Optimize if -else statement

I am writing a query for searching records from db. I pass 3 values to the method . I want to write my query in such a way that condition for that column is appended in the query whose passed corresponding value is non-null. I have ended up with messy if else statements. Is there a way to optimize it.

if(StringUtils.isNotEmpty(projectId)){
      sql.append(" UPPER(CIRC.PROJECT_ID) like ?");
  }

    if(StringUtils.isNotEmpty(circuitId)){
      if(StringUtils.isNotEmpty(projectId)){
          sql.append(" AND");
      }
      sql.append("  UPPER(CIRC.CIRCUIT_ID) like ?");
  }

    if(StringUtils.isNotEmpty(orderRef)){
      if(StringUtils.isNotEmpty(projectId) || StringUtils.isNotEmpty(circuitId) ){
        sql.append(" AND");
    }
      sql.append("  UPPER(CIRC.ORDERID) like ?");
  }

    JSONArray jsonArray = new JSONArray();
    ResultSet rs = null;
    SimpleDateFormat sdf = new  SimpleDateFormat("dd-MM-yyyy");

    PreparedStatement ps = null;
    try {
        if (connection != null) {
            ps = connection.prepareStatement(sql.toString());
            if(StringUtils.isNotEmpty(projectId)){
                ps.setString(1, "%" + projectId.toUpperCase() + "%");
            }

            if(StringUtils.isNotEmpty(circuitId)) {
              if(StringUtils.isEmpty(projectId)) {
                ps.setString(1, "%" + circuitId.toUpperCase() + "%");
              } else {
               ps.setString(2, "%" + circuitId.toUpperCase() + "%");
              }
           } 

            if(StringUtils.isNotEmpty(orderRef)) {
              if(StringUtils.isEmpty(projectId) && StringUtils.isEmpty(circuitId)) {
                ps.setString(1, "%" + orderRef.toUpperCase() + "%");
              } else if (StringUtils.isEmpty(projectId) || StringUtils.isEmpty(circuitId)){
               ps.setString(2, "%" + orderRef.toUpperCase() + "%");
              } else {
                ps.setString(3, "%" + orderRef.toUpperCase() + "%");
               }
           } 

Note: This question is not a subject of orm/jdbc. Also please ignore hard coding.