About the position

Job Appointment: Full time, Regular
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 40 hours/week
Work Location: Hybrid/work location: 1120 SW Fifth Avenue, Portland, OR. Remote work must be performed within Oregon or Washington. For more information, click here.
Benefit: Please check our benefits tab for an overview of benefits for this position
Union Representation: This classification is represented by the Professional Technical Employees, Local 17 (PROTEC17). To view this labor agreement, please click here.

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

This is an open continuous recruitment: Open Continuous recruitments have multiple review periods (outlined below) and may remain open for three (3) months.

Position Summary

About the Division

The Water Bureau is hiring an Electrical Engineer in the Design Section of the Engineering Services Group (ESG). The ESG is responsible for planning, designing and constructing the bureau's capital improvement, developer, and interagency projects utilizing both in-house and contracting services.

About the Position

The position will perform advanced professional electrical engineering with a focus on instrumentation and control (I&C) engineering. They will be responsible for advancing assigned projects, providing technical support to staff, including consultants and contractors necessary to achieve project goals and objectives. Applicants with experience in water treatment and distribution systems are highly desirable but not required.

This position is for someone that currently holds a Professional Engineering license. However, the bureau will consider applicants with an EIT/FE that have the necessary qualifications to sit for the PE exam and can obtain licensure within six months of hire.

This classification is represented by the Professional and Technical Employees Local 17 (Protec 17). To view this labor agreement, please go to https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bhr/27840 and click on the appropriate link.

For both the internal collaboration work and external partnerships, the bureau needs someone who is engaging and understands how to create and maintain strategic alliances.

Duties and responsibilities include:

• Design electrical and I&C systems for different water service infrastructure installations (i.e. pump stations, wells, buildings, and tanks).
• Investigate existing conditions/installations for updating of electrical and I&C infrastructure.
• Review engineering consultant designs and ensure local and state codes and Water Bureau Standards are being met and incorporated within the design.
• Collaboration with the Operations Group to ensure electrical and I&C designs provide the expected functionality, capacity and connectivity.
• Advise on cost effective solutions for alternative design options and review estimates for design projects.
• Collaborate with the Construction Group to review electrical and I&C submittals, respond to RFIs, and provide input on site as necessary during installation.
• Perform electrical calculations and reports, including but not limited to short circuit study, arc flash hazard analysis, overcurrent protection coordination study, electrical load calculations, conduit fill, etc.

As a person, you are:

• Highly collaborative: This position supports a wide range of stakeholders within the PWB, and therefore you are adept at taking direction from and advising program teams simultaneously. You enjoy working with teams from diverse personal and professional backgrounds and are flexible in how you collaborate.
• Detail Orientated: The position serves as a subject matter expert on design and construction of electrical and I&C systems associated with PWB infrastructure projects. You will have exceptional attention to detail and follow best practices for quality assurance in your work, and support others in projects related to instrumentation and control engineering.
• Creative: You are creative and skilled in Electrical One-line Diagrams, Electrical Schematics, and Process & Instrumentation Diagrams.
• Inclusion Focused: You will be providing direction, guidance, and technical support to staff, including consultants and contractors. You have an ability to receive feedback and collaborate with others to ensure their contributions are heard while working to achieve project goals and objectives.
• Analytical: You can analyze and visualize data into actionable conclusions. You are also able to investigate and problem solve with minimal supervision.

About the Water Bureau:

The Portland Water Bureau (PWB) serves almost a million people in the Portland area, about a quarter of Oregon's population. PWB employs over 600 people providing responsive service to build and maintain a water system that enhances public health and safety and contributes to the economic vitality and livability of the Portland metropolitan region.

Our mission: We serve excellent water every minute of every day.

Our vision: The water our community loves is safe and abundant for generations to come.

Our equity commitment: We work to uproot systemic inequities and their impacts on our employees and the people we serve. We commit to the difficult—and essential—work of transforming Water Bureau policies, practices, and culture to better serve historically and currently oppressed communities.

More Information about the bureau: www.portlandoregon.gov/water

Although not currently hiring, the list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill vacancies in the Bureau of Environmental Services:

About the Bureau of Environmental Services
This is an exciting time to join the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES). Together we are re-imagining 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: www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/

Our BES 10-Year Strategic Plan can be found here:https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/75720

Have a question?

Contact Information:

Anna Morgan, Senior Recruiter

Bureau of Human Resources

anna.morgan@portlandoregon.gov

The following minimum qualifications are required for this position:

1. Possess a license to practice as a registered Professional Electrical Engineer -or- Possess a Fundamentals of Engineering, FE Certificate at time of hire and be qualified to obtain Oregon Professional Electrical Engineer license within six months after hire.
2. Knowledge and experience applying electrical engineering theory, principles, practices, materials, costs, construction techniques, current trends, regulations, standards, and equipment applicable to electrical system design.
3. Ability to apply sound administrative practices including the ability to planning, managing, and coordinating the work of field, professional, technical, and consultant staff in the design of multiple engineering projects.
4. Ability to perform difficult technical research, analyzing complex electrical engineering and mathematical problems, evaluating alternatives, recommending or adopting effective courses of action, and communicating in both written and verbal format, scientific and technical matters to peers and non-technical individuals, including policymakers and the public.
5. Experience with Controls Communications Protocols, including Radio and Fiber Optic Communications.
6. Experience in engineering planning, design, construction administration, and project management principles and techniques.

Applicants must also:

• Possess a valid state driver's license with an acceptable driving record as you will be required to operate a City vehicle

Although not required, you may have one or more of the following:

• At least 4 years (full time equivalent) electrical design
• Experience at a public agency

STEP 1: Apply online between May 19, 2025 – August 17, 2025 or until position is filled

Required Application Materials:

• Resume
• Answer to the Supplemental Questions (click on the Questions tab to preview the questions)

Optional Application Materials:

• If you wish to request Veteran's Preference, please submit your veteran documents (e.g., DD214-Member 4, VA Benefit Letter) by the recruitment's closing date.

We have recently updated our veteran preference process. Starting March 3rd, 2025 If you made the eligible list and met the eligibility to receive veteran preference, you will no longer need to submit veteran documents for future recruitments.

If you need to update or remove your veteran preference for a specific recruitment or from your master profile, please contact the recruiter listed in the job announcement.

Application Tips:

• If you apply and are notified you meet minimum qualifications/placed on the eligible list, please do not reapply. Any applications received after being placed on the eligible list will not be reviewed and will be rejected as a duplicate application.

• If you apply and are notified you do not meet qualifications and the recruitment is still open, you may reapply and update your materials.
• Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training and/or experience, and where obtained which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement.
• Your résumé should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions.

• 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.

• Do not attach any additional documents.
• Please note, 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 use 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.

• E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted.

STEP 2: Minimum Qualification Evaluation: 1st week in June then approximately every two (2) weeks

• An evaluation of each applicant's training and paid and unpaid experience, as demonstrated in their resume and supplemental questions, weighted 100%.
• Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions 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 result. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information.
• Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list and/or final selection.

STEP 3: Establishment of Eligible List: Approximately 2nd week in June then every three weeks

• Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be placed on the equally ranked eligible list. (Update if a Ranked list or other type of list is used)
• Subsequent Eligible Lists will be issued when qualifying applicants are identified.

STEP 4: Selection (Interview): TBD

• Hiring bureau will review and select candidates for an interview.
• Interviews will be conducted periodically as additional candidates are selected.

STEP 5: Offer of Employment: TBD

• Some positions will require those offered employment to complete and sign a criminal history statement before being considered for employment.

STEP 6: Start Date: TBD

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

*Timeline is approximate and subject to change.

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