Join the City of Chattanooga Team
Chattanooga, a vibrant and growing community of over 190,000 residents within a metropolitan area of nearly 600,000 is known as the "Scenic City" for a reason. Nestled along the Tennessee River and surrounded by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, we are a hub of outdoor adventure and innovation. Home to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and Chattanooga State Community College, our city blends a rich industrial history with a tech-forward future—famously powered by the nation’s first community-wide "Gig" fiber-optic network. The City of Chattanooga was also recently designated as a "National Park City,” the first of its kind in the United States.
Our OrganizationAs a City, we are powered by a dedicated workforce of approximately 2,600 employees committed to excellence in public service and making Chattanooga the best community in the country. Our team ensures our city thrives through a wide range of municipal services, including:
The City of Chattanooga’s workforce is the heartbeat of our community. We don't just offer jobs; we offer careers with purpose: making Chattanooga the best city in America. We are committed to being the premier employer of choice in Southeast Tennessee by providing:
In Chattanooga, "work-life balance" means you can finish your shift and be at a trailhead or on the water before the sun sets.
Our mission is to work together to build a safe, vibrant, and sustainable city for all Chattanoogans. To do that, it takes a team of skilled and passionate individuals. So, if you’d like to call Chattanooga home – or maybe you already do! – and want to further your career through meaningful work that makes a true impact where you live, we’d love to talk to you.
Salary: $104,721- $127,779 (GS.16)
*salary updated 4/21/26 *
Work Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments, or projects.*
Work Location: 1250 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN
FLSA Status: This is an Exempt position.
Department: Public Works
CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:
Incumbents in this classification are responsible for assisting the City Engineer with the management of the City's Engineering Division, including general office management, technical and administrative supervision, and technical guidance and direction. Primary responsibilities include the engineering management, administrative management, and quality assurance & quality control (QAQC) for: storm water system improvements; municipal green infrastructure retrofit projects; compliance with State issued environmental permits for storm water discharge; technical review & guidance for permitted solid waste facilities, including municipal landfills; and flood control and floodplain program management and supervision. Incumbents are also responsible for providing direction for all transportation design engineering functions for the City. Duties include: overseeing the study, design, and construction of transportation engineering improvements; hiring, training, and evaluating department staff; developing and managing department budget; planning for capital improvements; reviewing and approving transportation designs by staff and contractors; and, developing and coordinating special projects. Work is performed under administrative review, working with the maximum degree of initiative and judgment. The position is highly collaborative with other departments and geared toward planning, design and engineering for a comprehensive transportation system. This position serves as the Chief Engineer in Responsible Charge for the Transportation Division of Public Works. Work is performed with general direction, working from broad goals and policies.
SERIES LEVEL:
The Assistant City Engineer is the first level of a two-level engineering management series.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
(The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)
Supervises division staff to include: prioritizing and assigning work; conducting performance evaluations; ensuring staff are trained; ensuring that employees follow policies and procedures; maintaining a healthy and safe working environment; and, making hiring, termination, and disciplinary recommendations.
Assists the City Engineer in directing and overseeing the operations of the Engineering division, which includes: planning, coordinating, administering, and evaluating programs, projects, processes, procedures, systems, standards, and/or service offerings; ensuring compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws, regulations, codes, and/or standards; coordinating activities between multiple service areas; and, working to integrate and coordinate service areas.
Assists in the development, implementation, and administration of operating policies and procedures and monitors compliance.
Mentor, tutor, train and direct junior engineering, transportation, and environmental science staff in current design methods and procedures.
Activities include in-house technical seminars, one-on-one training sessions, technical design assistance, and continual monitoring of procedures and processes to optimize individual's performance and output quality.
Provides consultative engineering services related to the design and construction of projects, which includes: performing detailed design calculations; reviewing plans; performing storm water, drainage system, watershed, and combined sewer collection system modeling; performing final walk-throughs; approving payments; making recommendations for site problems; reviewing reports from external consultants; monitoring project progress; approving change orders; and/or, performing other related activities.
Maintains technical design standard drawings, specifications, CAD standards, project records and files, and/or other related information and documentation.
Represents the Public Works Department in the planning and development process. Assists the public in understanding development conditions, guidelines, standards and regulations for various permits.
Resolves customer problems and complaints concerning engineering plans review, interpretation of public works and engineering development conditions, guidelines, standards and other regulations related to site development and the various application and permitting processes managed by the Division. Responds to technical questions, explaining policies and procedures and interpreting engineering development standards. Serves as a liaison with City staff, the Council and its Commissions, Boards and Committees, other utilities, other public and private agencies, the business community, contractors, suppliers, and citizens.
Manages and coordinates designs with other City Departments and Divisions, other Governmental and Public Agencies, Utility companies, and the general public; prepares or oversees engineering design performed by staff or consultants; directs the preparation of engineering drawings; writes and reviews contract specifications and engineering reports; prepares and reviews cost estimates; develops, modifies, reviews, and approves design, construction, and engineering standards.
Designs complex, atypical drainage systems and/or solid waste projects involving unique situations and conditions. Prepares draft ordinances and Council action requests. Reviews and analyzes proposed zoning changes, requests for abandonment of public right-of-way and/or easements and zoning cases; makes recommendations based on findings. Participates in the development, implementation, and administration of operating policies and procedures and monitors compliance.
Participates in legal proceedings related to engineering division issues, which includes: preparing legal case documents; representing the City in court; providing expert testimony; and, performing other related activities.
Assists in developing the annual budget; monitors and approves expenditures within established guidelines.
Appears before the Board of Zoning Appeals and Board of Sign appeals to provide guidance on traffic issues related to requested variances.
Represents Department at Planning Commission, City Council, Subdivision review and other regulatory meetings/commissions.
Manages grants within the organization and oversees installation of track projects through to reimbursement.
Prepares transportation engineering design plans, develops material needs and cost estimates as well as prepares engineering specifications.
Coordinate with TDOT, Regional Planning, and others to obtain obligation of federal and state funds for traffic projects.
Writes a variety of proposals and grant applications to various funding sources.
Uses, carries, and answers their cell phone for business purposes as determined by the assigned job duties and the department head.
Operates a City vehicle and/or personal vehicle to attend meetings and visit project sites.
Must meet regular attendance requirements.
Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers, and citizens.
Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.
Performs other duties as assigned.
DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC DUTIES (if any):
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, or closely related field and eight (8) years of experience in or related to management/engineering work in design, construction and management of civil engineering projects, and supervisory experience; or any combination of equivalent experience and education.
Transportation experience is preferred.
LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS:
Professional Engineer License preferred
Professional Engineer License must be issued in the State of Tennessee
LEED-ND, Green Associate, and/or CNU-A certifications preferred
Valid Driver's License
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Knowledge of managerial principles; advanced civil engineering principles; budgeting principles; project management principles; storm water design and analysis principles and practices; municipal government services and operational structures; landfill design and management principles and practices; construction methods; and, applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures.
Skill in monitoring and evaluating the work of subordinate staff; prioritizing and assigning work; developing plans and specifications; interpreting and applying applicable laws, ordinances, codes, rules, regulations, standards, policies, and procedures; developing and administering budgets; reading and interpreting a variety of technical plans, drawings, and/or other related documents; comprehending and analyzing engineering documents; preparing technical analysis reports; managing projects; analyzing problems, identifying alternative solutions, projecting consequences of proposed actions, and implementing recommendations in support of goals; and, communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisor, and the general public, sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Positions in this class typically require: fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: N
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:
This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check
The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.
KNV 1/12/2026
KJF 260236