Traffic Signal Systems Expert - Urban Mobility

Parsons; Riyadh; On-site; SAR 424,000 - 580,000; Full time

Job summary

Parsons Corporation seeks a Traffic Signal Systems Expert - Urban Mobility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The role focuses on planning, optimization, adaptive control, and ITS integration of a major urban signal network.

You will lead performance measurement, system integration, and field-to-center operations within a large multi‑agency program. Ideal candidates bring 15+ years in traffic signal engineering, strong domain knowledge of ATMS platforms, and proven leadership across complex corridors and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or closely related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive specialist experience covering traffic signal planning, design, implementation, optimization, operations, and performance management.
• Strong practical background supporting transportation agencies or major urban networks.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical assessments of traffic signal infrastructure and central-system interfaces.
• Evaluate current signal operating practices and identify weaknesses affecting intersection performance.
• Provide expert direction on adaptive signal control strategies for complex urban corridors.
• Optimize cycle lengths, offsets, splits, phasing, and pedestrian timings.
• Develop strategies for corridor progression, congestion response, and queue management.
• Coordinate integration with ITS, ATMS, CCTV, and live performance analytics.
• Mentor project staff in controller logic, adaptive control, and performance analytics.

Skills

Traffic Signal Systems

Adaptive Signal Control

Public Transport Priority

Emergency Vehicle Preemption

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Tools

ATMS platforms

ATSPM

SCOOT/SCATS

Job description

Traffic Signal Systems Expert - Urban Mobility Job Snapshot Role: Traffic Signal Systems Expert - Urban Mobility Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Industry: Civil Engineering Function: Civil & Structural Engineering Experience: Minimum 15 years of specialized traffic signal systems experience Job Type: Full-time Position Overview Traffic Signal Systems Expert - Urban Mobility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is a Civil Engineering opportunity focused on advanced traffic signal planning, optimization, adaptive control, systems integration, and network performance management. Parsons is hiring a senior transportation specialist to provide technical leadership for a major urban traffic management program, improving signal coordination, intersection efficiency, public transport priority, controller performance, and Traffic Control Center operations through data-driven engineering and modern ITS technologies.

Salary: 38000-52000 Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer. Gender: Any Candidate Nationality: Any Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The Traffic Signal Systems Expert will serve as the program 's senior technical authority for traffic signal infrastructure and operations. The position will connect field controllers, detection technologies, adaptive signal platforms, communications, ATMS systems, TCC operations, public transport priority, and performance analytics into a coordinated operating framework. The objective is to move traffic signal management beyond reactive fault response toward proactive optimization based on measurable network performance, reliable field data, and consistent engineering standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead technical assessments of existing traffic signal infrastructure, controller hardware, cabinets, detection equipment, communications, timing databases, and central-system interfaces.
• Evaluate current signal operating practices and identify technical or procedural weaknesses affecting intersection and corridor performance.
• Provide expert direction on adaptive signal control strategies and their practical application across complex urban corridors.
• Optimize cycle lengths, offsets, splits, phasing sequences, clearance intervals, pedestrian timings, recalls, and controller parameters.
• Develop strategies for corridor progression, congestion response, queue management, and changing traffic demand.
• Assess multiple traffic signal control platforms and determine their operational suitability, integration requirements, strengths, and limitations.
• Review traffic signal timing plans using field conditions, traffic demand, travel times, controller information, and performance data.
• Diagnose recurring split failures, detector faults, poor progression, unnecessary recalls, excessive queues, and inconsistent controller configurations.
• Establish technical standards for traffic signal design, controller programming, detection placement, adaptive operation, maintenance, and commissioning.
• Review signal design packages, controller specifications, system architecture documents, contractor submissions, test plans, and as-built records.
• Define requirements for Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures and high-resolution controller data.
• Develop requirements for operational dashboards, automated alerts, performance reporting, and continuous signal monitoring.
• Use traffic counts, detector information, controller logs, travel-time data, field observations, video analysis, and before-and-after measurements to evaluate performance.
• Coordinate signal integration with Advanced Traffic Management Systems and other central traffic management platforms.
• Work with ITS specialists to integrate signal operations with CCTV, video analytics, detection systems, AVL, traveler information, and incident management applications.
• Support implementation and optimization of public transport signal priority.
• Develop practical signal operating strategies for Bus Rapid Transit movements while balancing general network performance.
• Support pedestrian priority and pedestrian detection strategies where appropriate.
• Review and optimize emergency vehicle preemption functionality.
• Support freight corridor signal coordination and special operating strategies for construction, incidents, and major events.
• Establish field testing and verification procedures for new or modified traffic signal installations.
• Define commissioning and acceptance requirements for controllers, detection upgrades, adaptive control systems, and central integrations.
• Verify operational readiness before new signal technologies or configurations enter service.
• Lead troubleshooting of controller, communications, detector, configuration, and field-system issues.
• Coordinate technical resolution of signal problems with TCC operators, maintenance teams, designers, contractors, vendors, and agency personnel.
• Lead workshops addressing signal standards, operational deficiencies, system integration, and technology deployment.
• Mentor client and project personnel in controller logic, adaptive control, traffic signal optimization, troubleshooting, and performance analytics.
• Build consistent operational practices for day-to-day TCC use of traffic signal management technologies.
• Provide technical input into project plans, implementation schedules, quality reviews, risk registers, and performance frameworks.
• Establish measurable KPIs for intersection, corridor, controller, detector, and network-level signal performance.
• Analyze performance trends and recommend targeted operational improvements.
• Promote active management of the traffic signal network using measurable service and performance indicators.
• Coordinate with vendors to resolve platform configuration, firmware, interoperability, and operational issues.
• Review technical submissions and commissioning records for completeness and operational suitability.
• Provide senior technical recommendations where different agencies, consultants, vendors, or operators have competing requirements.
• Document signal system decisions, operational findings, technical risks, and recommended corrective measures.
• Contribute technical content to monthly, quarterly, and final program reports.
• Support development of a sustainable traffic signal operations model that can be maintained by agency personnel after program implementation.

