Public Works Careers

Public Works Development Engineering and Construction Inspection, is an energetic group of engineers, inspectors and permitting staff responsible for permitting and inspecting new construction projects. Our team passionately strive to ensure quality public and private infrastructures are built during the course of land use development, including residential, commercial and institutional projects.  We shepherd the design and construction of major infrastructure elements such as roadways, traffic and pedestrian facilities; potable water, sanitary sewer and storm management utilities; and various franchise utilities - We manage implementation that limits impact without jeopardizing productivity to support a growing population and help businesses thrive in the vibrant City of Kirkland.

Positions:

• Permit Technician
• Engineering Technician
• Senior Development Engineering Analyst
• Development Plans Examiner
• Associate Development Engineer
• Development Engineer
• Senior Development Engineer
• Construction Inspector
• Senior Construction Inspector

Fleet is responsible for the maintenance and repair of city vehicles and equipment. Currently the city has over four hundred assets which are comprised of all types of equipment from articulating vehicles to Vac Trucks. Mix in Police units, Fire Pumpers, construction equipment, and you will get the idea of what a full plate Fleet has.   

The Surface Water Engineering Division, has a wide range of responsibilities and staff skill sets. This group includes engineers, planners, analysts, coordinators, water quality specialists, and education and outreach specialists that report to the Surface Water Planning Supervisor and Surface Water Manager. The group focus is planning, engineering, water quality, education, and compliance related activities to meet the Utility’s goals.

Positions:

• Surface Water Manager
• Surface Water Planning Supervisor
• Surface Water Strategic Advisor
• Surface Water Planner
• Environmental Analyst
• Education and Outreach Coordinator
• Education and Outreach Specialist
• Water Quality Program Coordinator
• Water Quality Specialist
• Senior Surface Water Engineer
• Surface Water Engineer
• Surface Water Engineering Analyst

Operates as one team but divided into two divisions

Streets Division

Maintains City roadway’s which include, preparing roads for overlays and slurry seal, repairs and maintains potholes, roadsides, and sidewalk. The Streets Division provides street sweeping, roadside vegetation mowing and manages operations during snow and ice events.

Grounds Division

Maintains the City’s Right of Way trees (Urban Forest), Cross Kirkland Corridor, Totem Lake Connector bridge, street medians, public paths and trails, storm water ponds, City owned facilities and sites, including the Kirkland parking garage and Marina Plaza parking lot. The Public Works Grounds Division also removes graffiti from our public spaces.

Streets and Grounds are comprised of:

• Supervisors (one for Streets and another for Grounds)
• Lead workers
• Arborists
• Inventory Control Specialists
• Maintenance workers

Transportation

The Transportation Division takes pride in caring for our City’s transportation needs, from the early idea planning stage to long-term maintenance of our infrastructure. Transportation Division contributes to a large range of projects led by other Departments and Divisions at the City, including Planning and Building, Development Services, Capital Projects, and more.

Transportation Engineers collect and manage traffic data to help guide improvements and decision-making within our City, including vehicle volumes, speeds, crash history, and more.  Safety is our priority, and our Transportation Engineers are constantly developing policies and practices to support a safer transportation network for all modes of travel. Transportation Engineers also respond to resident requests, monitor and adjust operations in our traffic signal system, assist in development review, provide review of transportation-focused capital projects, help direct studies for future design work, and more. 

The Transportation Planning team has three core functions: transportation policy initiatives, capital project planning, and regional coordination.  Specifically, the team manages large policy efforts that impact the city’s broader transportation system, including planning for all modes of travel and setting the stage for future transportation technologies.  Transportation Planners routinely engage with the community in a variety of ways on issues related to transit, safety, parking, and other implementation projects, so that the Kirkland community’s preferences are reflected in the transportation system.  Promoting non-vehicular modes of travel is also a focus of the Planning team and is typically done with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled.  

Positions:

• Sign Shop Utility Craftsperson
• Sign Shop Senior Craftsperson
• Signal Shop Traffic Signal Technician I
• Signal Shop Traffic Signal Technician II
• Signal Shop Traffic Signal Technician III
• Transportation Operations and Maintenance Supervisor
• Transportation Planner
• Transportation Program Coordinator
• Transportation Engineering Analyst
• Transportation Engineer
• Transportation Engineering Supervisor
• Transportation Manager 

Services:

• Responsible for the timely planning, development, funding, construction, and compliance of capital improvements.
• Responsible for the development and City Council adoption of the City’s six-year Transportation Improvement Plan.
• Coordinates the development of the City’s Capital Facilities Plan, which is included in the City’s comprehensive plan.
• The group ensures compliance with procurement, legal, and financial records including tracking of funding levels, adherence to fiscal controls for capital projects, enterprise funds, grant administration, and project reporting in relation to reserve funding levels.
• Provide status reports of projects to the community, Council, commissions, associations, steering teams, and other audiences.
• Develop of comprehensive plans for Public Works utilities and recommendations for inventory and modeling of existing infrastructure systems, cost estimates, and implementation of improvements based on City policies and priorities.
• Provides direction to the Public Works GIS group to insure project records are compatible with the objectives of the City’s enterprise GIS system. Presents divisional staff reports and recommendations to City Council.

Positions

• Project Engineers
• Planners
• Project Coordinators
• Inspectors
• Outreach Coordinators