Transportation Engineer III, IV, or V - Central Design - Consultant Contracts Project Management

TxDOT is searching for a Transportation Engineer Project Manager ready to lead some of the district’s most complex and high-impact projects from concept to letting. In this role, you’ll take ownership of Plans, Specifications, and Estimates (PS&E) development for advanced transportation projects, ensuring that every design element is accurate, constructible, and aligned with state and federal requirements.

You will manage PS&E schedules, coordinate consultant deliverables, and oversee the review of plans, specifications, estimates, traffic control layouts, safety features, and risk mitigation strategies. Your technical expertise in geometric design criteria, highway maintenance concepts, traffic control, and Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule management will be essential to delivering high-quality PS&E packages on time and on budget.

If you’re driven by precision, collaboration, and the opportunity to shape infrastructure that keeps Texas moving, this role offers a dynamic and meaningful path forward.

Annual Salary Ranges: 

• Transportation Engineer III (B26) - $76,530 - $129,430
• Transportation Engineer IV (B27) - $84,182 - $142,374
• Transportation Engineer V (B28) - $92,600 - $156,612

This position is for a Transportation Engineer III, IV, or V. The Texas Department of Transportation reserves the sole right in determining the level of position based on the applicant's work experience, education, skill level, and all other appropriate factors and based on business needs. 

At TxDOT, we value work-life balance and are committed to providing our employees with a comprehensive range of benefits and programs, including:

• Retirement Plans
• Alternative and/or Flexible Work Schedules
• Paid Leave and Holidays
• Health Premiums paid at 100% for Full-Time Employees
• On-the-Job Training
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Holistic Wellness Program with Leave Incentives
• Career Development and Advancement Opportunities
• Family-Friendly Policies and Programs

In 2024, TxDOT was recognized as a Best Place for Working Parents, and many of our offices statewide are also designated as Texas Mother-Friendly Worksites. These recognitions reflect our dedication to supporting families and promoting a healthy work-life balance.

For a complete list of our total compensation package please visit our website at: Total Compensation Package

To view benefits available to all State of Texas employees visit: Benefits at a Glance | ERS (texas.gov)

Performs highly advanced and complex transportation engineering work in one or more functional areas such as planning, project development and design, construction, transportation/traffic operations, maintenance and research. Ensures compliance with applicable federal and state laws, policies, procedures, standards and guidelines. Work requires contact with governmental officials and private entities. Employees at this level are virtually self-supervising and assume direct accountability for the work product.

Essential Duties:

• Coordinates and monitors assigned projects/programs/plans.
• Coordinates with utility companies, attorneys and governmental representatives to accurately depict the highway project's impact on adjacent properties.
• Develops and reviews engineering related documents, correspondence, reports and remediation plans.
• Interpret laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to professional services contracting to ensure compliance with
• Department and governmental regulations.
• Interprets maintenance standards, rules, methods, procedures, practices and policies.
• Interprets the Utility Accommodation Policy.
• Leads/Trains professional and administrative staff.
• Makes presentations and represents TxDOT.
• Monitors consultants' progress and work quality; checks invoices and associated documents; prepares supplemental
  agreements.
• Monitors contract performance, evaluates contract deliverables, reviews billing documentation, monitors the consultant's compliance with the terms of the contract, and prepares and delivers a written evaluation of the consultant's performance.
• Negotiates fees and budgets, develops and negotiates scopes of work, negotiates contract work schedules, and negotiates other contract agreements. 
• Negotiates fees, explains scope of work and monitors consultant design contracts.
• Oversees contracts, issues work orders and monitors construction schedules and contractor payments and job progress on construction projects.
• Performs and coordinates the review and processing of Plans, Specifications & Estimates (PS&E) submission, special
  specifications or special provisions.
• Performs highly advanced and complex engineering design work such as development of layouts, sketches, plans,
  specifications, estimates and contracts.
• Provides design engineering support for districts in project development.
• Recommends practices and procedures for Critical Path Method scheduling, project changes, budgeting, resourcing and
  baseline management.
• Reviews and revises schematics, PS&E, project designs, shop drawings and field changes for traffic control devices,
  signals, signs, markings, detours, traffic control plans, electrical distribution and roadway lighting and traffic management systems. 
• Reviews contracts and related documents for execution.
• Reviews, processes and certifies project design plans developed by consulting engineers.
• Serves as a project manager overseeing consultants performing advanced and complex engineering work.
• Updates, reviews, monitors, and reviews requests for changes to plans, manuals and standard sheets.
• Uses department's enterprise Critical Path Method (CPM) schedule and resource management tool to accomplish scheduling and resource management of transportation projects.
• Utilizes project management principles in initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling and closing for highly complex transportation projects.
• Writes/reviews proposals and estimates for letting.
• May serve as a lead worker by serving as a resource for complex questions; presenting workflow and operational updates to the supervisor/manager; providing input on team members’ career conversations; and approving leave requests to ensure operations coverage.
• Performs other job responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: 

• Bachelor's Degree in engineering or related science bachelor's or higher degree accepted by TX PELS.

