Traffic Design Engineer (TE3)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Lacey, WA

13h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is seeking a Traffic Design Engineer (Transportation Engineer 3) to join the Olympic Region Traffic Office. In this leadership role, you will supervise a team of engineers and evaluate development and local agency projects that impact the state highway system. You will help ensure highway projects are designed and delivered in compliance with WSDOT standards, specifications, and policies. This position plays a key role in advancing WSDOT’s mission by delivering safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation solutions while fostering a collaborative, respectful, and inclusive work environment.

Requirements

Demonstrated experience applying engineering principles, methods, and practices to project management in transportation or construction environments. This includes expertise in design development, construction techniques, and/or contract administration.
Ability to review engineering designs and documentation to ensure accuracy, compliance with standards, and constructability. Apply advanced traffic engineering knowledge to analyze complex transportation issues, evaluate alternatives, and develop practical solutions.
Advanced skills in operating Windows-based systems and engineering software, including MS Office Suite (Excel, Word, SharePoint, Outlook), MS Teams, cloud-based platforms, and system databases for project tracking and information management.
Advanced skills in professional communication, specifically in communicating technical information effectively and professionally to a diverse audience, including those with non-technical backgrounds, virtually and in person, using a variety of electronic media, including, but not limited to telephones, email, text, video conferencing, and computer conferencing.
Ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously, prioritize workloads, and consistently meet project schedules and deadlines.
Demonstrated experience working effectively as an individual and within a diverse team environment.
Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.
Takes action to meet the needs of others.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated understanding of civil, structural, geotechnical, transportation, or related engineering principles, methods, and standards.
Ability to apply engineering judgment and ethical practice consistent with recognized certification or licensure requirements.
Proven ability to coordinate, manage, and deliver multiple engineering projects involving interdisciplinary teams, support groups, stakeholders, and partnering agencies.
Skilled in reviewing, interpreting, and validating engineering plans, specifications, and construction documents to ensure compliance with applicable standards and requirements.
Demonstrated ability to evaluate complex engineering challenges, develop alternative approaches, and recommend effective technical solutions.

Responsibilities

Lead the review of developer, local agency, Design-Build (DB), and Progressive Design-Build (PDB) traffic projects to ensure compliance with WSDOT standards, project requirements, and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
Coordinate multidisciplinary reviews with regional traffic subject matter experts for signing, illumination, traffic signals, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), channelization, and work zone traffic control.
Review traffic control plans, engineering submittals, and final plan sets to verify compliance and provide approval recommendations.
Attend virtual and onsite project meetings to develop effective construction staging strategies and support the delivery of safe and efficient work zone traffic control.
Provide technical guidance and recommendations to project teams, developers, consultants, and local agencies through meetings and written communications.
Assess project implementation in the field and support Project Engineer Offices by identifying deficiencies and recommending corrective actions.
Develop and review Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and traffic-related requirements for Design-Build and Progressive Design-Build projects.
Support updates to WSDOT traffic policies, manuals, and standard plans by reviewing proposed changes, coordinating stakeholder feedback, and recommending improvements for consistency.