Posted: 7/28/2022
Salary: $83,896 - $134,233
Location: Portland, OR

The Multnomah County Drainage District (MCDD) seek a motivated and organized technical
specialist who enjoys working in a collaborative environment, has the skill to mentor staff, and
develop best practices that influence the district’s project delivery system for years to come to
support its infrastructure. The selected candidate will serve as an Engineer at the district that is
undertaking a momentous change in its history.

If you are interested in helping make the public sector work better and you are committed to
finding technical solutions that meet multi-objective needs of the community, then you are the
engineer we are seeking.

We are independent public agencies that improve flood safety, respond to the threat of climate
change, calls for racial justice, advance environmental protection, and improved access to
nature.

The Multnomah County Drainage District (MCDD) currently reduces flood risk in greater
Portland along the Columbia River and the Columbia Slough. MCDD manages four public
agencies, led by elected boards, that collectively operate and maintain 27 miles of flood levees,
12 pump stations, and 45 miles of sloughs, canals, and culverts. We reduce flood risk for
residential communities, thousands of businesses, the Portland International Airport, sections of
I-5, I-205, and I-84, Oregon’s second largest supply of drinking water, and critical electricity and
natural gas hubs.

In 2019, the Oregon Legislature established the Urban Flood Safety and Water Quality District
(UFSWQD). It is the first new special district in Oregon since the creation of Metro almost thirty
years ago. The UFSWQD will replace the four existing drainage districts with a single, more
modern agency. The Engineer will help lead that transition by continuing to modernize MCDD’s
practices related to its pump stations and other assets in the internal drainage system.

Position Summary:
The Engineer will provide technical guidance to help manage the flood risk reduction system
including planning, design, construction, and O&M support of District’s internal drainage
system. This position is member of the MCDD Engineering Team and reports directly to the
Supervising Engineer.

The primary responsibility of this position is to serve as the district’s senior technical specialist
related to pump stations and other internal drainage elements. While MCDD does maintain
open channels and stormwater culverts as part of its drainage system, the primary assets are its
pump stations. These pump stations range in capacity from 13,000 to 272,000 gallons per
minute with vertical turbine and submersible pumping systems.

The Engineer will lead, or support projects and programs related to the internal drainage
system. A 2021 report supporting the development of the UFSWQD identified over $70M and
$23M in major capital improvements and on-going capital requirements respectively, with a
majority devoted to internal drainage improvements. This is in addition to 3 major rehabilitation
or replacement pump station projects identified and lead by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
through its Portland Metro Levee System project. Collectively, the potential for capital
improvements at the district over the next 10+ years is the biggest in generations.

The MCDD Engineering Team works closely with the District’s Operations Team to identify
problems, develop solutions, and support in-house construction of repairs or new capital
improvements. The Engineer will become an integral part of a cross-disciplinary team to
modernize the district’s pump stations and drainage system management to better serve the
community. Additionally, this position will work in partnership with other District engineers and
other staff to develop an asset management program that supports ongoing maintenance and
capital requirements for the internal drainage and levee system. Other responsibilities may
include technical support for District projects, ongoing condition assessment, development
reviews, project management, identification/adoption of programmatic best practices, or other
work related to the internal drainage or levee systems.

The Engineer will also provide customer support to private and public agencies to help them
meet their goals while maintaining the district’s mission, vision, standards, and regulatory
obligations. This will require experience and skill in presenting technical information to a variety
of audiences including the public and technical representatives from partner agencies. District
staff interact with local, state, and national elected officials and agency leadership periodically
to help advance our work. The ability to convey complex information in broadly understandable
terms both in writing and through presentation is essential to this position. The ideal candidate
will have comfort and excitement working at the intersection of policy, planning, and technical
work.

Essential job duties:
This position will primarily serve as a technical resource and project manager within a relatively
small (4-5 person) engineering team. This position will lead project work related to pump station
upgrades and replacements, both contributing to and executing projects from the district’s
Capital Improvement Plan. This position will also serve as a technical resource to the district’s
operation’s team and will have occasional need to consult with district boards and legal staff
related to project work. Relevant technical experience and dynamic communication skills will be
highly valued when evaluating candidates for this position.

Specifically, this position will:

• Perform planning, design, and construction management tasks;
• Provide technical information related to internal drainage (pump stations, culverts, etc.)
• and levee systems;
• Support development review process to ensure continuity of District services;
• Provide engineering support for other District programs;
• Provide documentation that supports project objectives and District mission;
• Communicate effectively in writing and orally with other District staff.

Duties Applying to All Employees:

• It is the duty of all employees to:
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Strive to achieve the Mission, Vision, and Values of the organization.
• Perform the duties assigned during an emergency.
• Maintain confidentiality of work-related issues, client records, and District’s
• information.
• Complete required Incident Command System training within 90 days of hire.
• Remain within a 10-hour response time during Partial Emergency Activation or as
• specified by the Executive Director.
• Adhere to workplace safety rules and regulations.
• Occasional weekend and evening shifts may be required.
• Some travel may be required to attend conferences and events.
• Ensure and encourage a safe workplace environment.

