Principal Engineer

Salary : $207,730.56 - $268,829.52 Annually
Location : 1500 Warburton Ave., Santa Clara, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 33-26-142
Department: Public Works/Engineering
Opening Date: 06/26/2026
Closing Date: 7/17/2026 4:00 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: 9
Weighting Plan: 100% Oral


Description
The City of Santa Clara's Public Works Department is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead the Land and Property Development Division. This position will also manage the Department's role for a high-profile, multi-year, multi-billion-dollar development in a public-private partnership between the City of Santa Clara and Related Santa Clara.


The City
The City of Santa Clara is a "full service" city - one of only a few communities in the Bay Area that has its own police, fire, library, recreation, and electric, water, and sewer utilities, as well as all of the other departments and civic amenities expected in a thriving community. Santa Clara is a family-oriented and business-friendly city, led by a city government that has developed an award-winning ethics program and a commitment to fostering public trust. Located in Santa Clara County at the southern tip of San Francisco Bay, about 45 miles south of San Francisco, Santa Clara is a strategic regional hub, with convenient access to freeways, airports, railroads, expressways, light rail, and other public transportation.

Department of Public Works
The City of Santa Clara's Department of Public Works seeks a result-oriented and innovative principal engineer to serve out the Department's mission to provide the highest quality public works services to the residents of Santa Clara, the development community, and our customers in a responsible and efficient manner. The ideal candidate will have extensive engineering experience, excellent project management and organizational skills, and a strong oral and written communication background. Additionally, the ideal candidate will have experience working in a team environment on significant projects, including working collaboratively with developers, contractors, technicians, field staff, outside agency staff, and the general public. The Department has focus areas that include Engineering Services and Operations and Maintenance. Engineering Services is comprised of five divisions: Administration, Traffic, Design, Land and Property Development and Field Services. For more information about the Department of Public Works please visit the department


The Position
This position is responsible for leading the Department's Land and Property Development Division which is responsible for providing efficient and effective engineering services to support private development projects during the entitlement/planning, design, and construction phases. The division works closely with customers, developers, utility companies and the community to ensure projects comply with City standards. The division is also responsible for reviewing and approving encroachment permits, easement dedications, street/easement abandonments, subdivision maps, processing encroachment agreements, and collecting development-related fees. Additionally, the division provides customer counter services to the public at the City's permit center.

In addition to leading and managing the Land and Property Development Division, the principal engineer will also manage the Department's role in coordinating, facilitating and permitting for a high- profile, multi-year, multi-billion-dollar development in a public-private partnership between the City of Santa Clara and the Related Santa Clara development. This development is directly across Tasman Drive from Levi's Stadium and is the result of a public-private partnership between the City of Santa Clara and Related Santa Clara. The 240-acre project consists of 9.2 million square-feet of development and is primarily built on the closed Santa Clara landfill on City property


Overall, the successful incumbent should have experience with 1) the development and design review of encroachment permit improvements and planning level documents for private development projects, 2) management of multi-phase, long-term projects, and 3) performing high-level, fast-paced engineering work relating to the permitting, design, and construction of work within the public right-of-way and on City property.


The Principal Engineer will report to the Assistant Director/City Engineer and will be responsible for all aspects of private development review/approval, encroachment permits, and managing a division of comprised of engineering staff, including staff supervision, budget preparation and monitoring, project oversight, consultant and contractor management and administration, project database oversight, community outreach, project programming and reporting, presentations at the City committees, commissions, and Council, staff mentoring and training and assuring all projects are being implemented and constructed in accordance with plans, specifications and standards.

As a member of the City's Unclassified Service, this is an "at-will" position and the incumbent serves at the discretion of the City Manager.
Additional Information:

Applications must be filled out completely (e.g. do not write "see resume, NA, or personnel file."). To receive consideration for the screening process, candidates must submit a 1) Cover Letter and, 2) Resume. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application packets may be submitted online through the "Apply Now" feature on the job announcement at Applications must be submitted by the filing deadline of July 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM.

THIS RECRUITMENT MAY BE USED TO FILL MULTIPLE POSITIONS IN THIS, OR OTHER DIVISIONS OR DEPARTMENTS BESIDES THE POSITIONS LISTED ABOVE. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN EMPLOYMENT IN THIS CLASSIFICATION, YOU SHOULD APPLY TO ENSURE YOU ARE CONSIDERED FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY UTILIZE THE APPLICANTS FROM THIS RECRUITMENT.MEETING THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS DOES NOT GUARANTEE ADMITTANCE INTO THE EXAMINATION PROCESS. ONLY THE MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WHO DEMONSTRATE THE BEST COMBINATION OF QUALIFICATIONS IN RELATION TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES OF THE POSITION WILL BE INVITED TO TEST OR INTERVIEW. APPLICANTS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR POSITIONS ADHERING TO ALL APPLICABLE CITY POLICIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO CMD 033- EMPLOYMENT OF RELATIVES.
The annual salary range for this position is $207,730.56 - $268,829.52. This position may be filled at or near the minimum of the salary range.

