Engineer, Principal*

Salary : $89,804.00 - $149,975.00 Annually
Location : Richmond, VA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 35M00000174
Department: Public Utilities
Opening Date: 03/12/2026
Closing Date: 3/26/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Are you Richmond R.E.A.D.Y? Respect. Equity. Accountability. Diversity...YOU!!!

This is an EXCITING time to Join the City of Richmond! We are committed to nurturing talent, fostering growth opportunities, and building strong connections within our workforce. As we continue to make strides to becoming the employer of choice, we are thrilled about the below employee benefit enhancements:

• Virginia Retirement System (VRS)
• Language Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Tuition Assistance Program

Description
The City of Richmond, Department of Public Utilities is seeking a qualified Engineer, Principal to manage the Streetlight infrastructure improvement and other related projects or initiatives; work with various City agencies, neighborhoods, developers; and to review developer plans to ensure compliance with DPU Electric Utility Streetlight standards, practices and procedures. Electric Utility Streetlighting owns and operates approximately 37,000 streetlights, 45,000 poles, five electric substations and over 350 miles of overhead and underground wiring. The Engineer, Principal will oversee and work with A&Es, developers, contractors and other third party utility organizations for the Streetlight Engineering group. This position is also required to compile reports, do project presentations, and answer questions from engineers, developers, and in some cases the general public.
Duties include but are not limited to

• Supervising engineers and technical staff to include prioritizing and assigning work; conducting performance evaluations; ensuring staff is trained and employees follow policies and procedures; maintaining a safe work environment; and making/implementing hiring, termination, and disciplinary recommendations.
• Planning, directing, overseeing, and coordinating the operational activities of the assigned area; managing projects, systems, work processes, or work plans based on complex data; compiling, verifying, and assembling complex information for others; providing guidance and support related to complex technical projects and studies, and recommending implementation methods and solutions; providing customer service and communication of problem resolutions for complex issues, as assigned;
• Managing the engineering design process, including reviewing and analyzing detailed plan designs/technical studies, and processing applications/permits, change orders, and other documentation for proposed development or improvement projects, ensuring compliance with all applicable codes, laws, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures. preparing, coordinating, reviewing, and overseeing the scope of work design documents, specifications, or agendas, as assigned; reviewing and approving plan specifications and developing contract documents, as required.
• Developing and monitoring assigned budget, reviewing and submitting funding requests, and monitoring expenditures to ensure compliance with approved budget; preparing and presenting budget recommendations.
• Maintaining logs, tracking systems, and specialized databases; entering, retrieving, and analyzing data, as assigned; preparing and presenting reports; entering routine, technical, and specialized data into department computer systems; preparing requests for proposals and bid packages, as assigned; generating routine documents such as correspondence, manuals, electronic mail, requisitions, and purchase orders;
• Serving as key point of contact/liaison with internal/external departments or agencies; meeting with project coordinators such as consulting engineers, City representatives, and contractors; determining projected needs/use levels according to established models; attending departmental, progress, and other meetings;
• Overseeing and working with A&Es, developers, contractors and other third party utility organizations for the Streetlight Engineering group;
• Developing plan reviews; streetlight design; electric distribution design;
• Overseeing of capital construction projects;
• Assisting with streetlight maintenance as requested;
• Coordinating with engineering consultants, contractors, and power and communication utilities;
• Developing project cost estimates;
• Developing equipment specifications and standards;
• Complying, verifying and assembling complex information;
• Producing and reviewing routine and specialized reports;
• Planning effectiveness based on various data sources;
• Making recommendations and issuing reports to Electric Utility Administrators;
• Assuring that all aspects of assigned projects are in compliance with applicable Federal, State and Local regulations;
• Compiling reports, presenting projects, and answering questions from engineers, developers, and in some cases the general public.

Qualifications, Special Certifications and Licenses
MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's Degree in engineering
• Five years of professional engineering experience
• Two years of supervisory experience preferred

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Procurement laws for design consultant selection and contractors
• Federal and state laws for project implementation
• City procurement laws and the process of doing business within and external to the organization (e.g. vendors)
• Construction management
• Concrete analysis and design

LICENSING, CERTIFICATIONS, and OTHER SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Some assignments may require a Professional Engineering (PE) Registration
• Some assignments may require a valid Driver's License with a satisfactory driving record and a valid Commonwealth of Virginia Driver's License within 30 days of hire

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
TYPICAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: These are a representative sample; position assignments may vary.

