Engineering Manager

The City of Bellingham Public Works Department is currently seeking an experienced Engineering Manager. Public Works employees strive to provide neighborhoods, businesses and visitors with efficient, quality services necessary to meet the demands of our growing, diverse community.  

This position manages capital construction functions of the Public Works Engineering Division. Oversees or directly performs engineering and contract management on all City-funded public works street, water, sanitary sewer, storm, traffic and illumination projects. Supervises Capital project staff; participates in the identification, analysis and resolution of system needs and long-range planning.

The current full salary range for this position is $10,260/month - $12,472/month. Employees receive step increases annually in accordance with the E-Team Handbook and City policy.

Research has demonstrated that salary negotiation can further inequality due to bias across gender and race. To prevent negotiation bias, the City places new employees within the published salary range based on qualifications and professional experience as listed on the application material, in accordance with City policy. Candidates who exceed the minimum experience requirements shall be given credit for advanced step placement at the rate of one additional pay step for each two full years of directly related or equivalent professional experience beyond the minimum requirements. Candidates who meet minimum qualifications or have experience that is not directly related or in a lower-level position will be placed at step one in the salary range. For positions that require a bachelor’s degree, one additional step may be granted for applicants with a master’s degree in a related field when the master’s degree is not required to meet minimum qualifications. The City's HR Department regularly evaluates minimum qualifications to provide equitable employment opportunities.

For internal candidates, placement within the range is based on City Pay Placement Procedures.

At the City of Bellingham, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that helps you thrive in both your career and personal life. Join our team and enjoy peace of mind knowing that you and your loved ones are well cared for. Here’s a closer look at the outstanding benefits that come with being part of our team. You can find more details on our employment benefits page and labor agreements page.

• 13.33 hours of vacation leave per month, with increased accrual over time
• 12 paid holidays + 1 floating holiday per year
• 40 hours of sick leave upon hire + 8 hours accrued monthly
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts and medical insurance opt-out program
• Access to an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Washington State Retirement plan (DRS) for retirement security
• Optional 457 deferred compensation savings plan and 401(a) Retirement Savings Plan with employer match

Leave accruals are based on 1.0 FTE, accruals are pro-rated if part-time and require employees to be in paid status at least 120 hours/month.

Closing Date/Time: Tues. 1/20/26 8:30 AM Pacific Time

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE JOB:
 

1. Plans, organizes, coordinates, assigns, evaluates and approves the work of professional and technical staff in the Capital section of the Engineering Division. Provides technical assistance, guidance and training as needed. Resolves problems between contractors or consultants and City staff.
2. Develops, plans and oversees implementation of capital programs for the City to ensure effective completion of projects in compliance with budgetary, regulatory and schedule guidelines. Participates in public meetings and oversees staff in conducting feasibility studies, preparing cost estimates, assessing environmental impacts, and securing project permits. 
3. Coordinates and oversees project plans and specifications. Analyzes bids for award of contracts and administers construction contracts. Approves design changes. Approves progress payments to contractors. Addresses inquiries and complaints from property owners.
4. Oversees and coordinates with capital engineers in selecting and managing consultants for capital improvement projects.   Negotiates contracts, estimates costs, schedules work and monitors work for compliance with specifications and completeness. Provides information and assistance as needed and expedites decisions on critical issues. 
5. Supervises assigned professional and technical staff including Engineering Assistant, Engineer-in-Training, Engineer I and Engineer II. Evaluates performance, participates in hiring and delivers corrective action as appropriate. 

 
ADDITIONAL WORK PERFORMED:

1. Provides technical assistance and serves as technical resource to City staff, consultants, contractors and the public in matters relating to public works projects; receives and responds to inquiries and complaints.
2. Performs related work as assigned within the scope of the classification.
3. May act as the City Engineer in the City Engineer’s absence.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed in an office setting with extensive work at a computer workstation and occasionally outdoors in all weather conditions on City streets and rights-of-ways, in close proximity to roadway traffic, noxious fumes, heavy equipment and occasionally in confined spaces with infrequent lifting of heavy objects. Some travel to professional meetings is expected.

Experience and Training

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering or related field.
• Six (6) years of experience as a professional engineer (PE) required. 
• Five years of progressively responsible experience related to public works project management of street, water, sanitary sewer and storm water systems.
• At least one year of experience in a Supervisory or Lead role preferred.
• A combination of education and experience which would provide the applicant with the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities will be considered.

Necessary Special Requirements

• License as a Professional Engineer in Washington State.
• Valid Washington State driver's license and good driving record. A three-year driving abstract must be submitted at time of hire.
• Employment contingent upon passing a criminal background check (see Fair Hiring Practices).
• Verification of ability to work in the United States by date of hire. 

Selection Process

Please ensure your application is complete and all required information has been provided. Standard completeness means all application fields (contact information, personal information, education, work experience, references, and supplemental questions). Application materials should comprehensively document your experience and skills related to the position responsibilities and experience/training requirements. As part of the City’s commitment to reducing bias in the hiring process, Human Resources redacts personally identifiable information for reviewers. Only the documents listed as required will be reviewed.

Interviews for the most qualified candidates are tentatively scheduled for February 10, 2026. Invitations to participate in the Interview process will be sent via e-mail on or around January 29, 2026.
 
Please Note: Candidates will receive updates regarding application status via email. Please be sure to check your email frequently, including your spam folders for messages filtered by your email providers.
 
 

Equal Opportunity:

The City of Bellingham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not make decisions on the basis of an individual's race, religion, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40+), disability, retaliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. All are encouraged to apply for employment.

Fair Hiring Practices

• The City provides individuals who have been arrested or convicted of a criminal offense an equal and fair opportunity to obtain employment. 
• The City will not inquire about an applicant's criminal history until after a conditional job offer has been made. 
• The City will disregard the prior arrest and conviction record of an otherwise qualified individual unless the offense is directly related to the job position for which the individual has applied. 
• The City will notify an otherwise qualified applicant about a potentially disqualifying conviction and give the applicant an opportunity to submit information regarding the accuracy of the criminal records as well as evidence of mitigation or rehabilitation, as appropriate.