Typical Duties
Follow this link to view the entire Class Specification, which includes more information on Typical Duties and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

Minimum Qualifications
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Education and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from a college or university that is accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology; and
• Five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience in civil engineering office and field work, three years of which were obtained after registration and two of which have been as an engineer in a supervisory capacity.

OR

• Five years of increasingly responsible experience as a Senior Engineer with the City of Santa Clara.

REGISTRATION:

• Possession of a valid certificate of registration as a Civil Engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Civil and Professional Engineers is required.
• Possession of a license as a Professional Land Surveyor in California is highly desirable.
• Other certifications such as Qualified SWPPP Practitioner (QSP)/Qualified SWPPP Developer (QSD) are desirable.

LICENSE:
Possession of an appropriate, valid Class C California driver's license is required at time of application and for the duration of employment.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The incumbent in this classification is required to file a Conflict of Interest statement upon assuming office, annually, and upon leaving office, in accordance with City Manager Directive 100.
Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of Santa Clara will not sponsor, represent, or sign documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
The City of Santa Clara is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of Santa Clara is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at View phone number on click.appcast.io or
City of Santa Clara Benefit Summary Overview for Bargaining Unit #9
Miscellaneous Unclassified Management


This summary provides a brief overview of the City of Santa Clara's benefits available to Bargaining Unit #9 employees in 2026. In the event of any conflict between the information in this summary and the applicable official plan documents, City Manager's Directives (CMDs), Personnel and Salary Resolution, or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the applicable official plan documents, CMDs, Personnel and Salary Resolution, or MOU will prevail over this summary. Benefits are subject to change.


Retirement:

• Membership in the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS)
  • Classic Employees: 2.7% @ age 55 formula -employee pays 8.00% of gross pay, minus $61 bi-weekly
  • New Employees: 2.0% @ age 62 formula - employee pays 7.00% of gross pay
• Medicare and Social Security (FICA)
  • Employee pays 6.20% up to $11,439 (Social Security) and 1.45% (Medicare) of gross pay

Health Insurance:

• The City contributes up to 100% of the premium of the Kaiser (Region 1) plan for Employee Only and Employee + 1 Dependent plans, and up to 90% of the premium of the Kaiser (Region 1) plan of the Employee + 2 or More Dependents plan
• Employees electing health coverage with premiums above the City health contribution will pay additional premium costs from salary on a pre-tax basis
• No cash difference is paid if an employee elects a plan cheaper than the max City contribution
• To be eligible for the City's contribution toward health, employees must be on a paid status for at least 80 hours in the month prior to the month of coverage
• Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire
• Employees hired on or after 1/1/2023 who opt-out of City-offered health insurance and provide annual attestation and acceptable proof of alternative required coverage for themselves and their tax family, if applicable, are eligible for a cash-in-lieu amount of $250/month. Contact Human Resources for more details

Dental Insurance:

• Choice of two Delta Dental plans; enrollment is mandatory
• City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
• Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire

Vision Insurance:

• Choice of two VSP plans
• City pays lowest cost employee only plan; additional cost is paid by employee
• Coverage is effective as early as the first day of the month after date of hire

Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA):

• City contributes $50.00 a month toward employee's VEBA account
• Account funds may be used to pay for qualified medical expenses after separation from the City and after age 50 (pre-tax)

Life Insurance:

• City pays for $50,000 of Basic Life Insurance coverage
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment
• Additional optional insurance may be purchased by the employee for the employee, spouse, domestic partner, and/or dependent children

State Disability Insurance (SDI):

• Employee pays 1.3% of gross pay (includes Paid Family Leave)
• 7 day waiting period. Weekly paid leave for absences due to non-work related injuries/illnesses. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information

Paid Family Leave (PFL):

• Up to 8 weeks of benefits within a 12-month period to care for a family member or to bond with a new child
• No waiting period. Weekly paid leave benefit. Benefit is based on past earnings. Refer to edd.ca.gov for more information

Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance:

• Benefit is 60% of basic wage up to $13,333; max $8,000/month
• City paid benefit. City pays $.207/$100 of insured earnings
• 60 calendar day waiting period
• Coverage is effective the first of the month after one calendar month of employment

Deferred Compensation:

• Voluntary plan through Nationwide Retirement Solutions
• Employee may contribute up to the lesser of the IRS maximum or 100% of gross compensation into a pre-tax 457(b) account or a post-tax Roth 457(b) account (or a combination of the two accounts) subject to IRS rules
• Additionally, the City contributes $300 a month toward employee's 457(b) account. This dollar amount will factor into the above mentioned IRS rules and limits

Flexible Spending Account (IRS Section 125 Plan):

• Employee may contribute up to $3,400 per year in pre-tax dollars to a health care spending account
• Employee may contribute up to $7,500 per year in pre-tax dollars to a dependent care spending account
• Employee may contribute up to $340 per month in pre-tax dollars to a commuter benefit plan

