Consulting Engineer (Planning & Project Development - MEP)

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Austin Energy’s Corporate Support Services Division, within the Planning and Project Development Section, is seeking a full‑time Consulting Engineer to lead a diverse portfolio of vertical and horizontal construction projects, as well as space reconfiguration initiatives that support Austin Energy’s mission‑critical operations. This role is responsible for managing projects from concept through close‑out, working closely with engineers, architects, and other partners to define project specifications and ensure alignment with organizational objectives.

The Consulting Engineer will coordinate with the Capital Contracting Office and City of Austin Purchasing to negotiate and execute contracts, and will facilitate the acquisition of permits and licenses from all applicable regulatory authorities. The position requires determining resource needs—including staffing, equipment, and materials—while maintaining strict adherence to budgetary constraints. Responsibilities include planning all construction activities, sequencing work to meet key deadlines, acquiring and monitoring equipment and materials, and ensuring timely resolution of any supply or performance issues. The engineer will oversee consultants and contractors, ensuring compliance with contract terms and technical requirements, while evaluating construction progress, preparing detailed project reports, and maintaining adherence to all health and safety standards.

In addition to construction oversight, the role includes space planning, interior renovations, and furniture procurement, as well as the development of preliminary project plans, contract documents, permitting packages, construction administration materials, and post‑construction deliverables. The engineer will prepare scoping documents, contract exhibits, and other materials needed to convey design intent for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and related building systems.

Operating under limited supervision, the successful candidate will apply extensive knowledge of the City of Austin Building Technical Codes, the International Building Code, and the Land Development Code to interpret, implement, and ensure compliance with design standards for Austin Energy projects. The position will also support inquiries from the Mayor and City Council, the City Manager’s Office, and various agencies regarding Austin Energy facilities, and will represent the utility at public meetings involving neighborhood groups, community stakeholders, boards, commissions, and other regional or local entities.

This role requires frequent travel to multiple sites for project assessments, stakeholder meetings, field condition evaluations, and contractor or vendor coordination. Physical activities such as walking, lifting, and bending with or without accommodations are necessary to successfully perform the duties of this position.

 

Job Description:

Consulting Engineer

Purpose:

Under nominal direction, this position is accountable for interpreting, organizing, executing, and coordinating assignments. This position plans and develops engineering projects concerned with unique or controversial problems which have an important effect on major City programs or projects. This position serves as technical expert in a related area.

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities:

Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following. Other related duties may be assigned.

• Develops or oversees development of technical specifications and standards by applying knowledge of the principles and practices of discipline engineering including the methods, materials, equipment, and techniques used. Reviews, analyzes, and interprets plans, specifications, contracts, and other related documents.

• Manages and coordinates programs or projects by reviewing and monitoring projects or programs, including the review of plans and development proposals for impacts related to project or program.

• Plans, research, designs, and implements engineering studies and projects or program areas by applying advanced technical knowledge of engineering discipline.

• Manages and negotiates contracts by reviewing monthly progress reports, verifying final quantities and costs, compiling requisite documentation, reviewing change orders, and auditing as-built records. Acts as a liaison among consultants, contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, fabricators, or suppliers and the City. Negotiates problems of changes, errors, or deficiencies and ensures compliance with project specifications and requirements.

• Interacts with internal and external customers to ensure requirements and needs are satisfied.

• Reviews plans and provides recommendation changes, solutions, or implementation.

• Monitors projects for regulatory compliance by providing consultation and determinations in matters involving application and interpretation of regulations and policies.

• Manages or leads teams of technical personnel including assigning and monitoring tasks. Provides advanced technical training to staff and field personnel by reviewing business needs, evaluating personnel, creating and applying training documentation, and presenting and analyzing training.

• Develops and monitors budget of projects. Assists in developing, managing, and submitting proposed budget forecast planning for short- and long-term City planning.

• Provides a high level of engineering and technical advice and direction. Possesses ability to troubleshoot advanced technical problems. Possesses ability to perform advanced engineering design.

Responsibilities - Supervisor and/or Leadership Exercised:

May provide leadership, work assignments, evaluation, training, and guidance to others.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Must possess required knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience and be able to explain and demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations, that the essential functions of the job can be performed.

• Knowledge of diversified, fundamental scientific and civil engineering concepts, phenomena, and relationships and utilize such changes in solution of theoretical or practical civil engineering problems.

• Knowledge of advanced mathematical techniques such as trigonometry, calculus, and coordinate geometry.

• Knowledge of modern methods, materials, and techniques of assigned discipline.

• Knowledge of one or more of the following disciplines: Civil, Environmental, Structural, Architectural, Mechanical or Electrical engineering terminology and techniques.

• Knowledge of City of Austin budget planning, purchasing, and contract policies and procedures.

• Knowledge of applicability of established engineering principles and methods and solutions.

• Knowledge of phases of the plans review and inspections processes.

• Knowledge of preparation of cost estimates and engineering and feasibility reports.

• Knowledge of regulatory requirements within Local and State ordinances and laws.

• Skill in oral and written technical and/or general communication including preparation of written reports.

• Skill in negotiations and handling conflict resolution.