Experience: 

• Transportation Engineer III: 6 years engineering, transportation engineering, or related engineering experience

• Transportation Engineer IV: 7 years engineering, transportation engineering, or related engineering experience

• Transportation Engineer V: 8 years engineering, transportation engineering, or related engineering experience 

• Experience can be satisfied by full time or prorated part time equivalent. Related graduate level education may be substituted for experience on a year per year basis. Substitutions for Minimum Qualifications

Licenses and Certifications:

• Valid driver’s license. This position requires driving a state vehicle.

• Licensed Prof Engineer*

   

*Professional engineers licensed in another state in the United States, but not currently licensed in the State of Texas, must (1) meet the license requirements of the State of Texas Engineering Practices Act, (2) obtain a professional engineering license from the State of Texas within six (6) months of the date of hire, and (3) sign an agreement to that effect as a condition of employment.

Competencies:

• Highway construction design applications
• Applicable plans, specifications and estimates preparation, review, processing and compliance requirements
• Construction phasing and sequencing
• Geometric design relationships to traffic operations, maintenance and construction
• Applicable engineering workstations and applications to support efficient planning and design activities
• Design and plan preparation methods and requirements
• Materials design, specifications and applications
• Water quality and storm water management
• Developing and implementing programs
• Program/project planning, development, and management methodologies
• Project changes (scope, budget, schedule, resource management) using a critical path method enterprise information system management tool
• Critical Path Method for managing projects
• Cost estimating and cost controls
• Maintenance concepts, methods, policies and requirements
• Risk analysis procedures and methods
• Applicable laws, rules, and regulations
• Contract development and oversight
• Performing basic design and drafting
• Persuasion and negotiation of critical issues
• Establishing plans and setting objectives and goals that support overall business strategy/results; anticipating and adjusting for problems/roadblocks
• Negotiating settlement of differences without damaging relationships; applying effective questioning and listening
  techniques to determine other parties' positions in a direct and diplomatic manner
• Public relations for maintaining effective working relationships with individuals and groups, both internal and external
• Applying engineering principles, practices, and methods in job responsibilities
• Speaking to present images and ideas in a clear, concise, organized, and interesting manner to optimize audience
  understanding and keep the group focused
• Facilitating groups using effective communications methods; contributing to and guiding groups in defining objectives, staying on task and reaching consensus; soliciting participation, challenging ideas and summarizing accomplishments and planned actions
• Planning, coordinating and handling multiple projects within area of responsibility to meet short and long-term deadlines
• Monitoring the status and progress of projects
• Planning, assigning, directing, coordinating and reviewing the work of professional, administrative and technical
  employees
• Leading, assigning, reviewing, and monitoring the work of others
• Coordinating and directing multiple projects
• Preparing technical/statistical reports
• Using computers, applicable programs, applications, and systems
• Maintaining a safe and effective working relationship with others
• Initiates and supports quality management activities and performance management measures to provide the highest quality products and services that meet the needs and requirements of internal and external customers
• Exercises logic and reasoning to define problems, establish facts and draw valid conclusions; makes decisions that support business objectives and goals

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Subject to inside and outside environmental conditions
• Subject to noise
• Subject to hazards-moving vehicles/mechanical parts, high places/heat, or chemicals
• Medium work: Lift up to 50 lbs at a time and frequently lift or carry objects up to 25 lbs
• Balancing-walking, standing, crouching on various surfaces without falling
• Walking-moving on foot to accomplish tasks: long distance/from one work site to another
• Fingering-picking, pinching, typing; working primarily with fingers rather than whole hand
• Talking-expressing or exchanging ideas by spoken words
• Hearing-perceive sound at normal speaking levels;receive information by oral communication
• Repetitive Motion-substantial movements of the wrists, hands, and fingers
• Close Visual Acuity-work includes data/figures; view a computer screen; extensive reading

Conditions of Employment:

Please read the Standard Conditions of Employment (TxDOT) for all positions.

• This job has been identified as physically demanding and will require a pre-employment physical. 
• Must pass a drug test prior to employment for safety impact positions. This is a Safety Impact position and will be subject to random drug testing.
  • Please note that the Department of Transportation's Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulation – 49 CFR Part 40, at 40.151(e) – does not authorize “medical marijuana” under a state law to be a valid medical explanation for a positive drug test result for an employee in this position.

TxDOT is committed to hiring veterans. To assist in determining whether your military experience may pertain to the minimum requirements for this position, Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces have been assigned to each state classification code/title where applicable. The MOS codes are grouped by occupational category.

Click on the appropriate occupational category to view the MOS codes.

The Texas Department of Transportation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

If requested, reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities for any part of the employment process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Action of 1990.

Additional Applicant Information for applicants.