Civil Engineer (Development & Drainage) chez Hays County, TX

About the Department

Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, include the responsibilities, knowledge, skills, and other characteristics listed below. This list of responsibilities is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions in this class. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Summary

Under limited supervision, the Civil Engineer – Development & Drainage, leads Hays County’s drainage, floodplain, stormwater, and subdivision engineering programs to safeguard public health, safety, and natural resources. This role administers the Flood Damage Prevention Order, Subdivision Regulations, Stormwater Management Standards, the County Drainage Criteria Manual, and the County’s MS4 stormwater compliance program. The Civil Engineer is responsible for technical review and approval of subdivision and development plans, advanced hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, inspections, enforcement, and oversight of County drainage criteria. The position also directs long-range drainage and flood planning, pursues grant funding, advises Commissioners Court on policy and capital priorities, and provides education and outreach to community stakeholders.

Position Duties

Program Administration

• Administers, implements, and oversees provisions of the Flood Damage Prevention Order and Subdivision Regulations. Including the review and permitting related to development in floodplain, review of subdivision plats in order to determine compliance with state and local regulations.
• Serves as the County’s MS4 Program Manager, overseeing compliance with TCEQ stormwater permit requirements, preparing annual reports, and ensuring implementation of all minimum control measures.
• Leads long-range drainage and flood planning, including development of a Countywide Drainage Master Plan that integrates growth forecasts, subdivision trends, and flood mitigation priorities.
• Analyzes and recommends drainage impact fees and drainage-related capital investments for Commissioners Court consideration.

Regional & Interagency Coordination

• Serves as the County’s liaison to CAMPO, CAPCOG, FEMA, TxDOT, and neighboring jurisdictions on drainage, stormwater, and floodplain management issues.
• Leads grant and funding initiatives, pursuing FEMA hazard mitigation, TxDOT stormwater, or flood infrastructure grants and ensuring compliance with reporting and deliverables.

Technical Expertise

• Performs advanced hydrology and hydraulics modeling (e.g., HEC-RAS 2D, Atlas 14 storm events, climate resiliency applications) to guide development approvals and capital project planning.
• Develops and manages County-initiated drainage improvement projects, including design and project management.
• Administers drainage/floodplain GIS systems and public-facing dashboards to provide transparent access to drainage and flood risk data.

Public & Policy Engagement

• Serves as an advisor to Commissioners Court, providing quarterly drainage and floodplain risk updates with policy recommendations.
• Leads community education workshops and outreach campaigns on flood prevention, stormwater impacts, and responsible subdivision design.
• Serves as a technical advisor during flood and disaster events, integrating drainage and flood data into Emergency Management operations.

General Responsibilities

• Coordinates and monitors applications and approvals across County departments and Commissioners.
• Conducts site inspections, reviews development plans, and ensures compliance with floodplain, drainage, and subdivision regulations.
• Prepares and maintains inspection, enforcement, and compliance reporting.
• Represents the department in public meetings, stakeholder sessions, and professional forums.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervises assigned staff and is responsible for, setting work priorities, planning, assigning, advising, evaluating, and interviewing. Provides training and motivation to staff to make full use of individual capabilities to meet various program and departmental goals.
• Chairs working groups to update the Drainage Criteria Manual, Subdivision Regulations, and Flood Damage Prevention Orders.
• Provides training and technical guidance to County staff, planning/zoning boards, and private developers on drainage and stormwater best practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Hydrology, Environmental Science, Water Resource Management/Modeling or a related field. 
• Five (5) years relevant experience in engineering, subdivision regulations, stormwater management, hydraulics and hydrology, or floodplain management.
• Three (3) years supervisory or management experience.
• At the discretion of the Director of Development Services, any equivalent combination of education or experience sufficient to provide the knowledge, skills, and ability to successfully perform the functions and responsibilities of this position may be used.