• Ability to perform more complex engineering computations, calculus, geometry, and trigonometry rapidly and accurately.

• Ability to communicate and provide direction to peers and assigned personnel.

• Ability to organize, analyze, interpret, and evaluate scientific civil engineering problems and provide practical, cost-effective solutions.

• Ability to observe, compare, or monitor objects and data to determine compliance with prescribed operating or safety standards.

• Ability to use graphic instructions such as blueprints, schematic drawings, layouts, or other visual aids.

Minimum Qualifications:

Graduation with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in a field related to engineering, plus eight (8) years of engineering experience acquired before and/or after licensing as a professional engineer.

Licenses and Certifications Required:

Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the State of Texas; or if currently licensed in another state, must have the ability to obtain a Texas P.E. license within six (6) months of employment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced professional experience appropriate to the role’s technical and managerial responsibilities. 

• Licensed Engineer specializing in Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP). 

• Ability to sign MEP drawings for permitting and regulatory approval of projects.

• LEEP AP w/ specialty and/or WELL AP credential.

• Project Management Professional Certification (PMP) or Certified associate in project management (PMI-CAPM), or ability to obtain one of these or other acceptable designation within six (6) months of employment.

• Strong proficiency in AutoCad, Revit, Bluebeam, Microsoft Project, Access, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Adobe Photoshop, SketchUp, etc.

• Excellent organizational skills to manage and monitor multiple assignments simultaneously.

• Previous experience in interior design and renovation projects.

• Previous experience with building & site planning, schematic design, design development, contract documents (drawings & specifications), construction administration, and post-construction services.

 

Notes to Candidate:

Pay Range: Entry: $112,600.00 - Mid: $144,700.00

Location: 4815 Mueller Blvd, Austin Texas 78723

Schedule: Flexible schedule, mandatory 40% in office, additional time depends on business needs.

Employment Application:

• The City of Austin employment application is an official document; incomplete applications will not be considered.

• The Employment Record should be complete with job titles, employment dates, job duties, functions, and responsibilities for each position held. 

• Starting salary will be based on overall relevant experience from your application.

• Responses to supplemental questions regarding experience should also be clearly documented in the ‘Experience’ section of the main application.

• Please be sure to detail on the application all current and previous employment that you wish to be considered as part of your qualifications.

• Résumés will not be accepted and statements such as “see résumé” will not be accepted. You may use “N/A” for fields that are not applicable.

• Please note that Austin Energy may close the job posting at any time after 7 days from the date of the initial advertisement. Once the job posting has closed, applications cannot be changed.

• To ensure a thorough evaluation of your qualifications, please answer all applicable questions in the questionnaire section completely. Incomplete, brief, or one-line responses may not provide enough detail and could impact your eligibility to move forward in the selection process.

• Current City of Austin employees must submit their application through ‘Job Hubs’ in Workday to be considered.

If you are selected as a top candidate:

• Verification of your education (which may include high school graduation or GED, undergraduate and/or graduate degrees) will be required. You must provide proof of education from an accredited organization/institution

• This position may require a criminal background investigation.

Good Standing Employees

Employees, in Good Standing, who are candidates within the department/division that the position resides in and who meet the minimum and all of the preferred qualifications (if any) of the position will be included in the initial interview. Department/division employee must remain in Good Standing through the Top Candidate Selection phase at which time the Good Standing status will be re-verified. 

Travel: If you are selected for this position, and meet the Driver Safety Standards in the City of Austin Driver Safety Program, you may drive when necessary to multiple locations as part of your regular job duties. Otherwise, you are responsible for getting to and from these locations.

Critical:

This position has been designated as a Critical Employee position. Critical Employees are considered necessary and vital and supports activities that impact City or department operations. This work can be done while at a designated work site or while working at an alternate work location. Critical employees who are able to work at an alternative work location are required to do so. Schedules may be modified, and employees may be reassigned to another area during extraordinary situations or emergency conditions to provide essential services.

Assessments:

Your skill level in some of the competency areas for this job may be assessed through skills testing.

Candidates selected for interview(s) may be required to complete an assessment(s) approved by Municipal Civil Service process, Rule 4.

Fair Labor Standards Act:

This position is considered FLSA Exempt. Exempt employees are salaried and, except as provided, are not eligible for overtime compensation.

Important Note to Applicants:
Please be aware that the Job Posting Close Date reflects the final day to apply, but the posting will close at 11:59 PM the day before the date listed. All application steps, including attachments and submission, must be fully completed before that time.

We also recommend that you save or print a copy of the job posting for your records. Once a posting has closed, it will no longer be viewable in the system" at the end.

 

EEO Statement for City of Austin:

The City of Austin will not discriminate against any applicant or employee based on race, creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, religion, veteran status, disability, or sexual orientation. In addition, the City will not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of an individual's AIDS, AIDS Related Complex, or HIV status; nor will the City discriminate against individuals who are perceived to be at risk of HIV infection, or who associate with individuals who are believed to be at risk.

City of Austin is committed to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you require reasonable accommodation during the application process or have a question regarding an essential job function, please call (512) 974-3210 or Texas Relay by dialing 7-1-1.