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Assistant City Engineer

City of Decatur, IL

City of Decatur, IL

Decatur, IL, USA
USD 100k-120k / year
Posted on Jul 11, 2025

Job Summary

The City of Decatur is seeking a loyal, dedicated, and compassionate Assistant City Engineer that is proficient in water distribution and water treatment.

Decatur is a city with small-town warmth and big heart. Nestled in central Illinois, it’s known for its strong sense of community, affordable living, and easy pace of life—no long commutes here. Whether you’re into local parks, quiet neighborhoods, or historic charm, Decatur offers a comfortable, grounded lifestyle without the distractions and costs of a big city. Plus, it’s within driving distance to places like Springfield, Champaign, and even Chicago for a weekend getaway.

Known as the “Pride of the Prairie”, Decatur is located in Macon County and covers about 46.9 square miles. The City of Decatur is governed by a City Manager form of government. The City Manager works alongside the Mayor. The Assistant City Engineer is appointed by the City Manager.

The Assistant City Engineer plays a key role in the city’s infrastructure team, taking direct responsibility for task management, interdepartmental collaboration, minor plan reviews, and supporting both capital and operational projects. This role involves consulting with departments, coordinating across teams, and assisting the City Engineer in delivering high-quality, reliable public works services. The Assistant City Engineer is supported by the City’s annual Water Division budget of $34.5 million, ensuring effective allocation, compliance, and long-term planning.

Challenges and Opportunities:

  • Implement the city sustainability water utility plan
  • Contribute to ongoing water treatment plant upgrades
  • Quickly onboard into the city’s water utility systems and processes
  • Support ongoing improvements and compliance
  • Drive efforts to replace components within the water distribution system
  • Support the development and implementation of drought resiliency project
  • Serve as acting City Engineer during periods of absence or transition

Key Responsibilities

  • Implement the city sustainability water utility plan
  • Contribute to ongoing water treatment plant upgrades
  • Quickly onboard into the city’s water utility systems and processes
  • Support ongoing improvements and compliance
  • Drive efforts to replace components within the water distribution system
  • Support the development and implementation of drought resiliency project
  • Serve as acting City Engineer during periods of absence or transition

Success: The city seeks an energetic and dedicated Assistant City Engineer—an expert in their field who hits the ground running, learns quickly, is actively present on the job and engaged in day-to-day operations.

Qualifications and Preferred Skills

  • Bachelor’s degree - Civil Engineering
  • Professional Engineer (PE) license
  • Professional Experience - seven to ten years of experience
  • Water utility background is preferred
  • Minimum of four to six years of experience in utilities, public works, and engineering
  • Must live within 50 miles of corporate limits

Ideal candidates will:
  • Demonstrate a genuine desire to serve the public and improve community infrastructure
  • Approach work with care and compassion, understanding the real-world impact of city service
  • Exhibit strong dedication to the mission, projects, and long-term success of the City of Decatur
  • Value loyalty and commitment, fostering trust within the team
  • Balance a task-oriented mindset with a people-first approach, ensuring both project goals and team relationships are well-managed (CS- DISC Style)
  • Bring a sense of humor and positive attitude to team dynamics and public interactions

More Details

Compensation and Benefits:
The beginning salary range is between $100,000-$120,000, based on experience and certification. The benefits are highly competitive and include:

  • Individual and family health insurance plans - maximum bimonthly premiums:
    • $46 employee only
    • $143 family
  • Life insurance: Annual salary plus $5,000
  • Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) pension plan
  • Dedicated Health Center: Free employee and dependent care services
  • Paid holidays: 12 ½
  • Floating holidays: 2 days annually
  • Paid sick leave: 10 days of sick leave in the bank, plus 1 day accrued per month
  • Paid vacation leave: 5 days starting at 6 months, 15 days at 1 year
  • Relocation reimbursement: Up to $7,500 if located in the city
  • City-paid professional development
  • City-issued mobile phone and laptop

To Apply
Step into a leadership role where your engineering expertise will directly shape critical water infrastructure for an entire city. The City of Decatur is looking for a Professional Engineer with strong utility experience to support long-term planning, sustainability initiatives, and system upgrades. If you’re ready to lead, collaborate, and leave a lasting mark on a community that values your work, we invite you to apply.

Apply online using the link below. Be sure to include all requested information; incomplete applications will be rejected. You may upload a resume to autofill sections of the application.

Sponsorship for Employment

The City of Decatur does not provide sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H-1B). To be considered for regular employment with City of Decatur, applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a continuous basis.


All candidates are subject to a pre-employment drug screen, physical, and background check post-offer. The City of Decatur is a drug-free workplace, including marijuana.