Assistant Engineer / Associate Engineer

PLEASE NOTE: Helix Water District is seeking one individual to join our engineering team. Successful candidate will be placed in either the Assistant Engineer or Associate Engineer position, depending on qualifications.

OPEN UNTIL FILLED
Any applications received after Sunday, April 19, 2026, will only
 be considered if the position is not filled.
 

This is your opportunity to join a team that is shaping the future of water. While this position is based out of La Mesa, California, we deliver reliable water to the cities of La Mesa, Lemon Grove and El Cajon, and to unincorporated areas of the county including Spring Valley and Lakeside. We are a progressive public water agency dedicated to innovation, sustainability and supporting the communities we serve. Our design section is looking for a motivated engineering professional – at the Assistant Engineer or Associate Engineer level, depending on experience – to help develop forward-thinking solutions that keep our systems resilient and reliable.

WHY CHOOSE HELIX?

At Helix, people come first. We are committed to our values, invested in our employees and proud of a culture where collaboration, growth and meaningful work go hand in hand. If you are excited to contribute to impactful projects and advance your engineering career in a supportive, mission-driven environment, we’d love to hear from you. 

EXCELLENT SALARY & BENEFITS PACKAGE. Not only do we foster an atmosphere of team spirit and open communication, but we are also committed to providing compensation that is equitable and competitive. Whether you are just beginning your journey as an inspector or have years of experience, we have a great opportunity for you.

Assistant Engineer: $107,598 - $137,280/annually

Associate Engineer: $124,550 - $158,954/annually

We offer employees:

• 100% employee premiums paid for all health benefits
• Annual Merit Increases. Full-time employees are eligible for 5% merit increases on an annual basis until they reach the top of their pay range.
• CalPERS membership
• Deferred Compensation. Up to $3,500 matching on 457 plans
• 24 annual days of accrued leave (Increases to 29 after 5 years of service, max 37 annual days of accrued leave)
• Educational Reimbursement of up to $4,000 annually for qualifying coursework after one year of employment
• 12 paid holidays per year including 2 floating holidays 

The Assistant Engineer / Associate Engineer classes are both exempt positions. The Assistant Engineer is our entry- to journey-level professional class while the Associate Engineer is our advanced journey-level professional class. 

Our Assistant Engineers / Associate Engineers in the design section help plan, design, and deliver water infrastructure projects by performing a variety of engineering tasks including in-house design, construction administration, plan checks, development reviews, hydraulic modeling, engineering calculations, and preparing or overseeing plans, specifications, studies, and cost estimates. They support projects from planning through construction by coordinating with contractors, consultants, district staff, and outside agencies; providing field and construction support; reviewing change orders and submittals; and maintaining project records. 

At the Associate Engineer level, responsibilities expand to supervising staff, leading major capital projects, managing consultant procurement and budgets, developing district standards and board-level reports, and representing the district in higher-level coordination and technical assignments such as annexations and emergency interconnections.

To see the full job description for the Assistant Engineer / Associate Engineer position, visit our Careers page at www.hwd.com/Careers. There you will find detailed information about the responsibilities, qualifications and expectations for this role.

Qualified candidates will have the following: 

Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in civil engineering or another engineering discipline acceptable to the district; a master’s degree in engineering can substitute for one year of engineering experience.

Assistant Engineer:

• A minimum of two years of related civil engineering experience. 

• Possession of an Engineer-in-Training certificate from the State of California.   

• A minimum of three years of responsible civil engineering experience, preferably in a water industry, including a minimum of one year of project management responsibility. 

• A certificate of registration as a professional engineer issued by the State of California. Registration must be maintained while in this job classification.

To be considered for the Assistant Engineer / Associate Engineer, please select the APPLY button to complete the online application and supplemental questionnaire. Resumes are not accepted in lieu of an online application. For a complete list of job responsibilities, please visit our careers page.

Salary : $107,598 - $158,954