Knowledge (some combination of the following):

• Design standards and industry construction standards
• Manuals such as AASHTO, MUTCD, roadway design standards
• MBD minority business goals

Skills (some combination of the following):

• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
• Mathematics including geometry, calculus, and statistics
• Oral and written communication
• Project Management
• Managing and supervising others

Abilities (some combination of the following):

• Read and interpret GIS and AutoCAD plans
• Navigate through and manage difficult situations working with diverse groups of individuals
• Motivate and engage employees

Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS: Working conditions may include exposure to travel to other locations within the City of Richmond as well as outside of the City of Richmond; exposure to hazardous physical conditions such as mechanical parts, electrical currents, vibrations, etc.; atmospheric conditions such as fumes, odors, dusts, gases, and poor ventilation; inadequate lighting; intense noise; and environmental hazards such as disruptive people, imminent danger, and a threatening environment.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Due to the nature of work assignments, incumbents must be able to perform detailed work on multiple, concurrent tasks, with frequent interruptions and under time constraint. While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to finger (pick, pinch, type or otherwise work primarily with fingers), talk, see, hear and use substantial repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and fingers. The employee is frequently required to stand, walk, and feel; and the employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and reach extending hands and arms in any direction, push, pull, or lift. In terms of the physical strength to perform the essential duties, this classification is considered to be sedentary, exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to move objects.

* Internal use: HR Generalist to review.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The City of Richmond provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The City of Richmond is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, the City of Richmond will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided with reasonable accommodations. If you require reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to participate in the job application and/or the interview process, please contact Jessica McKenzie, Human Resources Manager by email at

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
The City of Richmond Values Veterans. We are an official V3 Certified Company.

The City of Richmond is a proud partner with the US Army Partnership for Your Success PaYS Program.
With over 4,000 employees, the City of Richmond is an "Employer of Choice" among cities throughout the nation. The City strives to hire and retain employees who bring dedication and talent to the workforce. Offering a competitive, cost effective, and quality benefits package is one element of an "Employer of Choice".

The City offers a full range of benefit programs from initial hire through retirement. Please visit our Web site for details.
01

10-point compensable veteran. You must have an existing compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more. Other 10-point veteran include disabled veteran or a veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart for wound or injuries received in action, veteran's widow or widower who has not remarried, wife or husband of a veteran who has a service-connected disability, widowed, divorced or separated mother of an ex-service son or daughter who died in action, or who is totally and permanently disabled. Do any of these apply?

• Yes
• No

02

5-point veteran's must have been discharged under honorable conditions and had one of the following: Active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, in a war, or during the period 4/28/52-7/1/55 or active duty for more than 180 consecutive days other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning 2/1/55 and 10/14/76 or active duty during the Gulf War sometime between 8/2/90 - 1/2/92 or active duty in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized or active duty for which more than 180 consecutive days other than for training, any part of which occurred during the period beginning 9/11/2001 and ending on the date prescribed by the Presidential proclamation or by the law as the last date of operation Iraqi Freedom. Do any of these apply?

• Yes
• No

03

Do you have a valid Driver's License or ability to obtain a VA Driver's License within 30-days of hire?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering or Electronics Engineering Technology?

• Yes
• No

05

Which best describes your years of experience working in engineering in a public or private electric utility environment?

• Less than five years of experience
• Five to eight years of experience
• More than eight years of experience
• No experience

06

Which of the following defines your years of engineering work experience outside of a public or private electric utility?

• Less than five years of experience
• Five to eight years of experience
• More than eight years of experience
• No experience

07

In which of the following areas do you have at least five years of experience? (Check all that apply)

• Streetlight or electric distribution systems
• Plan reviews
• Urban and site planning
• No experience

08

Which best describes your years of project management experience?

• Less than two years of experience
• Two to five years of experience
• More than five years of experience
• No experience

09

Which best describes your experience developing engineering plans, specifications and cost estimates for capital projects?

• Less than two years of experience
• Two to five years of experience
• More than five years of experience
• No experience

10

Which best describes your years of supervisory experience?

• Less than two years of experience
• Two to five years of experience
• More than five years of experience
• No experience

11

What is your level of experience using Microsoft Office?

• Beginner experience
• Intermediate experience
• Advanced experience
• No experience

12

How has your education, training and experience prepared you for the opportunity?
Required Question