Transportation Engineers

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$95,890 Median Wage (2023)
22,900 Projected job openings (2023-2033)
6.5% Projected growth (2023-2033)

Develop plans for surface transportation projects, according to established engineering standards and state or federal construction policy. Prepare designs, specifications, or estimates for transportation facilities. Plan modifications of existing streets, highways, or freeways to improve traffic flow.

Experience Requirements Overview

  • Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
  • A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
  • Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
  • Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Education, Training and Experience

Related Work Experience: N.A.

Required Level of Education: Bachelor's Degree

On-Site or In-Plant Training: N.A.

On-the-Job Training: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year

Detailed Work Activities

  • Explain project details to the general public.
  • Evaluate technical data to determine effect on designs or plans.
  • Prepare technical or operational reports.
  • Evaluate characteristics of equipment or systems.
  • Develop software or computer applications.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

Tasks

  • Design or prepare plans for new transportation systems or parts of systems, such as airports, commuter trains, highways, streets, bridges, drainage structures, or roadway lighting.
  • Check construction plans, design calculations, or cost estimations to ensure completeness, accuracy, or conformity to engineering standards or practices.
  • Prepare administrative, technical, or statistical reports on traffic-operation matters, such as accidents, safety measures, or pedestrian volume or practices.
  • Plan alteration or modification of existing transportation structures to improve safety or function.
  • Confer with contractors, utility companies, or government agencies to discuss plans, specifications, or work schedules.
  • Present data, maps, or other information at construction-related public hearings or meetings.
  • Prepare final project layout drawings that include details such as stress calculations.
  • Investigate traffic problems and recommend methods to improve traffic flow or safety.
  • Estimate transportation project costs.
  • Design or engineer drainage, erosion, or sedimentation control systems for transportation projects.
  • Evaluate traffic control devices or lighting systems to determine need for modification or expansion.
  • Prepare project budgets, schedules, or specifications for labor or materials.
  • Inspect completed transportation projects to ensure safety or compliance with applicable standards or regulations.
  • Review development plans to determine potential traffic impact.
  • Evaluate transportation systems or traffic control devices or lighting systems to determine need for modification or expansion.
  • Analyze environmental impact statements for transportation projects.
  • Supervise the maintenance or repair of transportation systems or system components.
  • Model transportation scenarios to evaluate the impacts of activities such as new development or to identify possible solutions to transportation problems.
  • Inspect completed transportation projects to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
  • Participate in contract bidding, negotiation, or administration.
  • Evaluate construction project materials for compliance with environmental standards.
  • Direct the surveying, staking, or laying-out of construction projects.
  • Design transportation systems or structures with sustainable materials or products, such as porous pavement or bioretention structures.
  • Investigate or test specific construction project materials to determine compliance to specifications or standards.
  • Develop or assist in the development of transportation-related computer software or computer processes.
  • Develop plans to deconstruct damaged or obsolete roadways or other transportation structures in a manner that is environmentally sound or prepares the land for sustainable development.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.