Ideal Profile

• Bachelor 's degree in Civil Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive specialist experience covering traffic signal planning, design, implementation, optimization, operations, and performance management.
• Strong practical background supporting transportation agencies, metropolitan authorities, or major transport owners and operators.
• Advanced understanding of adaptive traffic signal control, progression logic, detector dependency, queue management, calibration, and real-time traffic response.
• Hands-on knowledge of actuated, coordinated, time-of-day, and traffic-responsive signal operations.
• Proven ability to optimize signal phasing, offsets, splits, pedestrian timings, detector assignments, recalls, and controller parameters.
• Experience diagnosing traffic signal problems using controller logs, detector data, traffic counts, field observations, video, travel-time information, and ATSPM.
• Detailed understanding of traffic controllers, cabinets, communications, detection technologies, central systems, firmware, configurations, and fail-safe behavior.
• Experience developing signal standards, controller specifications, operational procedures, programming guidelines, and testing requirements.
• Working knowledge of ITS and ATMS architecture and integration principles.
• Experience with public transport priority, emergency vehicle preemption, pedestrian operations, and freight corridor coordination.
• Gulf region transportation agency or major metropolitan traffic management experience is desirable.
• Experience supporting large networks with 500 or more signalized intersections would be highly valuable.
• Familiarity with MUTCD-style principles, NTCIP concepts, ATC environments, and AASHTO or ITE guidance is desirable.
• Practical exposure to SCOOT, SCATS, TransSuite, KLD, Siemens-Yunex, Econolite, or comparable traffic signal platforms is highly desirable.
• Experience implementing ATSPM and high-resolution signal performance analytics is advantageous.
• Knowledge of AI video analytics, connected vehicle information, probe data, AVL, enforcement systems, or decision-support integration would add value.
• Professional registration or certification such as PE, CEng, PTOE, RSP, or PMP is advantageous.
• Arabic language capability is desirable but not mandatory.
• Strong facilitation skills for resolving technical differences among agencies, consultants, contractors, operators, and technology vendors.
• Excellent English technical writing and presentation capability.

Skills Set

• Traffic Signal Systems
• Traffic Signal Engineering
• Traffic Signal Operations
• Signal Timing Optimization
• Adaptive Signal Control
• Traffic Signal Coordination
• Corridor Progression
• Traffic Signal Controllers
• Controller Programming
• Actuated Signal Control
• Coordinated Signal Control
• Traffic-Responsive Control
• Signal Phasing
• Cycle Length Optimization
• Offset Optimization
• Split Optimization
• Clearance Intervals
• Pedestrian Signal Timing
• Traffic Detection Systems
• Detector Configuration
• Queue Management
• Congestion Management
• Automated Traffic Signal Performance Measures
• ATSPM
• High-Resolution Controller Data
• Signal Performance Analytics
• Traffic Control Center Operations
• TCC
• Advanced Traffic Management Systems
• ATMS
• Intelligent Transportation Systems
• ITS Integration
• NTCIP
• CCTV Integration
• Video Analytics
• AVL Integration
• Public Transport Signal Priority
• Bus Rapid Transit Priority
• Emergency Vehicle Preemption
• Pedestrian Priority
• Freight Corridor Coordination
• Signal System Commissioning
• Field Testing
• Controller Troubleshooting
• Signal Performance Dashboards
• Traffic Data Analysis
• SCOOT
• SCATS
• TransSuite
• Siemens-Yunex
• Econolite
• Traffic Signal Standards
• Operational KPI Development

Why Join Us

This role provides the opportunity to influence how a major metropolitan traffic signal network is operated, measured, and continuously improved in Riyadh. Rather than focusing solely on signal design, the position combines field engineering, adaptive control, ITS integration, TCC operations, public transport priority, performance analytics, and agency capability development. Saudi Arabia's continuing investment in smart mobility and urban transportation creates strong demand for specialists capable of turning increasingly sophisticated traffic technology into measurable improvements in journey reliability, intersection efficiency, and network performance.

About the Company

Parsons Corporation delivers engineering, transportation, infrastructure, program management, and technology solutions for complex projects worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, Parsons supports major mobility, transportation, urban development, and infrastructure programs, combining traffic engineering, ITS, systems integration, project management, and operational expertise to improve the performance of rapidly developing urban networks.