California Water Service Group
Temporary Civil Engineer
1720 N First St, San Jose, CA 95112
Full-time · $119k–$172k (as posted)
First seen by offpeak October 4, 2026
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Job Description:
This temporary Civil Engineer (Capital Improvement Plan - Water Infrastructure) position will be primarily responsible for preparing infrastructure improvement plans, related scoping, and alternative analysis, in support of the justification of capital projects in preparation for the filing of the General Rate Case (GRC) applications to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Responsibilities will include evaluating assigned California district infrastructure, and developing short and long-term capital investment plans to ensure Cal Water continues to provide reliable high-quality water to customers. This position will also be responsible for the oversight and development of clear, logical, and well-presented project justifications for future GRCs which will include identification of project needs, project alternatives analysis, final project scope, scheduling, life cycle analysis, and budgetary estimating. The position requires strong communication skills to present and defend complex engineering concepts and projects in plain language. Detailed tasks will be determined by the Capital Planning Manager as needed. This position will last for one year. This position will be located in San Jose, CA.ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
Responsible for the development of long-term and short-term capital improvement plans for urban water infrastructure and systems for the 2027 General Rate case.
Oversees and manages the work of external consultants.
Participates in the development of processes and standardized approaches to capital planning and asset management.
Analyzes district project needs and critical facilities and life cycle cost calculation to determine the best project selection.
Evaluates prepared justification by different stakeholders and/or prepares well-written project justification for capital projects, including scope, schedule, and budget.
Performs preliminary design of water supply, distribution, and transmission facilities to define project scope, schedule, and budget accurately.
Performs quality control of written justifications, project estimates, and the capital program submittal for each district.
Gathers and analyzes supply, storage, water quality, and operations data to properly propose capital improvements.
Works with the Rates Department to understand the companywide rate case process, participates in the Company’s rate case filings, and facilitates the rate impact discussions. This may include multi-disciplinary meeting coordination and follow-ups.
Provides quality assurance and responses for California Public Utility Commission tours, data requests, rebuttals, and settlements.
Travels to Company districts periodically to visit project sites and performs follow-ups and coordinates meetings to understand and document districts’ future project needs. This might need an overnight stay.
Participates in presentations to internal and external staff regarding proposed capital projects.
Analyzes capital project completion results and makes recommendations for improvement.
Trains Company staff on how to properly access and create project justification documents for proposed capital projects.
Participates in and supports the Company’s Continuous Improvement program and projects.
Performs work on-site at assigned location
Performs other duties of a similar nature or level.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or related field and or equivalent relevant experience; Master’s or Ph.D. degree preferred.
Two years of experience working in an engineering capacity with water system planning, design, construction, and cost estimating is highly desirable.
California Professional Engineer registration is preferred and EIT registration is strongly preferred.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to write clear and concise project justifications, procedures, and detailed instructions.
Ability to communicate well with others and maintain effective working relationships, both verbally and in writing, using both technical and non-technical language.
Knowledge of capital project planning and budgeting is preferred.
Knowledge of water systems modeling, design, engineering, and operations is preferred.
Knowledge of Asset Management principles is preferred.
Knowledge of PUC/GRC rules, regulations, and rate case filings is highly preferred.
Strong project management skills, including knowledge of scheduling, prioritization, and coordination. Knowledge of PMI project management principles is preferred.
Ability to efficiently manage and prioritize multiple projects and tasks.
Ability to make technical decisions and provide technical assistance when needed.
Ability to estimate the cost of projects to develop high-level budgets.
Experience with GIS and hydraulic modeling is highly preferred.
Experience and a high level of competency with Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
Public presentation and speaking skills.
Negotiation experience preferred.
Experience with utilities cost estimate and basis of estimate is highly preferred.
Experience with WQ regulations and water treatment plants design, operation, and maintenance is highly preferred.
Experience with electrical equipment used in urban water systems is highly preferred.
Valid California Driver’s License.
Salary Range: $118,993.19 - $171,803.91
Deadline to submit resume is OPEN UNTIL FILLED
The Equal Opportunity Policy of the Company is based upon the philosophy that all people should be treated fairly and with dignity. California Water Service, Hawai'i Water Service, New Mexico Water Service, Texas Water Service, and Washington Water Service do not discriminate against any applicant or employee because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other protected class. The Company makes all employment decisions in a non-discriminatory manner. EOE, VET, DISABILITIES.