Civil Engineering Associate

Salary may be negotiable within the range listed above, based on position requirements and successful candidate's qualifications, subject to appropriate authorization.

This recruitment will establish an Open eligible list that will be used to fill current and future Civil Engineering Associate positions.  The eligible list established may also be used to fill positions in similar and/or lower classifications throughout the County of Orange.  

This recruitment will be open for a minimum of five (5) business days and will remain open until 11:59pm PST on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.  Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply immediately.

 OC WASTE & RECYCLING
 OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR) is an organization dedicated to providing waste management services, protecting the environment, and promoting recycling in order to ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. OCWR operates three active regional landfills (North, Central, South), four household hazardous waste collection centers, monitors 20 closed landfills, and administers municipal solid waste collection, recycling, and planning for County unincorporated areas. OCWR is a nationally renowned waste management department responsible for a network of sanitary landfills. The Department is committed to its exceptional record of regulatory compliance and excellence. OCWR partners with the Orange County-based Discovery Cube to sponsor the Eco-Challenge educational exhibit that teaches thousands of students each year to reduce, recycle, and reuse in their daily life.
 
THE OPPORTUNITY
OCWR has an exciting opportunity for a Civil Engineering Associate to perform a variety of field and office civil engineering associate work. The Civil Engineering Associate is an experienced, non-registered professional civil engineering class. Positions at this level are responsible for journey-level assignments and will perform independent engineering analysis and recommendations. Positions at this level generally work under the project leadership of Civil Engineers and are assigned complex or specialized assignments.
  
 The Civil Engineering Associate will be responsible for:

• Providing technical support on aspects of air quality, groundwater quality, and public health associated with solid waste disposal sites owned or operated by the County of Orange.
• Providing engineering support to landfill staff on preparing and reviewing technical documents, construction plans, and specifications. 
• Preparing regulatory reports that monitor closed and active solid waste disposal sites while providing quality assurance of data submitted by contract laboratories, consultants, and engineering field staff.
• Overseeing operation and maintenance of environmental control systems
• Assisting in the preparation of permit support documents, administering contracts, and managing consultants to provide technical support and meet project deadlines. 
• Interacting with stakeholders as well as state and local agencies as needed to protect the interests of OCWR.
• Other duties as assigned

This current vacancy is located at our Prima Deshecha Landfill in San Juan Capistrano and all work is to be performed on site.

DESIREABLE QUALIFICATIONS & CORE COMPETENCIES
 The ideal candidate will have some experience in the principles and practices of civil or environmental engineering, environmental applications, environmental regulatory services, and sampling methods. The ideal candidate will also have experience in interpreting and analyzing field data while demonstrating a thorough understanding of environmental laws and regulations, specifically as it pertains to the management and disposal of solid waste and greenery areas.

In addition to the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidate will demonstrate the experience and/or knowledge of the core competencies as described below:
 
Technical Expertise

• Principles and practices of civil and environmental engineering
• Preparing accurate engineering computations, estimates and notes, and performing moderate to complex mathematical calculations
• Field and office surveying practices, including topographic and construction surveying, and the ability to obtain FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) remote pilot certification to operate drone for field surveying;
• Knowledge of design plan format, organization, and content
• Ability to read and generate topographic maps and grading plans
• Strong experience in Computer-Aided Design and Drafting (CADD), primarily in the latest version of Auto CAD Civil 3D; and Bluebeam
• Computer literate with demonstrated knowledge of MS-Office applications and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) programs 
• Knowledge of landfill operations, compost operations, and/or resource recovery operations

 Communication/Interpersonal Skills

• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills
• Ability to clearly and concisely convey technical and/or complex information to a diverse workgroup
• Ability to draft and interpret technical reports and memos
• Demonstrate a high degree of motivation and willingness to learn
• Maintain a professional perspective and objective demeanor when varied situations occur
• Review and handle complex projects involving several functional groups
• Recognize and embrace the value of safety both in the field and in the office
• Team player who can maintain effective working relationships with fellow County employees, as well as consultants and contractors of the Department

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
 A bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related engineering field from an accredited college.
-OR-
 Possession of a valid certificate as an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) designation by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) issued by the respective state licensing board for professional engineers.
-AND-
 One (1) year of civil or environmental engineering experience post college graduation or post receipt of an EIT certificate, which demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed above. A master's degree in Civil Engineering may be substituted for the required experience.
  
LICENSE REQUIRED
Possession of a California Class C Driver License is required.
  
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Please click on the following link to view the complete classification description, minimum qualifications, physical requirements, and environmental and working conditions for Civil Engineering Associate.
  
RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Human Resource Services (HRS) screens all application materials for minimum and/or desirable qualifications. After screening, applicants who meet the minimum and/or desirable qualifications will be referred to the next step in the recruitment process. All applicants will be notified via email of their status in the process.
  
Application Appraisal Panel (Weighted 100%)
Applications and supplemental questions will be reviewed and rated by a panel of subject matter experts. Each candidate's rating will be based on their work experience and written responses to a series of structured questions designed to elicit the candidate's qualifications for the job. Only the most successful candidates will be placed on the eligible list.
 
Eligible List:
Once the assessment has been completed, HRS will establish an eligible list of candidates. Candidates placed on the eligible list may be referred to selection interview to be considered for present and future vacancies.
  
Based on the Department's needs, the selection procedures listed above may be modified.  All candidates will be notified of any changes in the selection procedures.
  
Veterans Employment Preference
The County is committed to providing a mechanism to give preferential consideration in the employment process to veterans and their eligible spouses and will provide eligible participants the opportunity to receive interviews in the selection process for employment and paid internship openings. Please click here (Download PDF reader) to review the policy.