Senior Transportation Engineer

Career Guide

A Senior Transportation Engineer plans, designs, and improves transportation systems such as roads, intersections, transit corridors, and bicycle and pedestrian networks. The role balances technical design, safety, project delivery, and coordination with public agencies, contractors, and community stakeholders.

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Key Responsibilities

Lead the design of roadway and corridor improvements
Develop traffic safety and operations solutions for intersections and streets
Prepare engineering reports, design plans, and technical specifications
Review designs for compliance with standards and permitting requirements
Coordinate with public agencies, utilities, and project partners
Manage project scope, schedule, budget, and risks
Support construction by responding to field questions and reviewing submittals
Mentor junior engineers and review their work for quality
Present design options and impacts to clients and community groups

Top Skills for Success

Roadway Geometric Design

Traffic Engineering

Intersection Design

Transportation Safety Analysis

Traffic Modeling

Civil Engineering Design Standards

Plan Production

Quantity Estimation

Cost Estimation

Technical Writing

Stakeholder Communication

Project Management

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Transportation Engineering Manager

Project Manager

Senior Project Engineer

Traffic Operations Manager

Roadway Design Lead

Transportation Planning Manager

Transition Opportunities

Public Works Manager

City Transportation Engineer

Transportation Program Manager

Construction Manager

Transportation Safety Manager

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

People ManagementRisk ManagementCost ControlClient ManagementContract AdministrationPublic Meeting FacilitationQuality Management

Development SuggestionsAsk to own a workstream end to end, including budget tracking and schedule updates. Lead at least one client presentation per project. Request formal responsibility for quality reviews and coaching junior staff. Build familiarity with procurement and contract change processes by partnering with a project manager.

Market Intelligence Report

Senior Transportation Engineer is part of the Sales Engineering category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 70,000 to 90,000

Mid LevelUSD 90,000 to 120,000

Senior LevelUSD 120,000 to 160,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand, supported by public infrastructure investment, safety programs, and ongoing maintenance and modernization of transportation networks.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

State Departments of TransportationCity Transportation DepartmentsCounty Public Works AgenciesAECOMJacobsWSPHDRStantecKimley-HornHNTB

Industry Sectors

Public Sector TransportationEngineering ConsultingConstruction EngineeringTransit AgenciesInfrastructure Program Delivery

Recommended Next Steps

Confirm professional licensure requirements in your region and maintain active status

Build a portfolio of delivered transportation projects with measurable outcomes

Strengthen project management by owning scope, schedule, and budget on a mid sized project

Practice clear communication by presenting design tradeoffs to non technical audiences

Expand technical breadth with a focused area such as safety, transit priority, or multimodal design

Network with public agency counterparts and local professional engineering groups