Minimum Qualifications:

Knowledge of:

• Pump station design and operations including mechanical, hydraulics, electrical, I/C
• systems, structural, and other pertinent elements;
• Formal contracting and project management processes;
• Familiarity with local, state, and federal laws related to floodplain management and
• design practices;
• Computer programs such as Microsoft Office, project management (e.g., MS Project,
• Smartsheet) and other engineering software such as hydraulic modeling (e.g. xp-swmm),
• AutoCAD or ArcGIS.

Ability to:

• Conduct project management duties for planning, design, and construction project
• phases; special emphasis needed to track project status regarding budget, schedule, and
• staff availability.
• Provide construction management duties to ensure District staff or contractors’
• successfully complete work.
• Participate as a member of multi-disciplinary teams to support the district’s mission.
• Remain adaptable to address unexpected needs or other District priorities.
• Comply with public procurement rules related to contract administration.
• Read and interpret various kinds of maps, architectural and engineering drawings,
• construction plans, and other technical materials and documents.
• Complete proper permits and documents are completed and filed with appropriate
• authorities.
• Evaluate and complete development review proposals in a timely manner.
• Communicate effectively in writing and orally with contractors and other project
• stakeholders.
• Represent the engineering team in District-wide initiatives or committees.

Education, Experience, and Special Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in civil, mechanical, or related engineering field
• 4+ years of directly related engineering experience
• Requires a Professional Engineer (PE) license from the State of Oregon, or ability to
• obtain one within 6 months of hire.
• Valid state driver’s license

Preferred skills & qualifications:

• Master’s degree in civil, mechanical, or related engineering field
• Experience leading multi-disciplined projects involving pump station improvements
• Experience managing engineering consultants to support a project and/or on-call services.
• Training or experience with emergency response protocols (e.g., Incident Command
• System)

Working Environment:

Most MCDD office staff worked primarily remotely during the COVID-19
pandemic. Engineering staff are currently working a largely remote schedule with occasional
time in the office. Long-term plans for full-time in-office versus a continued hybrid schedule
have not yet been determined. MCDD reserves the right to change the remote work policy.
Hours may vary but should fall between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm. However, there are projects that
may require time in the field. Employees are required to utilize the appropriate PPE for their
time in the field. During flood fighting season, October 15th – May 15th, employees may be asked
to perform levee and drainage inspections or serve in some capacity within the district’s
Incident Management Team during emergencies.

Benefits:

This is a full-time, exempt position. Our benefits Include:

• Competitive Salary
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• State of Oregon Public Employee Retirement System (PERS) Participant
• Deferred Compensation Plan via the Oregon Savings Growth Plan (OSGP)
• Paid holidays, flex, vacation, sick, and family leave
• Transportation and Wellness Incentives
• Healthy work-life balance
• Casual dress code
• Office Perks:We believe in snacking! Our breakroom is always properly stocked.Frequent visits from our 4-legged team members.Beautiful views of the Columbia Slough WatershedAccess to open outdoor spacesShowers and access to bike parking
• Work-Culture:Open access to leadershipCollaborative environmentSupportive of families with children
• Location: MCDD is in the Sunderland neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, a city known for its diversity of restaurants, breweries, and easy access to both the coast and mountains. The area offers a variety of neighborhoods, bike-friendly streets, and amenities of a large city.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please submit the following, in PDF form, via our Smartsheet link found here:
mcdd.org/employment.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. A complete packet will
include:

1. Cover letter (Your cover letter should address your ability to meet the minimum requirements)
2. Résumé
3. Reference sheet (3 professional references)

Please do not include your social security number or other sensitive information in your
application package.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Accommodation: Reasonable accommodation is available to anyone whose specific disability
prevents them from completing this application or participating in this process. Assistance will
be gladly provided upon request for any applicant with sensory or non-sensory disabilities.
Please contact Tracy Olmedo at (503) 281-5675 or tolmedo@mcdd.org for any questions on
accessibility or accommodation during the hiring process.

Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualified veterans may be eligible for Veterans’
Preference when applying for MCDD positions. If you are a veteran and would like to request
Veterans’ Preference for this job, please provide qualifying documents (Copy of the Certificate
of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD Form 214 or 215; Disabled Veterans must also
submit a copy of their Veteran’s Disability Preference Letter from the U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs) with your application submittal. Documentation must be received by the
closing date and time of this recruitment for the applicant to receive Veterans’ Preference.

Equal employment opportunity: All qualified persons will be considered for employment
without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, familial status,
gender identity, sexual orientation, disability for which a reasonable accommodation can be
made, or any other status protected by law.

This position is not represented.