Transportation Engineers design the plans for transportation systems or parts of systems. They work on transportation projects for highways, streets, bridges, drainage structures, roadway lighting, as well as airports and commuter trains. Transportation engineers make sure transportation plans comply with engineering standards and state and federal construction policies. Engineers work closely with contractors, utility companies, and government agencies. The Department of Labor categorizes transportation engineers as civil engineers. In May 2017, there were approximately 298,910 civil engineers employed in the United States.
Mid Level
Maintenance Engineer, District
Maintenance Engineers, District, are responsible for the development, management, integration and implementation of a wide variety of functions, programs, plans and staff engaged in the engineering design of all DWP infrastructure & facilities; including, but not limited to, facilities evaluation, capital improvements, development plan review and coordination, construction contract administration, oversight of design consultants, engineering budgets and managing engineering staff; coordinates all engineering related services with DWP Operations & Maintenance staff, other departments, committees, agencies, development community and public officials. Maintenance engineers, district, exercises authority and independence in implementing a broad range of professional engineering services and programs in coordination with the Infrastructure & Construction Manager, Assistant General Manager and General Manager. They will also provide technical and operational advice to upper management, operations group, permitting agencies and affected parties.
Pavement Engineer
A Pavement Engineer designs, evaluates and manages asphalt and concrete pavement systems. The Engineer determines the pavement layer thicknesses and material composition required based on the traffic load. The Engineer collects and reviews data on existing pavements to assess deterioration and remaining service life. They understand how external conditions change the rate of pavement degradation over time. The Pavement Engineer sets the immediate and long-term repair and maintenance strategies.
Other duties typically include:
- Design pavements according to the AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG).
- Develop specifications for pavement construction projects.
- Observe pavement construction and collect material samples for quality testing.
- Test pavement materials to determine compliance to specifications or standards.
- Inspect completed roadways to ensure safety and compliance with applicable standards or regulations.
- Analyze nondestructive falling weight deflectometer (FWD) deflection measurements.
- Work with others to develop pavement rehabilitation plans and designs.
- Work with others to implement a pavement management system.
- Reviewing concrete and asphalt Superpave mix design data.
- Design drainage, erosion, or sedimentation control systems for transportation projects.
- 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.
Maintenance Crew Leader
Maintenance Crew Leaders manage a small crews by prioritizing projects, assigning work tasks, using equipment, maintaining records, monitoring work quality and work schedules, insuring crew safety, training employees, and providing performance feedback. Crew Leaders also perform a wide variety of maintenance tasks such as removing trash, leaves, debris, and snow from facilities and public areas, repairing and maintaining public buildings and facilities, and maintaining public infrastructure, installing driveway pipe, patching asphalt or concrete, cleaning streets and storm drains, and related tasks. This position also entails instructing employees in proper work methods and standards, monitoring crew work quality, insuring adherence to time schedules and safe work practices, and providing performance feedback and input into performance reviews.
Construction Manager
Construction Managers are a part of the building process from the very beginning, working closely with architects and engineers to go over plans and blueprints, making timetables for the project, determining material and labor costs, negotiating with and hiring subcontractors and workers, scheduling workers on site, gathering permits and making sure everything is up to code. For large scale projects, construction managers might work on specific projects in conjunction with other construction managers.
TMC Engineer
TMC Engineers are responsible for managing the planning, design, operations, implementation and maintenance of traffic management operations. Engineers develop and evaluate telecommunications plans and systems, including both wired and wireless components while managing TMC development, including database development, systems analysis, engineering analysis, testing, documentation, and communications systems operations and support. Also, TMC Engineers participate in planning and directing traffic engineering and transportation activities, assign and review the work of assigned staff, conduct a variety of technical engineering studies, review transportation planning studies, and analyze traffic impact reports. Lastly, TMC Engineers interact with the general public and other organizations to investigate and resolve various traffic issues, respond to citizen requests and complaints, prepare, review and make recommendations on various traffic issues.