How to hire a transportation planning engineer

How to hire a transportation planning engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step transportation planning 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 transportation planning engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new transportation planning engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a transportation planning engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A transportation planning engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, transportation planning 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.

   The following list breaks down different types of transportation planning engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Transportation Planning Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Transportation Planning 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.	$23-44
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62
   Traffic Engineer	The Traffic Engineer is responsible for the design of roadways that provide free traffic flow. In city planning, congested roads are one of the crucial problems that need solving... Show more	$25-66

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • IP
   • Transportation Planning
   • SONET
   • DCS
   • DACS
   • GIS
   • Transport Equipment
   • Federal Highway Administration
   • Traffic Analysis
   • Transportation Projects
   • Traffic Engineering
   • Travel Demand
   • Nepa
   • FHWA

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage multiple projects involving both internal and vendor resources affecting national production infrastructure.
   • Use of GPS for surveying and mapping to incorporate in planning and in a GIS database.
   • Resolve delivery issues by redesigning interfacing DACs or media gateways so as to fulfill commit SLA installation date and accuracy.
   • Coordinate with contractors, vendors and site personnel for procuring material and manpower by utilizing optimization and total quality management techniques.
   • Provide input for the management of traffic management policies according to MUTCD specifications.

   More transportation planning engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your transportation planning engineer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A transportation planning engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a transportation planning engineer in Ohio may be lower than in California, and an entry-level transportation planning engineer usually earns less than a senior-level transportation planning engineer. Additionally, a transportation planning engineer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average transportation planning engineer salary

   $67,101yearly

   $32.26 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level transportation planning engineer salary

   $48,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average transportation planning engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$96,531	$46
   2	Virginia	$80,612	$39
   3	Colorado	$70,304	$34
   4	Illinois	$68,865	$33
   5	Nevada	$67,457	$32
   6	Texas	$66,671	$32
   7	Washington	$65,983	$32
   8	Indiana	$63,705	$31
   9	Arizona	$62,899	$30
   10	Florida	$60,884	$29
   11	Georgia	$60,222	$29

   Average transportation planning engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Amazon	$84,044	$40.41	64
   2	Ch2M Hill	$80,347	$38.63	2
   3	Parsons	$78,549	$37.76	23
   4	HDR	$74,058	$35.60	12
   5	HNTB	$73,001	$35.10	106
   6	Alliance Transportation Group	$72,444	$34.83	15
   7	The Corradino Group	$72,370	$34.79
   8	URS E&C Holdings Inc	$70,607	$33.95
   9	Wilson & McCall	$70,607	$33.95
   10	State Bar of Michigan	$57,253	$27.53	8

4. Writing a transportation planning engineer job description

   A job description for a transportation planning engineer role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a transportation planning engineer job description:

   Transportation planning engineer job description example

   In a world of possibilities, pursue one with endless opportunities. Imagine Next!
   
   When it comes to what you want in your career, if you can imagine it, you can do it at Parsons. Imagine a career working with intelligent, diverse people sharing a common quest. Imagine a workplace where you can be yourself. Where you can thrive. Where you can find your next, right now. We've got what you're looking for.
   
   **Job Description:**
   
   Parsons is looking for an amazingly talented **Civil Transportation Planning Engineer I** to join our team! In this role you will get to **contribute to civil planning and engineering for various transportation projects in San Diego city and county.**
   
   **What You'll Be Doing:**
   
   + Support senior level engineers in performing traffic and transportation planning studies.Build and utilize computer models to evaluate travel patterns and traffic flow characteristics on freeways and arterials.
   
   + Develop signal timing plans, signing and striping, mitigations measures, and traffic management plans.
   
   + Perform spatial analysis, prepare calculations using complex spreadsheets, and use various software packages to determine a wide variety of performance measures.
   
   + Document findings in accordance with federal, state and local reporting requirements
   
   **What Required Skills You'll Bring:**
   
   + 4-year degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation Planning, or a related field.Three years or more civil engineering experience.
   
   + Master's Degree is desirable, but not required.
   
   + Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
   
   + Strong Microsoft Excel skills (proficiency using formulas, pivot tables, etc.)
   
   + Any experience with traffic engineering / planning is a plus
   
   **What Desired Skills You'll Bring:**
   
   + Proficiency in Highway Capacity Software (HCS).
   
   + Familiarity with or exposure to Synchro/SimTraffic.
   
   + Working knowledge of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software such as ESRI ArcGIS.
   
   + Basic programming experience in a high-level scripting language such as Python.
   
   **Minimum Clearance Required to Start:**
   
   Not Applicable/None
   
   This position is part of our Critical Infrastructure team.
   
   A full-service engineering and construction firm, we work in diverse, collaborative teams, both within the company and with our partners and customers, to plan, design, build, and modernize infrastructure. We take special pride in projects and solutions that improve communities as well as people's quality of life by promoting economic growth, enhancing mobility, and increasing sustainability and resiliency. Powered by our people, we provide the imagination necessary to support our customers' visions-and to help them see new possibilities.
   
   We value our employees and want our employees to take care of their overall wellbeing, which is why we offer best-in-class benefits such as medical, dental, vision, paid time off, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), 401(k), life insurance, flexible work schedules, and holidays to fit your busy lifestyle!
   
   The position may require a COVID vaccination or an approved accommodation/exemption for a disability/medical condition or religious belief as required by federal, state, provincial or local mandates or customer requirements.
   
   Parsons is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the workplace. Diversity is ingrained in who we are, how we do business, and is one of our company's core values. Parsons equally employs representation at all job levels for minority, female, disabled, protected veteran and LGBTQ+.
   
   We truly invest and care about our employee's wellbeing and provide endless growth opportunities as the sky is the limit, so aim for the stars! Imagine next and join the Parsons quest-APPLY TODAY!About Us
   
   Parsons is a digitally enabled solutions provider focused on the defense, security, and infrastructure markets. With nearly 75 years of experience, Parsons is uniquely qualified to deliver cyber/converged security, technology-based intellectual property, and other innovative services to federal, regional, and local government agencies, as well as to private industrial customers worldwide.
   
   Parsons is an equal opportunity, drug-free employer committed to diversity in the workplace. Minority/Female/Disabled/Protected Veteran/LGBTQ+.
   
   For more about Parsons, visit parsons.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find transportation planning 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 transportation planning engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit transportation planning 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 transportation planning 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 transportation planning engineer

   Once you've decided on a perfect transportation planning engineer 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.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new transportation planning 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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