Engineering Technical Writer



Engineering Technical Writer

Salary

$81,543.78 - $99,096.46 Annually

Location

Santa Rosa, CA

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

23/03-1004-OC

Department

Transportation & Public Works (TPW)

Opening Date

03/08/2023

Closing Date

5/8/2023 10:37 AM Pacific

Bargaining Unit

05

Position Information


Grow your technical writing career with the County of Sonoma!
Starting salary up to $47.48/hour ($99,096/year), a cash allowance of $600/month, and a competitive total compensation package!*
 
Join Our Team

The Sonoma County Public Infrastructure (SoCoPi) Department leads the way to a safe and sustainable community by planning, building, managing, and maintaining Sonoma County's investment in quality services and infrastructure. As an Engineering Technical Writer with SoCoPi, you will work closely with management, engineering, and administrative staff to ensure compliance with established state and federal regulations and County policies and procedures that impact contractual and technical documents (i.e., legal descriptions, right-of-way maps, encroachments, records of survey/parcel/subdivision maps, improvement plans, and project specifications) pertaining to County civil engineering projects.

You will also assist in the administration of the public project bid process including the development of requests for proposals and bid reviews. Additionally, the position processes, reviews, and coordinates civil engineering contracts with outside contractors, vendors, and the public; determines contractual requirements for professional service agreements; updates bidding document templates; and composes, reviews, and edits project agreements, construction specifications, and Board agenda items.

As our ideal candidate, you bring to SoCoPi your:

  • Experience composing, editing, and finalizing detailed construction project specifications and agreements, and converting technical language into plainer written language
  • Ability to prioritize work, organize multiple projects with varying deadlines, and willingness to shift priorities along the way
  • Understanding and interpretation of legal requirements, knowledge of Public Contract Code and/or Caltrans specifications are highly desired
  • Interest in researching changing regulations to update templates
  • Enthusiasm for the work and enjoyment of working in a cooperative, fast-paced environment
What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

  • A hybrid telework schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
  • Eligibility for a salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
  • Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
  • County paid 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
  • An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance of up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities
  • County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
  • Retirement fully integrated with Social Security
  • May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment
Bring Your Commitment to Public Service to the County of Sonoma

The County of Sonoma is the place to live, grow, and build your career legacy. When you join the County of Sonoma, you'll have the freedom to explore the beauty of our county - its picturesque coastline, majestic redwoods, historic towns, fine dining, award-winning wineries, and a wide variety of entertainment and cultural activities. For additional information about the beauty of our community and the valuable services and support that the County provides our communities, please visit sonomacounty.ca.gov and sonomacountyconnections.org.

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.
 
This recruitment is being conducted to fill an Engineering Technical Writer position in SoCoPi, formerly the Transportation and Public Works Department. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and training which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, this would include college-level coursework in civil engineering, English, journalism, or other related subject matter and professional experience supporting engineering and/or public works construction projects that have included document management and contract writing; OR two years of related technical engineering experience which included the review and editing of related reports, manuals, specifications, and/or agreements.


License: Possession of a valid driver’s license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Working knowledge of: techniques of technical writing and editing technical reports; general civil engineering principles, practices, and terminology; public contract law, state and federal code and regulatory compliance; English grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and composition; basic mathematics; document structure and formatting techniques; organizational techniques; interviewing and listening techniques; the techniques of writing and editing technical reports, agreements, and grant proposals; contract management principles and roles; insurance requirements and risk mitigation techniques for agreements and contracts; and modern office methods, procedures, data and file management, and software programs.


Ability to: obtain and interpret and maintain technical documents and information; translate and write complex technical ideas and material into clear concise written language; make mathematical calculations; edit, finalize, track, and execute contracts and agreements; analyze and evaluate insurance requirements; observe and work with small details; determine contractual requirements for professional service agreements to ensure performance by consultants; interpret regulations, policies, and agreement provisions; interpret, gather, and organize information; analyze issues and problem solve; follow established procedures; adjust work based on the competing priorities of multiple projects; establish and maintain effective working relationships with other staff and the public; manage related databases and files.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

  • Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
  • You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
  • You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
  • Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.
Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
 
Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
  • Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.
Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to applicants.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be RECEIVED by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CG
HR Technician: EV

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: GENERAL*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:
 
Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.
 
Health Plan: Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County contribution toward the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit. For specific details, please refer to the applicable MOU). A County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement is available for some bargaining units.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired.
 
IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.
 
Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution. For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

01
Please indicate if you would also be interested in future part-time or extra-help (temporary, intermittent, or seasonal employment) positions should they become available. Check all that apply.
  • I would also like to be considered for future part-time positions
  • I would also like to be considered for future extra-help positions
  • I am only interested in full-time positions
02
How did you first learn about this opportunity?
  • Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG)
  • CalJobs
  • Careers in Government
  • College or University
  • Craigslist
  • DiversityJobs
  • Employee of Sonoma County
  • Facebook
  • Glassdoor
  • Google Jobs
  • GovernmentJobs.com
  • Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County
  • Indeed
  • Instagram
  • Job Fair
  • La Voz
  • Latino Service Providers
  • LinkedIn
  • Los Cien
  • Minority Organization or Group
  • Press Democrat
  • sonoma-county.org/www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org
  • Sonoma County Human Resources Office
  • Sonoma County Job Line
  • Start Here!
  • Twitter
  • Veterans Services Office
  • Women's Organization or Group
  • Workplace Diversity
  • ZipRecruiter
  • Other Internet Site
  • Other Publication
03
For this question and all subsequent questions please provide sufficient information to allow for a thorough evaluation of your qualifications. Responses to supplemental questions will be scored using specific criteria and may be reviewed by hiring managers.

Please list your certifications, coursework, and/or degree(s) in civil engineering, English, journalism, or other related subject matter.
04
Please describe your professional work experience supporting engineering and/or public works construction projects that included document management and contract writing and/or related technical engineering experience which included the review and editing of related reports, manuals, specifications, and/or agreements.

For each relevant position you mention, include:
  • Job title(s)
  • Employer's name
  • Dates of employment (mm/yy - mm/yy)
  • A description of your primary responsibilities/the types of planning and development projects that you worked on
05
Please describe your contract management experience and highlight the type(s) and size (in dollars) of the contracts you were responsible for.
06
Please provide an example that best demonstrates your experience converting complex, technical ideas and material into clear, concise language. Highlight the nature of the project, the intended audience, the steps you took to present the material/ideas so they could be understood by a wider audience, and the result.
07
Please submit one relevant writing sample, of a reasonable length (no more than 8 pages), that you drafted and showcases your writing capabilities. The writing sample can be electronically uploaded and attached to your application.

I understand that I am required to submit one writing sample on or before the final filing date. I certify that the work I submit is my own product.
  • Yes
  • No

Required Question

Agency
County of Sonoma (CA)
Address
575 Administration Drive, Suite 116B

Santa Rosa, California, 95403
Phone
(707) 565-2331