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How to hire a transportation engineering technician

Transportation engineering technician hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring transportation engineering technicians in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a transportation engineering technician is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new transportation engineering technician to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a transportation engineering technician, step by step

To hire a transportation engineering technician, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a transportation engineering technician:

Here's a step-by-step transportation engineering technician hiring guide:

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

    Before you post your transportation engineering technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a transportation engineering technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a transportation engineering technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a transportation engineering technician that fits the bill.

    Here's a comparison of transportation engineering technician salaries for various roles:

    Type of Transportation Engineering TechnicianDescriptionHourly rate
    Transportation Engineering TechnicianIndustrial engineering technicians help industrial engineers implement designs to use personnel, materials, and machines effectively in factories, stores, healthcare organizations, repair shops, and offices. They prepare machinery and equipment layouts, plan workflows, conduct statistical production studies, and analyze production costs.$15-38
    Quality Technician EngineerQuality specialists are quality assurance professionals who make sure that the organization's standards are constantly maintained in their products. They are employed in various industries, like technology and manufacturing... Show more$30-56
    Product Development TechnicianProduct development technicians are responsible for expanding and providing improvement to new products and implementing appropriate tests. They help grow a team framework for the organization... Show more$29-53
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Construction Projects
    • GIS
    • Traffic Control
    • Contract Specifications
    • Cost Estimates
    • Field Testing
    • Construction Materials
    • Autocad
    • Asphalt
    • CAD
    • Test Results
    • Highway Design
    • Roadway Design
    • Aided Design
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage and distribute cad standards to contributing design consultants and assist with any design issues as necessary.
    • Educate numerous design teams regarding AASHTO design guidelines and FHWA design practices and procedures.
    • Act a liaison between the stakeholders, contractors, local citizens, other agencies and SHA.
    • Take require tests need to ensure materials used on the project are within standards of the SHA specifications.
    • Educate design team members and project stake holders concerning AASHTO, FHWA design regulations, and legal bidding requirements.
    • Install and monitor geotechnical instrumentation.
    More transportation engineering technician duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in the transportation engineering technician job description is a good way to get more applicants. A transportation engineering technician 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 transportation engineering technician in Tennessee may be lower than in Maryland, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level transportation engineering technician. Additionally, a transportation engineering technician with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

    Average transportation engineering technician salary

    $52,292yearly

    $25.14 hourly rate

    Entry-level transportation engineering technician salary
    $33,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 20, 2026

    Average transportation engineering technician salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1District of Columbia$62,885$30
    2California$60,162$29
    3Washington$58,524$28
    4Massachusetts$58,276$28
    5Idaho$52,156$25
    6Florida$49,684$24
    7New York$44,723$22

    Average transportation engineering technician salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Washington County$65,968$31.722
    2City of Costa Mesa$61,857$29.74
    3Washington State University$60,721$29.19
    4Stantec$60,063$28.88276
    5Kimley-Horn$54,723$26.31503
    6McFarland Johnson$50,435$24.258
    7California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)$49,809$23.95
    8Motion Recruitment$49,757$23.921
    9Maryland Transportation Authority$49,386$23.74
    10Summit Design and Engineering Services$49,214$23.66
    11Amazon$45,796$22.02362
    12State of Arizona$40,853$19.644
    13State Of Idaho$40,205$19.33
  4. Writing a transportation engineering technician job description

    A transportation engineering technician 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. Below, you can find an example of a transportation engineering technician job description:

    Transportation engineering technician job description example

    • High School diploma or equivalent. Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or closely related filed desired.
    • Working knowledge of mathematics in both algebra, geometry, trigonometry and the ability to apply formulas.
    • Proficient in the use of iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Dropbox and/or OneDrive.
    • Ability to work independently, use own judgment and make decisions.
    • Good written and verbal communication skills.
    • Ability to perform required testing and maintain detailed reports.
    • Ability to communicate effectively with agency and contractor personnel and the general public.
    • Ability to read and interpret roadway, bridge and structure plans and contract specifications.
    • Must be able to walk over rough and uneven terrain and be able to stand up to 12 hours a day on occasion.
    • Must have the ability to bend, stoop, kneel and twist, use hands to grasp and arms to reach, to raise hands above head, to sit, climb and balance and to work in confined spaces and heights with adequate vision to perform tasks.
    • Must be able to lift and carry up-to 50 pounds, on occasion.
    • Ability to work outside in various weather conditions.
    • Valid Driver's license with good driving record and ability to drive.
    • Level II Technicians : High School diploma or equivalent and certified by the WVTRET Certification Board as a Technician II and have WVDOH Materials Certifications OR WVTRET Certification Board Pre-Approved Associate's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology or similar technical degree from an accredited college or university.
    • Level III Technicians: High School diploma or equivalent and certified by the WVTRET Certification Board as a Technician III and have WVDOH Materials Certifications OR WVTRET Certification Board Pre-Approved Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology or similar technical degree from an accredited college or university.

    Certifications:

    • Portland Cement Concrete Inspector
    • Aggregate Inspector
    • Compaction (Soils and Aggregate)

    Company Overview

    Summit Design and Engineering Services is a multi-disciplined design and engineering firm. Established in 1997 and operating as Summit since 2004, we are structured to adapt quickly and offer clients the most current technology, innovative design solutions and comprehensive project management for turn-key delivery. We are passionate about what we do and always pursue excellence for our clients. We are headquartered in Hillsborough, North Carolina and have other offices throughout North Carolina as well as Virginia, South Carolina, Florida and Colorado.

    Why Work for Summit?

    At Summit, we encourage and support each other in our endeavors. We welcome different perspectives and ensure everyone's voice is heard. We act with integrity and transparency, lead with purpose, and embrace diversity. We promote individual growth and share success with our team and partners. We strive to be integral to the success of the communities we build and invest in community and company events that help our employees and their families feel connected.

    We are devoted to developing Summit team members to be the best in the industry because we are passionate about our pursuit of excellence. We offer flexibility and encourage people to have a strong work life balance. We value hard work, having fun, and enjoy spending time together.

    We seek individuals that want to help us build a more diverse and inclusive engineering and design community. If you want take your career to the next level, please apply.

    Summit Design and Engineering is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action. E-verify.

    A background check, including a criminal and driving record check, will be performed. A criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate. Many factors will be considered when a conviction is present.



  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right transportation engineering technician for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your transportation engineering technician job on Zippia to find and recruit transportation engineering technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit transportation engineering technicians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    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 transportation engineering technician

    Once you've decided on a perfect transportation engineering technician candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new transportation engineering technician. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  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 transportation engineering technician?

Recruiting transportation engineering technicians involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

You can expect to pay around $52,292 per year for a transportation engineering technician, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for transportation engineering technicians in the US typically range between $15 and $38 an hour.

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