Job Description
Job Description
Project Engineer - Underground Wet Utilities
Lathrop, CA (office-based, with jobsite visits)
About the Opportunity
Our partner, a family-owned underground utility contractor with 35+ years in Northern California, is hiring a Project Engineer to support its wet utility projects across the Bay Area - sewer, storm drain, potable water, and related work. You'll own the documentation side of each job, including submittals, RFIs, testing records, as-builts, and closeout, so the crews and project leadership can stay focused on building.
You'll be based in the Lathrop office, learning directly from a member of the ownership family who handles much of the company's project administration today. Ideally you'll also get out to jobsites a couple of days a week to see the work, meet the foremen, and strengthen communication between the office and the field. This is a strong fit for someone a couple of years out of a Construction Management program who wants to learn how an underground utility contractor really runs.
About the Company
Our partner self-performs pipeline excavation and installation for domestic water, storm drainage, sanitary sewer, natural gas, and underground fire water systems, along with related excavation, grading, and paving. They've completed hundreds of projects across retail, commercial, institutional, and public works, working with top general contractors, owners, and municipalities. It's a close-knit team of roughly two dozen people, and the company is actively modernizing through EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System).
What You'll Do
- Prepare and track submittals, RFIs, and shop drawings, keep logs current, and distribute approvals so crews are never waiting on paperwork
- Review plans and specs for sewer, storm drain, and water work, and coordinate with the field on quantities, materials, and installation details
- Provide inputs for look-ahead schedules and project tracking
- Track inspections, testing documentation, and compliance paperwork on every job
- Keep record drawings and as-builts current, and manage closeout documentation so jobs finish cleanly and on time
- Sit in on project meetings, document action items, and follow through
- Keep information flowing between the office, field crews, and outside partners
What You Bring
- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management or a related field
- One to three years of construction experience (internships count) working with drawings, specs, submittals, and RFIs
- Ability to read and interpret construction plans and installation details
- Experience with Procore or similar project management software, plus Excel, Word, and Outlook
- Strong organization and clear, professional writing
- Willingness to spend time on jobsites
Nice to Have
- Exposure to underground wet utilities (sewer, storm drain, or potable water)
- Experience with the HCSS suite, including HeavyJob
- Familiarity with testing and inspection documentation for utility installations
- Working knowledge of Primavera, MS Project, or similar scheduling tools
- Bilingual in English and Spanish
Who Thrives Here
You're early in your career, organized, and hungry to learn the whole business, not just one slice of it. You like a clean log and an answered RFI, and it bothers you when something falls through the cracks. You want to spend time on jobsites learning from the foremen, you pick up new software quickly, and you'd rather be trusted with real responsibility at a smaller company than be one of many at a large one.
What's in It for You
- See every part of a project, from the first submittal to the final as-built
- Learn side by side with the ownership family in the Lathrop office
- Regular jobsite time with foremen and crews across the Bay Area
- Work in Procore and the HCSS suite
- Competitive base salary, medical, dental, paid vacation, and a retirement plan after one year
Presented by Titus Talent