Vacation:

• Vacation is accrued bi-weekly, cannot use vacation during first 6 months of City service
  • For 1 - 4 years of service: 10 days (80 hours)/year
  • For 5 - 9 years of service: 15 days (120 hours)/year
  • For 10 - 15 years of service: 21 days (168 hours)/year
  • For 16 - 20 years of service: 22 days (176 hours)/year
  • For 21+ years of service: 24 days (192 hours)/year
• Maximum accrual is 480 hours
• Once per year, employees can elect to convert up to 80 hours of accrued vacation to cash to be paid out in up to two cash-outs the following calendar year

Sick Leave:

• Sick leave is accrued bi-weekly for equivalent of 96 hours per calendar year with no maximum accrual
  • Up to 48 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for family illness
  • Up to 32 hours/year of accumulated sick leave may be used for personal leave
• Employee may convert sick leave to vacation once per calendar year (annual maximum conversion is 96 hours sick to 48 hours vacation)
• Partial sick leave payoff provision on retirement depending on years of service

Management Leave:

• 120 hours of management leave credited to employees each January 1st
  • New employees hired between January 1st and June 30th receive 120 hours of management leave their first year
  • New employees hired between July 1st and December 31st receive 60 hours of management leave their first year
• Unused management leave may be carried over from one calendar year to the next; however, an employee may never have more than 180 hours of "banked" management leave

Holidays:

• Seventeen paid eight-hour holidays per year (13 & 4 holidays between 12/25 to 1/1 of following year)

Mobile Communication Device Allowance:

• $80/month in lieu of carrying a City-issued cell phone

Auto Allowance (an alternative to mileage reimbursement or use of a City vehicle):

• Department Heads receive $320/month (up to $520, with City Manager approval). Assistant Department Heads and Division Managers can receive $200/month (Up to $500 with City Manager approval)

Tuition Reimbursement Program:

• Up to $2,000 per fiscal year for tuition reimbursement

Employee Assistance Program:

• Confidential counseling to employees and dependents. Up to maximum of five (5) consultations per family member per incident per year
• City paid benefit

Retiree Medical Reimbursement Program:

• Employees who retire from the City with at least ten (10) years of service shall receive reimbursement to help cover retiree single health insurance premiums. The reimbursement maximum includes the PEMHCA minimum.
• Up to age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $438/month in 2026 (amount adjusted annually)
• After age 65, retirees are eligible for reimbursement up to $262/month in 2026 (amount adjusted annually)

Alternate Work Schedule:

• An employee shall be eligible to work a 9/80 alternate work schedule according to the conditions, criteria, and requirements set forth in City Manager's Directive 71. Requests to work a 9/80 schedule shall be made through or by the Department Head to the City Manager. The City Manager must approve the schedule and the City Manager or Department Head (for employees other than Department Heads) may terminate the schedule at any time.

01


Each applicant must complete this supplemental questionnaire as a part of the application screening and selection process. The information you provide will be reviewed and used to determine your eligibility to move forward in the selection process. Incomplete responses, omissions, stating "see resume" or partial information may result in disqualification from the selection process. Do you agree to answer each supplemental question completely, and in your own words (without the use of generative Artificial Intelligence tools, including but not limited to Chat GPT, Microsoft AI, or any other AI tool), and that your responses can be verified from information included within your application?

• Yes
• No

02


Please select the option below that best describes how you meet the minimum qualifications for Principal Engineer

• Education and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from a college or university that is accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology; AND Five (5) years of increasingly responsible experience in civil engineering office and field work, three years of which were obtained after registration and two of which have been as an engineer in a supervisory capacity.
• Education and experience equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from a college or university that is accredited by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology; and Five years of increasingly responsible experience as a Senior Engineer with the City of Santa Clara.
• I do not meet the minimum qualifications.

03


Please describe how your education and/or experience meet the minimum qualifications of the position.
04


Do you possess a Master's degree in any branch of Civil Engineering, or closely related field? If so, please indicate your field of study.
05


Do you possess the required valid certificate of registration as a Civil Engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Civil and Professional Engineers? If yes, enter your registration number. If not, please indicate N/A.
06


Describe your experience communicating with members of the public, developers, city boards/commissions, elected officials, and other team members. If none, indicate N/A.
07


Describe your experience related to the supervision and management of staff, including the number and level of staff you supervised. If none, indicate N/A.
08


Describe your role and responsibilities related to the design and construction and/or review of encroachment permit improvements such as sidewalk, driveways, utilities (water, storm drain, sewer, etc.). If none, indicate N/A
09


Describe your experience working with other jurisdictions and agencies. If none, indicate N/A
10


Describe your experience working on public improvements and City requirements for private development projects. Indicate your role in the project and duration for participation (i.e. start up, closing, etc.). If none, indicate N/A.
11


Describe your experience making high-level engineering and project delivery decisions for the past projects you have worked on. If none, indicate N/A.
Required Question