How to hire a traffic engineer

How to hire a traffic engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step traffic engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a traffic engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new traffic engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a traffic engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The traffic engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A traffic engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, traffic engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents traffic engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Traffic Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Traffic Engineer	Civil engineers design, build, supervise, operate, and maintain construction projects and systems in the public and private sector, including roads, buildings, airports, tunnels, dams, bridges, and systems for water supply and sewage treatment.	$25-66
   Structures Engineer	A structures engineer works in designing, planning, and overseeing the development of the latest buildings and bridges or modifications and extensions to an existing property or other structures. They are mainly concerned with the safety and capability of the structure to withstand the elements to which they will be exposed-also improving the existing building structural integrity... Show more	$25-47
   Civil Engineer	A civil engineer designs and supervises the construction of large-scale public works projects such as buildings, roads, tunnels, highways, airports, bridges, dams, and other substantial infrastructure. Most civil engineers work in the private industry, but some work for a government organization... Show more	$24-46

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • HCS
   • Traffic Operations
   • Signal Timing
   • Traffic Analysis
   • Project Management
   • Transportation Planning
   • MUTCD
   • Technical Reports
   • Cost Estimates
   • Capacity Analysis
   • Synchro
   • Safety Studies
   • Transportation Projects
   • Traffic Control Devices

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage Jenkins security by providing specific access to authorize developers/testers using project base matrix authorization strategy.
   • Investigate and troubleshoot all issues in manufacturing.
   • Integrate the program with packet capturer APIs from PCAP.
   • Perform the traffic study analysis in SYNCHRO and develop the traffic report.
   • Develop GIS map that incorporate all city traffic signals and channalization plans.
   • Maintain and update records in provisioning systems M6 MetaSolv to include jeopardy and status remarks.

   More traffic engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the traffic engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A traffic engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a traffic engineer in Iowa may be lower than in California, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level traffic engineer. Additionally, a traffic engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average traffic engineer salary

   $87,079yearly

   $41.86 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level traffic engineer salary

   $54,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average traffic engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$121,001	$58
   2	Washington	$100,455	$48
   3	Oregon	$96,957	$47
   4	Nevada	$96,704	$46
   5	Virginia	$94,881	$46
   6	New York	$92,260	$44
   7	Colorado	$90,638	$44
   8	Massachusetts	$90,595	$44
   9	New Mexico	$90,388	$43
   10	Texas	$87,010	$42
   11	District of Columbia	$85,506	$41
   12	Arizona	$85,159	$41
   13	Nebraska	$81,949	$39
   14	Illinois	$81,933	$39
   15	North Carolina	$81,437	$39
   16	Florida	$80,853	$39
   17	Maryland	$80,117	$39
   18	Pennsylvania	$79,603	$38
   19	Minnesota	$78,201	$38
   20	Alabama	$77,792	$37

   Average traffic engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$149,204	$71.73	3
   2	Square	$128,185	$61.63
   3	Roblox	$126,507	$60.82
   4	Cloudflare	$126,433	$60.79
   5	Amazon	$120,091	$57.74
   6	Booz Allen Hamilton	$111,648	$53.68
   7	Traffic	$107,832	$51.84
   8	Parsons	$101,496	$48.80	17
   9	CTS Corporation	$97,002	$46.64
   10	Oxford Solutions	$93,120	$44.77
   11	WGI	$92,453	$44.45	1
   12	Precision Systems Inc	$91,753	$44.11	4
   13	Whitman	$91,693	$44.08	33
   14	CWC Logistics	$91,231	$43.86
   15	URS E&C Holdings Inc	$91,196	$43.84
   16	Wilson & McCall	$91,196	$43.84
   17	P B Holdings	$91,196	$43.84
   18	Amec Foster Wheeler	$91,196	$43.84
   19	LVI Holding Corporation	$91,196	$43.84
   20	Colorado State Express	$91,196	$43.84

4. Writing a traffic engineer job description

   A traffic engineer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a traffic engineer job description:

   Traffic engineer job description example

   Colliers Engineering & Design is seeking a motivated and qualified senior traffic engineer to join our growing team. The selected candidate will have the ability to oversee projects in the public and private sectors, of varying size and complexity for the Transportation Planning Department.
   Responsibilities Typical projects include the following elements: • Traffic Impact Studies
   • DOT Access Permitting
   • Parking Studies
   • Traffic Calming Design
   • Conceptual Roadway Design
   • Maintenance and Protection of Traffic Design Qualifications • BS in Civil Engineering
   • 2-6 years' experience.
   • Engineer in Training Certificate required or ability to obtain within 6 months of hire.
   • Strong skills in AutoCAD Civil 3D, Microstation experience is a plus.
   • Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
   • Effective time management and organizational skills.
   • Be able to work on multiple tasks at once.
   • Must thrive in a team setting and have a great attitude. What We Offer At Colliers Engineering & Design, our people are our most important resource. That's why we are committed to providing all our employees with a safe, comfortable work environment, potential for career advancement, and the ability to impact society through their projects as well as Company sponsored activities. This dedication begins with supporting a work life balance through a generous compensation package that includes: company paid medical, dental, and vision coverage; paid pregnancy disability leave; short- and long-term disability insurance; life insurance; a company-matched 401(k)/Roth; paid time off that includes parental and military leave; employee referral and professional license bonuses and a straight time policy that compensates exempt employees for billable hours worked in excess of 40 billable hours within a work week. We have also created an internal culture that provides the resources and technology needed to encourage personal and professional growth opportunities through reimbursement for education; a free in-house resource for hundreds of educational and self-enrichment courses; mentorship program; wellness program; Women's Organization and ongoing philanthropic opportunities. Apply today to learn how you can join our team of professionals, so we can help you Accelerate Your Success!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find traffic engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your traffic engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit traffic engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit traffic engineers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new traffic engineer

   Once you've found the traffic engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new traffic engineer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a traffic engineer?