or visiting www.piercecountywa.gov/jobs
• If you have questions about this opportunity, email the Recruitment Team at PCHRRecruit@piercecountywa.gov and include the job number and title.
• Individuals who need accommodation in the application or interview process may contact Human Resources at (253) 798-7480 at least two days prior to the need.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship.

Our Recruitment Practices: This is a competitive and meritorious selection process. Pierce County applications are reviewed by human hiring staff in accordance with the qualifications listed for the positionPierce County understands applicants may use AI tools when preparing application materials. We recognize these tools can make the process easier; however, we ask that everything you submit genuinely reflects your own experience, skills, knowledge, and writing style.

During the interview process, you may be asked to demonstrate your skills, including writing and subject knowledge, and to speak to your experience in your own voice. Applicants should be prepared to respond to interview questions without relying on AI-generated responses or reading prepared answers from a screen. Any misrepresentation may result in disqualification or separation.

Applicants whose qualifications most closely align with the County’s needs will be eligible for further consideration. Notification of application status typically occurs within two to three weeks after the closing date. Some applicants may receive short notice to participate in additional selection steps, which may include assessments, phone screens, or interviews.

Upon offer, compensation is based on a range of job-related factors, including the requirements of the role, your skills and experience, and internal pay equity.

Our Welcoming Workplace Commitment: Pierce County is committed to fostering a Welcoming Workplace where employees are supported, respected, and able to thrive. We believe a strong public workforce is representative of the community it serves and that fair and just access to opportunity strengthens public service.

Guided by the County Executive’s Forward Together mission, Pierce County works to build communities that are safe, welcoming, and connected. This same commitment shapes how we recruit, develop, and retain our employees. County employees make a direct and visible impact in the lives of residents every day, and we invite you to join us in helping keep Pierce County a place people are proud to call home.