Civil Engineer - Wastewater Collection O&M (Engineer I - Civil)

Job Appointment: Full-Time
Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8 am-5 pm. An alternate schedule may be available.
Work Location: 1120 SW 5TH AVE, PORTLAND, OR 97204
Benefits: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of the benefits for this position.
Union Representation: PROTEC17
To view current labor agreements, please visit https://www.portland.gov/bhr/employee-relations/labor-relations/labor-agreements.

Application Material: Please click APPLY to submit your application via the City of Portland’s online portal. You will need to attach a resume and cover letter.


Are you detail oriented, a self-starter, experienced with Civil Engineering of sanitary and combined sewer collection systems, and underground infrastructure construction? Are you also good at communicating with a diverse array of stakeholders, have a collaborative nature, and value protecting public health and safety? The City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) is seeking a Civil Engineer for the current opening in the Wastewater Collection Operations and Maintenance team within the Collection Systems Operations and Maintenance Division. 

What you’ll get to do: 

• Evaluate Asset Failures: determining urgency of asset repairs, a path for mitigating the failures, and collaborating with internal and external construction teams to conduct the repairs. 
• Utility, Development, and Capital Improvement Plan Review: review applications for development, utility relocations, and capital projects for compliance with Bureau standards, service point connections, and ensure protection of Bureau assets.
• Preventative Maintenance: collaborate with peers and stakeholders to identify assets that require preventative maintenance such as cleaning and/or inspection. 
• Process Improvements: collaborate with internal peers to identify and develop process improvements to internal procedures. 
• Committee Representation: serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on one or more internal committees representing the Operations and Maintenance team.

About the Bureau of Environmental Services

This is an exciting time to join the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES).   Together we are reimagining the work we do to ensure it aligns with Our Values:

• We implement equity in our workplace, business practices, and service delivery.
• We value our customers and partners.
• We carefully manage our watersheds, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and financial resources.
• We encourage leadership among our employees in our City and community.
• We support a diverse, collaborative, healthy, and engaged workforce.
• We urge respectful communication and transparency.
• We advance innovative, sustainable, and resilient solutions.

At BES, we value our customers and partners; Portlanders’ sense of connection to their waterways; conscientious stewardship of our watersheds, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and financial resources; a diverse, collaborative, healthy, and engaged workforce; leadership among our employees and in our City and community; equity in our workplace, business practices, and service delivery; clear communication and transparency; innovative, sustainable, and resilient solutions. 

BES is seeking talented individuals from diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds with knowledge, ability, and experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities; and that desire to work collaboratively and creatively to broaden the variety of innovative ways to partner with and serve all Portland communities.

To learn more about the work we do at BES, click on the link: About Environmental Services | Portland.gov

Our BES 10-Year Strategic Plan can be found here: download (portland.gov)

Have a question?
Terrol Johnson
Senior Recruiter
[email protected]Applicants should specifically address and demonstrate in their cover letter and résumé how their education, training, and/or experience meet each of the following minimum qualifications:

1. Experience with wastewater collection system operations and maintenance practices. Speak to your experience and knowledge about preventative and reactive maintenance, urgent repairs, and prioritization of response to competing urgent issues.
2. Experience in the application of design and construction guidelines and practices for public work engineering and experience reviewing, preparing, or directing the preparation of complex plans, and specifications.
3. Knowledge of the application of Asset Management and Risk Assessment principles as they relate to Operations and Maintenance of Sanitary and Combined Collection Systems.
4. Experience in planning and managing difficult engineering-related projects, including performing technical research & analyzing complex engineering problems, evaluating alternatives, and adopting effective solutions.
5. Experience communicating effectively to diverse internal and external stakeholders, examples of your collaborative skills, and ability to work collectively to promote an equitable workplace environment.

Additional Requirements:

• A Certificate of registration as a Professional Engineer, from another state, by the time of hire. 
• Oregon Professional Engineer certificate within 6 months of hire. 
  

STEP 1: Apply online between October 19, 2026, and November 2, 2026

• Cover letter.
  • Details are key! The city uses a merit-based system, so your cover letter should be thorough and specifically address each qualification listed in the "To Qualify" section of the job announcement. Your cover letter can exceed one page to ensure you can provide detailed information for every qualification. Follow the instructions, as a subject matter expert will be evaluating your details to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements.
• Resume
• Answer to Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

Optional Application Materials:

• Veteran’s Preference documents (e.g., DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter) must be submitted by the closing date.
• Update: As of March 3, 2025, if you have already submitted veteran documents and qualified for preference, you do not need to resubmit them for future recruitments.
• To update or remove veteran preference for this recruitment or from your profile, contact the recruiter listed in the job announcement.

Application Tips:

• Your cover letter can exceed one page but no more than three, to ensure you can provide detailed information for every qualification. A subject matter expert will evaluate your details to confirm that you meet the minimum requirements.
• Your résumé should support the details described in your cover letter.
• How We Determine Pay: The City of Portland is covered by the Oregon Equal Pay Act. Your salary is determined based on the experience listed in your resume that is directly related and equivalent to the position for which you are applying.  It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid, regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all your relevant experience.
• E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.
• Do not attach any additional documents.
• Please note that all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment.
• You can use AI tools to assist with your job application, but please make sure to personalize your responses to supplemental questions. Avoid copying and pasting. We encourage the use of AI to generate ideas and then tailor them to reflect your own experiences and skills.
• All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. 

BOLI: Equal Pay for Workers: State of Oregon
Every worker must get equal pay for equal work regardless of gender, race, age, or other protected characteristics.

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and cover letter, is weighted 100%.
• Your resume and cover letter will be the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification.
• You have 14 days from the notice of the minimum qualification evaluation results to let us know if you would like to review and discuss your evaluation results. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required before the establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list.

• The hiring bureau will review and select candidates to interview.

• A start date will be determined after all conditions of employment have been met.

Click here for additional information regarding the following:

• City of Portland Core Values
• Recruitment Process - Work Status
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Veteran Preference
• ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations 

Did you know? The City of Portland has How to Apply Videos and offers How to Apply Classes once per month.  If you have questions after watching the videos you are invited to contact the recruiter listed on the announcement.