Civil Designer Jobs in California
Civil Designer jobs in California are highly active, with strong demand across transportation infrastructure, water resources, land development, and public works projects at every level from entry-level drafter to senior project designer. The largest hiring concentrations are in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Sacramento region, where firms like AECOM, WSP, and Kimley-Horn maintain significant California operations. The most sought-after specialties include roadway and highway design, grading and drainage, and utility corridor planning. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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DEPCOM Power, a Koch Engineered Solutions company, is looking for a Civil Designer - Earthwork Focused to support the development of utility-scale solar PV and battery energy storage (BESS) projects across North America.
Location: Katy, TX; Bedminster, NJ; or Pleasanton, CA
Work Schedule: Hybrid, onsite Monday through Thursday with remote work on Fridays.
In this role, you will collaborate with Civil Engineering and cross-functional project teams to develop practical, cost-effective site solutions that support project execution, estimating, and constructability goals. You will be responsible for refining site layouts and producing detailed civil deliverables, including earthwork grading plans, stormwater management systems, drainage infrastructure, utilities, and access roads.
Our Team
At DEPCOM, we are a field-first company that puts safety and environmental compliance first-always. We are committed to delivering superior, mutually beneficial customer experiences. Join us as we transform the future of utility-scale solar and energy storage and pursue our vision of becoming the industry's most competitive EPC and services provider.
At Koch Industries, our Principle Based Management philosophy is at the center of how we do business, and as an employee, you will begin your journey of understanding and applying the way we do business in your everyday work.
This position is not eligible for VISA Sponsorship.
What You Will Do
- Prepare detailed civil designs for utility-scale or large land development solar projects, including conceptual, preliminary, and final designs
- Apply industry design standards for site grading, road layout, mass grading, earthwork calculations, stormwater management, and erosion/sediment control
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams (civil, structural, electrical) to integrate site infrastructure with solar system design
- Coordinate with engineers to ensure that all technical design requirements are represented in the drawing package
- Manage day-to-day workflow to ensure balance between multiple projects in development at the same time
- Use specialized software such as AutoCAD Civil 3D for large-scale site modeling, grading, and earthwork takeoffs
- Resolve design challenges creatively and efficiently, ensuring solutions meet technical and client requirements
- Extract points, surfaces, and other drawing metadata for field use during construction of project
- Analyze contours and topographic survey data to produce preliminary grading surfaces
- Review reliance documents to assist in development of base files for drawing packages
Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)
- AutoCAD drafting experience to include sheet-set manager, blocks and x-references
- Civil 3D civil design experience
- Understanding of general drafting standards
What Will Put You Ahead (Preferred Qualifications)
- PV or BESS Civil Design experience
- 2D or 3D Design experience in non-Autodesk Software
- Experience Adobe Acrobat or BlueBeam Revu
- Knowledge of LISP, .NET, Python or Dynamo programming
For this role, we anticipate paying $45 - 55 per hour.
At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.
Hiring Philosophy
All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here .
Who We Are
At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.
As a Koch Engineered Solutions company, DEPCOM Power is a leading energy solutions partner for the utility solar and broader energy industries, providing project development support, engineering, procurement and construction, energy storage, repowering and operations and maintenance services. Our highly skilled team of conventional and renewable power industry experts work to deliver the lowest cost of energy and the highest rate of return.
Our Benefits
Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.
Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.
Equal Opportunities
Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information. (For Illinois E-Verify information click here , aquí , or tu ).
See All 14 Civil Designer Jobs in California
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Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Civil Designer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in civil designer jobs across California.
- Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification from the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists preferred or required
- Proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D or Bentley MicroStation for design and drafting work
- Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, civil engineering technology, or a closely related field
- Experience producing construction documents including grading plans, utility layouts, and roadway alignments
- Familiarity with California Department of Transportation Caltrans standards, manuals, and design guidelines
- Strong collaboration skills for coordinating with project engineers, surveyors, and local California agency reviewers
Civil Designer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a civil designer in California?
Most civil designers in California hold a bachelor's degree in civil engineering or civil engineering technology and pursue Engineer-in-Training certification through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists by passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. Employers across the state prioritize candidates familiar with Caltrans standards and local agency requirements. Building proficiency in Civil 3D and assembling a portfolio of design work, even from academic projects, strengthens a candidate's position considerably.
How much do civil designers make in California?
Civil designers in California earn a median of about $83,490 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $54,690 for the lowest 10% to over $111,150 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire civil designers in California?
Employers hiring civil designers in California right now include McCarthy Building, Kimley-Horn, and KPFF Consulting Engineers, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's large public infrastructure programs and active land development market keep demand from both engineering consulting firms and public agencies consistently strong throughout the state.
Which California cities have the most civil designer jobs?
Los Angeles, Newport Beach, and Orange have the most civil designer openings in California. Los Angeles draws volume from major transportation and utility corridor projects, San Diego from defense-adjacent infrastructure and coastal development, and Sacramento from proximity to Caltrans headquarters and state agency capital improvement programs, which funnel work to firms throughout the region.
Are there remote civil designer jobs in California?
Yes, but they're relatively limited. About 67% of civil designer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, since much of the work involves site-specific design requiring coordination with field crews and local agencies. The tasks most suited to remote arrangements are production drafting, plan checking, and design calculations that don't require daily on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a civil designer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to engineering consulting firms that hire designer-in-training or CAD technician roles, which serve as the standard on-ramp at firms like AECOM, Kimley-Horn, and regional California civil engineering practices. Completing an EIT designation, even before graduating, signals seriousness to California hiring managers. Lateral moves from survey technician or construction inspector roles are also common. A portfolio showing Civil 3D grading plans or roadway alignments, even from coursework, gives candidates without professional experience a concrete advantage.
Where can I find and apply to civil designer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to civil designer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Find roles that fit your experience and location and apply directly to the employers posting them.
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