Exam Bulletin - Senior Civil Engineer

State of California

Exam Code: EX-1438

Examination Plans Included:

  • SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER: $10,886.00 - $13,625.00 per Month

View the SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed exam. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the exam until the request is processed.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

    1438

For SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 12 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01438

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00103120 - SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER

Possession of a valid Certificate of Registration as a civil engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. and

Experience: Five years of civil engineering, two years of which shall have been in the performance of difficult civil engineering work with responsibilities comparable to those of a project or resident engineer for a large earth moving project, or highway bridge project or in supervising a design squad.

(Experience in the California state service to be applied toward this two-year requirement must be comparable to that of an Associate Civil Engineer.) and Education: Equivalent to graduation from college with major work in civil engineering. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.)

Position Description

00103120 - SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER

Plans the work and directs a staff of engineers in the design and preparation of drawings, specifications, and estimates in connection with the construction or maintenance of a wide variety of engineering projects, including buildings, bridges, roads, wharves, piers, dams, levees, ditches, retaining walls, and similar structures; inspects existing water, sanitation, power, and telephone systems and decides what improvements or modifications are necessary; passes on difficult problems, determines the methods of procedure, and personally performs the more difficult phases of the work; supervises the preparation of maps, plans, charts, or diagrams; supervises the maintenance of various engineering records and performs difficult engineering office work in connection with budget preparation, purchases, cost analyses, and progress reports; plans and directs field surveys and varied construction projects; inspects or directs the inspection of structures under construction or repair; makes detailed analyses of proposed projects for the economic as well as the practical engineering phases; analyzes and prepares descriptions of property; makes specialized technical studies and investigations and performs difficult research work; prepares complete and comprehensive reports and makes recommendations on engineering problems.

Special Personal Characteristic
 
Demonstrated supervisory ability.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

This examination consists of the following components:

  • Online Exam : A passing score must be achieved and is weighted 100% of the final score.

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:
  1. Principles and practices of civil engineering.
  2. Surveying.
  3. Engineering mathematics.
  4. Strength, properties, and used of the materials of engineering construction.
  5. Engineering economics.
  6. Stress analysis.
  7. Common descriptions of real property.
  8. Principles of personnel management and supervision.
  9. Valuation methods, procedure, and terminology.
  10. Department's Affirmative Action Program objectives.
  11. A manager's role in the Affirmative Action Program and the processes available to meet affirmative action objectives.
Skill in:
  1. Design, mapping, and drafting.
Ability to:
  1. Plan and direct an engineering and clerical staff.
  2. Supervise the preparation of detailed plans and specifications.
  3. Prepare complete and comprehensive reports including economic analyses, and make recommendations.
  4. Analyze situations accurately and take effective action.
  5. Effectively contribute to the department's affirmative action objectives.

Eligible List Information

A Servicewide Open eligible list for the SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER Classification will be established for:

  • State of California

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Senior Civil Engineer Training and Experience Examination Preview


Instructions
The assessment is in multiple-choice format. To complete this segment of the T&E examination, simply click on the buttons provided to select a response option.You must select a response for each item.


Tasks:
  1. Coordinating construction support (e.g., submittal review, request for information review, change order review, consultation with construction supervisors) to a wide variety of projects to ensure successful implementation of the plans and specifications utilizing the approved plans and specifications, technical knowledge, building codes, and regulations in accordance with department policies and procedures.
  2. Coordinating a staff of engineers in the design and preparation of drawings and specifications in connection with the construction or repair of a wide variety of engineering projects (e.g., site design, structures) using various resources (e.g., building codes, regulations) to ensure department's needs are met in accordance with California Code of Regulations and department policies and procedures.
  3. Reviewing construction support documentation (e.g., submittals, requests for information, change orders) to a wide variety of projects to ensure successful implementation of the plans and specifications utilizing the approved plans and specifications, technical knowledge, building codes, and regulations in accordance with departmental policies and procedures.
  4. Consulting with various entities and individuals (e.g., headquarters, management, project directors, procurement specialists, and construction supervisors) on a variety of engineering and/or construction issues to provide guidance, information, and recommendations using various resources (e.g., building codes, regulations) in compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations.
  5. Determining solutions for complex engineering problems using technical knowledge, experience, and various resources (e.g., building codes, regulations, calculators, computer hardware and software, survey equipment, hand drafting tools, printers/plotters) in accordance with Federal, State, and local regulations, and standard engineering practices.
  6. Prioritizing tasks for timely completion of projects using a design schedule, under the direction of management (e.g., Supervising Civil Engineer), to ensure project task completion is in accordance with the schedule.
  7. Providing direction to engineering staff on interpretation of building codes, department policy, and/or construction procedure utilizing knowledge and expertise of past projects in accordance with California Code of Regulations and department policies and procedures.
  8. Reporting current project status and estimated time to completion to management to update them using experience and technical knowledge (e.g., scheduling software, time estimation skills, knowledge of prior project history) in accordance with department policies and procedures.
  9. Assisting in the development of a scope of work for various construction projects to meet operational needs of the department in accordance with State Regulations.
  10. Monitoring work of staff by holding individual progress meetings, inquiring into and reviewing work product and progress of projects, visiting sites, reviewing reports, communicating with all levels of staff to ensure that staff work meets quality, quantity, and timeliness standards.
  11. Knowledge of principles and practices of civil engineering to design, write specifications, perform construction support, design review, and project management.
  12. Skill to review designs to ensure that designs comply with building codes, regulations, plans and specifications, project scoping documents, and to determine constructability/feasibility of the design on a wide variety of construction projects.
  13. Skill to effectively communicate, in writing and/or verbally, in English to provide constructive feedback, provide directions, respond to questions, and convey information to others.
  14. Skill to analyze situations accurately and make independent engineering judgments to provide information, take effective action, and resolve engineering problems and construction issues.
  15. Skill to analyze and interpret data to produce technical reports and recommendations on a wide variety of civil and structural engineering issues.
  16. Skill to perform and understand mathematical computations applicable to engineering, surveying, and design operations in order to produce plans, specifications, and reports.
  17. Ability to maintain composure and ethical conduct in all interactions with others to represent the department in a professional manner.
  18. Ability to anticipate, identify, and resolve issues which may impact the progression of work or assignments in order to meet project schedules.
  19. Knowledge of the principles of project management including identifying needed resources, planning, scheduling, and tracking progress in order to manage the scope, schedule, and budget of construction projects.
  20. Skill to train others in the design and preparation of drawings, specifications, and construction observations to be used in the course of design and construction work.

Testing Departments

  • State of California

Contact Information

Questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

State of California
CalCareer Service Center
1810 16th Street
Sacramento, CA 95811
Phone: (866) 844-8671
CalCareer@calhr.ca.gov

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

State of California reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.
Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)