Exam Bulletin - Principal Engineer Water Resources

Department of Water Resources

Exam Code: EX-2058

Examination Plans Included:

  • PRINCIPAL ENGINEER WATER RESOURCES - Open

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

Classification Details

PRINCIPAL ENGINEER WATER RESOURCES: $14,527.00 - $16,501.00 per Month

View the PRINCIPAL ENGINEER WATER RESOURCES classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed examination. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation, your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the examination 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):

  • PRINCIPAL ENGINEER WATER RESOURCES - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

    2058

For PRINCIPAL ENGINEER WATER RESOURCES, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-02058

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.

00103255 - PRINCIPAL ENGINEER WATER RESOURCES

Possession of a valid certificate of registration as a civil engineer issued by the California State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers. and Experience: Two years of civil engineering experience performing the duties of a Supervising Engineer, Water Resources, or in comparable work.

Position Description

00103255 - PRINCIPAL ENGINEER WATER RESOURCES

Plans, organizes, and directs the work of a staff of a major unit of Department engaged in one or more of the following activities: making detailed planning studies relating to the availability of water; the development and utilization of water resources, and the development and disposal of water and electric power in connection with the California Water Plan; reviewing reports of the various Federal agencies relating to water projects, and reporting to the State Legislature on the feasibility of proposals; making ground water measurements and salinity studies in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Valleys; making water quality investigations; supervising the distribution of water in watermaster service areas of the State; making cooperative snow surveys; cooperating with Federal and other agencies in flood control and related activities; developing the final design for major earth-fill, concrete, or other type dams, or aqueduct systems, including all appurtenances; preparing plans and specifications; supervising construction of a major dam, such as Shasta or Folsom, including afterbay, power plant, and other related structures or a group of smaller structures of comparable complexity; securing adherence of contractors to plans and specifications, reviewing and recommending as to change orders, approving and accepting finished work, and approving progress payments; supervising construction in connection with water supply, flood control, and other related activities; maintaining records on flood conditions; studying the causes of floods and recommending control measures; maintaining and operating the Sacramento River Food Control Project; acquiring rights of way, and making improvements in connection with levee setbacks and bank protection.

Assists higher level staff in administrative problems; dictates correspondence, prepares complete and concise reports, secures, trains, and evaluates the performance of personnel and takes or recommends appropriate actions.

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

Examination Information

We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, or Edge for optimal performance when accessing the examination.

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1CalHR Online ExamN/A100%

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. One or more of the following water-oriented civil engineering fields:
    • Water resource development planning, including the science of hydrology, measurement of and evaluation procedures employed in making water resource inventories; water utilization; project economics and layout and formulation of single and multipurpose water development projects.
    • Statutory enactments and court decisions relating to water appropriations, distribution, and the investigation leading to the adjudication of the rights to use water and the practice of distributing water supply under stipulated agreements and court decisions.
    • Design of a wide variety of engineering projects, including hydraulic structures employed in water supply, irrigation, drainage, hydroelectric power production, and flood control and related activities. Requires knowledge of engineering mathematics, design methods and procedures, properties and uses of construction materials, standard specifications and pertinent codes, construction methods and equipment, and the effect of structural geology and soil conditions on the design and adequacy of structures.
    • Construction, inspection, and maintenance of a wide variety of engineering projects associated with water resource development. Requires knowledge of methods, materials, accepted safety practices, and equipment employed in construction and laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to construction, repair, and maintenance of water projects.
    • Operation of water development, transport, and control features to meet water conservation, power generation, flood control, drainage salinity control, navigation, recreation, fish and wildlife requirements, including negotiation and administration of contracts.
  2. California Water Plan, California Water Development Program, other activities of the Department of Water Resources and principles of effective supervision and administration
  3. Department's Affirmative Action Program objectives
  4. A manager's role in the Affirmative Action Program and the processes available to meet affirmative action objectives
Ability to:
  1. Function as a competent specialist in one or more of the fields described above
  2. Effectively program, manage, and direct the work of subordinates in major endeavors in two or more of these fields
  3. Prepare and review engineering reports
  4. Establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the course of the work and represent the Department at public meetings on matters of a sensitive nature
  5. Analyze situations accurately and take effective action
  6. Effectively contribute to the Department's affirmative action objectives

Eligible List Information

A Departmental Open eligible list for the PRINCIPAL ENGINEER WATER RESOURCES Classification will be established for:

  • Department of Water Resources

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.

Principal Engineer Water Resources Training and Experience Examination Preview

Instructions:
Rate your experience performing specific job-related tasks.

Respond to each of the following statements by indicating how the statement applies to you. You are required to respond to every question and provide relevant examples. Also, indicate the references who can verify the information provided.

In responding to each statement, you may refer to your WORK EXPERIENCE, whether paid or volunteer, your EDUCATION, and/or FORMAL TRAINING COURSES you have completed.

PLEASE NOTE: This examination is designed to gain an overall assessment of your education, training, and experience as it directly relates to the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required for this position. Possession of specific education is not required to be successful in this examination; however, such achievements may substitute for desirable levels of experience. All components of this examination have been carefully validated by tying them directly to job requirements and documenting their relevance to the position.

Tasks
  1. Managing engineering projects or programs to ensure compliance with applicable statutes, regulations, codes, and court rulings.
  2. Applying matrix management to coordinate and organize staff so work is performed effectively.
  3. Delegating job assignments among staff based on expertise and availability to ensure timely progression and completion of projects.
  4. Managing professional staff to meet an organization’s mission through training, assigning and distributing work, monitoring and evaluating performance, and implementing progressive discipline.
  5. Preparing, evaluating, recommending, and/or reporting scope, schedule, staff resources, or budgets for projects and/or programs.
  6. Establishing and maintaining cooperative relations with others to obtain and share policy or engineering information for the successful completion of projects.
  7. Preparing or delivering speeches and/or presentations of policy, project, or program information to a variety of audiences.
  8. Preparing reports summarizing the findings and conclusions of a study or a program/policy analysis for dissemination to various audiences.
  9. Serving as a policy or technical lead in one or more fields related to civil engineering.
  10. Implementing safety practices in accordance with your organization’s safety program and applicable law.

Testing Departments

  • Department of Water Resources

Contact Information

Technical questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

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

Administrative questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Department of Water Resources
P. O. Box 1079
Sacramento, CA 95812
Phone: (916) 653-4838

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.

Department of Water Resources 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)