Transportation Engineer II

DescriptionThe Department of Transportation Planning of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) seeks a Transportation Engineer II to assist in professional-level planning activities that support metropolitan transportation planning with a focus on roadway safety and freight planning. The transportation engineer position, as part of the Systems Performance Planning Team, will primarily play a role in providing technical analysis to inform decision-making on regional roadway safety and freight planning issues, with some support of pedestrian and bicycle planning. The successful candidate will also have broader responsibilities including facilitating regional coordination and communication, authoring technical reports on metropolitan transportation issues, supporting the execution of the TPB’s Regional Roadway Safety Program, occasionally presenting to the Transportation Planning Board (TPB) and COG committees and subcommittees, and assisting with federal performance planning requirements, as well as staffing the TPB’s Transportation Safety Subcommittee and Freight Subcommittee. The position requires stakeholder engagement and analysis skills, and the candidate should be familiar with general transportation planning and specifically roadway safety issues, freight planning issues, metropolitan transportation issues, and transportation performance measurement. Primary Responsibilities Staff the TPB Transportation Safety Subcommittee, developing agendas, conducting outreach to speakers, drafting meeting summaries, and coordinating meeting logistics and acting as a general liaison for regional transportation safety issues. Staff the TPB Freight Subcommittee, developing agendas, conducting outreach to speakers, drafting minutes, and coordinating meeting logistics and acting as a general liaison for regional freight planning issues. Processing, analyzing, and tracking data and regional trends related to safety and freight; creating maps, charts, and other data visualizations using GIS, spreadsheets, and statistical software. Write and prepare memoranda and technical reports. Review and collate professional reports and other documents and summarize findings.Prepare other materials for other committee and subcommittee meetings when assigned, as required to support metropolitan transportation planning. Support the execution of annual cycles of the Regional Roadway Safety Program (RRSP), a TPB technical assistance program that promotes roadway safety. Example activities include reviewing program applications and proposals, and assisting senior staff in coordinating with consultant teams completing RRSP projects.Support the development of safety and freight-related planning studies, such as the regional safety study and National Capital Region Freight Plan.Facilitate the planning of key events such as symposiums or forums on safety or freight topics, such as curbside management.Respond to requests for information, data and technical reports from federal, state, local and regional transportation agencies, consultants and citizens. SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES No direct staff supervisory responsibilities but may be involved in recruitment, supervising interns, and/or oversight of consultants to ensure the quality and timeliness of deliverables. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES The ideal candidate will possess excellent communication skills and demonstrated skill in critical thinking, judgment, analysis, member services, and applied regional transportation planning. This candidate will also have a strong academic background in statistical analysis, transportation planning and engineering, data science, and research methods. The ideal candidate will have experience with computer software packages used for database development, statistical analysis, and reporting; knowledge of public transportation operations data reporting and planning activities, and experience with report and data analysis software. EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE To be considered for the Transportation Engineer II position, candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree in Transportation Engineering, Civil Engineering, Statistics, or a related field, and two (2) or more years of directly applicable work experience, or a master’s degree in Transportation Engineering, Civil Engineering, Statistics, or a related field. An equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, analytical and writing skills and abilities may be considered. COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS Experience with Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), statistical software (SAS preferred), ArcGIS, data management, and data visualization software. COMMUNICATION SKILLS Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common planning, scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal and policy documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries from members, regulatory agencies, community leaders and citizens. Ability to effectively present information to senior management, public groups, and/or boards of directors. Ability to work collaboratively with board and committee members to develop meeting agendas and provide staffing support for committee meetings. MATHEMATICAL SKILLS Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute percentages, rates, and ratios and to draw and interpret numeric charts and graphs. Ability to compute and interpret basic statistical analyses such as means, medians, and standard deviations. REASONING ABILITY Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form and deal with a variety of abstract and concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization may exist. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS No Requirements PHYSICAL DEMANDS The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; sit; and use hands to finger, handle, or feel. The employee is occasionally required to walk; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. WORK ENVIRONMENTThe work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet. WORK LOCATIONThe candidate will be required to report to work at the COG offices in Washington, D.C. This is not a fully remote work position. COG policy currently requires all employees to work three (3) days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and an additional day as approved by supervisor) in COG offices, and allows up to two (2) days teleworking from a remote location.