Drainage Engineer III (Project Manager) bei King County, WA

About the Department

King County Road Services Division, Engineering Section, is looking for a Drainage Engineer / Project Manager (Engineer III) to join our dynamic team! Our successful candidate will serve in a lead capacity in a multi-disciplinary team overseeing consultant design of drainage improvement projects for contract construction. This position is also responsible for ensuring that engineering designs comply with the King County Road Standards and the King County Surface Water Design Manual. If you have working experience of civil engineering and have a passion for working with a team that encourages and embraces diversity, come work with us!

About the Department of Local Services:
King County is the local service provider for the roughly one quarter-million people who live in the unincorporated areas of the county; collectively, these communities would be the second largest city in the state. The Department of Local Services includes a Director's Office, and the Road Services and Permitting Divisions. Together, this department provides a single executive point of accountability for delivering local services to all unincorporated areas.

Our commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:
The Department of Local Services is deeply dedicated to fostering equity, racial and social justice in every aspect of our work.  Our commitment to “True North” values which ensures every person has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential and forms the core of our mission and purpose.  Our pledge is to cultivate, embrace, and celebrate the distinct experiences, viewpoints, and perspectives of our people, partners, and the communities we serve. Through this work, we dismantle systemic barriers, address inequities, and actively confront prejudices and biases. We acknowledge this journey is ongoing, and we remain steadfast in our efforts to create a positive impact for our employees and communities alike.

The King County Road Services Division designs, builds, operates, and maintains roads and bridges in unincorporated areas of King County. The Division is committed to ensuring the county's transportation system is safe and efficient for all uses and modes of travel.  

Position Duties

Applying equity, racial and social justice principles is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all King County employees. In this role, you will apply equity and social justice principles that exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices to all aspects of the work.

• Lead a drainage design team by planning, directing, and overseeing daily work on drainage, emergency repairs and fish passage projects
• Manage assigned capital improvement projects using standard project management methods.
• Develop and update project schedules, budgets and work plans for assigned projects
• Prepare road drainage plans, slide repair plans and drainage design reports to meet King County Road Standards, Surface Water Design Manual and local, state and federal environmental regulations.
• Serve as liaison between the County and the public, consultants, permitting agencies, operations, engineering and maintenance staff (e.g. maintenance supervisors, crews) and other internal and external staff
• Lead the review of construction documents and design packages by in-house and consultant staff
• Develop and manage the preparation of hydrologic reports, geomorphic assessment reports, hydraulic analyses, modeling reports, contract plans, specifications, special provisions and cost estimates
• Manage internal and external stakeholder expectations and resolve project conflicts.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, construction management or closely related field and 6 years of experience OR an equivalent combination of education and/or experience
• Experienced in floodplain modeling, stream geomorphology, and fish passage design with a strong working knowledge of each area
• Knowledgeable of hydrology and hydraulic design of storm water systems
• Professional civil engineering experience in developing road, traffic, and/or drainage design plans, specifications and cost estimates (PS&E package) for capital infrastructure projects including developing and managing scopes, schedules and budgets
• Proficient in the use of HEC-RAS, MGS Flood, GPS and GIS programs
• Experienced in using AutoCAD and/or Civil3D, with proven proficiency demonstrated through skills testing
• Experienced with drainage, roadway, maintenance and construction practices, including relevant standards and design principles
• Working knowledge of APWA/WSDOT Standard Specifications for Road, Bridge, and Municipal Construction
• Experience in consultant contract preparation, negotiation and administration 
• Able to lead teams, have crucial conversations and knowledgeable of project management principles
• Can manage and prioritize a high volume of diverse projects and multiple competing tasks with a strong attention to detail
• Skilled in problem solving and adept at managing conflict effectively
• Skilled in handling politically sensitive issues with professionalism and discretion
• Experienced in collaborating within teams that foster a diverse, inclusive, and respectful work environment where differences are valued
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Project

Desired Qualifications: 

• A valid Washington Professional Engineer (PE) license or the ability to transfer license to Washington State within 90 days of hire
• Project Management training and/or Project Management Certification

Requirements: 

• Must have a valid Washington State driver’s license, or the ability to obtain one within 30 days of hire
• Must successfully pass a pre-employment physical

Working Environment: 

• Work performed in the office and field
• Work performed in the field may be under inclement weather conditions and require walking on uneven, steep, rocky or rough ground
• Must be able to safely negotiate and traverse steep slopes
• Must be able to bend and lift to load equipment into vehicles
• Must be able to work around heavy equipment and other potentially dangerous activities associated with construction sites
• Specific vision abilities include close, distant, and color
• Physical activity includes lifting up to 25 lbs. to at least waist height; carrying and moving objects
• Must be able to work in an active, high volume traffic environment

Other Qualifications

The first review of applicants will be on the week of September 29, 2025, and applicants who pass the initial screening will be invited to interview the week of October 6, 2025. 

This recruitment will be used to fill one career service position and to create an eligibility pool to fill additional vacancies that may occur within the next six months. 

Who May Apply: This position is open to all qualified applicants. First consideration will be given to current PROTEC17 members in the same classification that are eligible for lateral transfer.

Forms and Materials: A completed King County Application is required. We highly recommend that you also provide a resume and cover letter (no more than 2 pages) summarizing how you meet the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills for the position.

Selection Process: Applicants will be screened for clarity, completeness, and competitiveness. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more interviews. Interviews will be conducted via Teams. Reference checks and file reviews will be conducted.

For interviewing tips, please see the STAR-LA method: star-la_interview_method.pdf

Work Schedule: The work week is Monday-Friday with 8-hour days and variable shifts. This position is non-exempt from the provisions of the Fair Labor Standard Act and is eligible for overtime pay, with prior supervisor approval.

Emergency Designation Status: This position has been designated as:  

Non-Mission Critical - Employees who staff county functions or services that may be delayed, suspended, or diverted in an emergency while essential functions are prioritized Mission Critical.

Unless otherwise directed by the County Executive, department director or agency head, all employees, regardless of designation, are expected to report to work or request leave during an emergency or inclement weather. 

Union Membership: PROTEC17

    
Work Location:
This is a hybrid position. The work associated with this position will be performed by teleworking, field work, onsite work and meetings as needed. The successful candidate will be expected to report to the office for onsite work typically 2 times per week. The frequency of onsite work may vary based on business or operational needs and be adjusted accordingly.

Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. The employee will report to work either at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson, Seattle, WA 98104), and/or Renton Maintenance Facility (155 Monroe Ave NE, Renton, WA 98056).

Employees must reside in Washington State and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.

King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work in a hybrid environment.  
  
Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State's best employers. 
  
Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles--we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

 
King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.
 

To Apply:
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Vivienne Swai, HR Analyst, by email at [email protected], or by phone at 206-477-1538.