Assistant Engineer - Traffic

The City of San Diego; California (MO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of San Diego seeks an Assistant Engineer - Traffic to support traffic engineering analyses, field surveys, and studies of data to improve safety and mobility. You will review plans, perform forecasting with planning software, and assist with signal timing and interconnect designs to optimize traffic flow.

The role requires a degree in a related field, EIT or PE credentials, and 2 years of professional traffic experience. State licensing eligibility strengthens candidacy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineering or related field.
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification from a state board.
• Professional Engineer registration with a state licensing board.
• Graduate study in transportation can substitute for up to one year of experience.

Responsibilities

• Conduct traffic engineering analyses, inspections, and reports on capacity, signals, and control devices.
• Review plans for traffic studies, subdivision maps, and environmental impact documents.
• Perform travel forecasting using planning software to analyze future mobility needs.
• Assist in traffic signal and street light planning, design, and timing diagrams.

Skills

Traffic engineering

Traffic studies

Signal timing

Safety analysis

Education

Bachelor's in Traffic Engineering

EIT Certificate

Professional Engineer (PE) registration

Tools

TRANPLAN/TRANSCAD

SYNCHRO/SIMTRAFFIC

HCS

SANDAG ABM

Job description

Assistant Engineer - Traffic

Assistant Engineer - Traffic positions produce travel forecasts; perform traffic crash analyses, field surveys, and studies of statistical data; recommend changes to striping, pavement markings, signage, and parking to facilitate safe and efficient traffic flow; evaluate and recommend locations for traffic signals, street lights, stop signs, and other traffic control devices; prepare and review signal timing plans and coordinate signal timing and traffic signal timing sheets using SYNCHRO; design traffic signals, street lights, and interconnect systems; review traffic signal and traffic control plans; review transportation studies; review traffic control plans and permits and field inspect; and perform other duties as assigned.

Notes

• Employees in job classifications represented by Municipal Employees Association (MEA) are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:
• 3.5% effective 7/1/27
• 2% effective 7/1/28
• 2% effective 1/1/29
• Eligible benefited employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).
• Assistant Engineer - Traffic employees with valid State of California registration as a Professional Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineer are eligible for 31% additional pay.
• Assistant Engineer - Traffic employees who do not have a valid State of California Professional Engineer registration but have a valid Engineer-in-Training (EIT) certification that meets the requirements established by California’s Department of Consumer Affairs, Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists are eligible for 8% additional pay. The employee’s eligibility for EIT certification pay will end when he or she achieves state registration.

EDUCATION

You must meet ONE of the following options:

• Bachelor's Degree in Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineering, or a closely related engineering field.
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) Certificate issued from a state licensing board.
• Registration as a Professional Traffic, Civil, or Electrical Engineer with a state licensing board.

Additional qualifying professional traffic, civil, or electrical engineering experience may be substituted for education lacked on a year-for-year basis. One year of full-time experience = 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units.

EXPERIENCE

Two years of full-time professional traffic engineer or transportation planning experience. Qualifying professional experience MUST include at least one of the following options:

• Conducting traffic engineering analyses, inspections, preparing reports, or reviewing plans on striping, pavement marking, street and intersection capacity, parking, signing, traffic surveys, traffic safety, or traffic control work zones.
• Transportation plan review of subdivision maps, state highway plans, environmental impact reports, community plans, public improvement plans, or other plans or documents.
• Travel forecasting and transportation and mobility planning analyses which include network analysis and the use of transportation planning software (e.g., TRANPLAN/TRANSCAD, SANDAG's Activity Based Model or equivalent travel demand modeling software, HCS, SYNCHRO/SIMTRAFFIC) to analyze future transportation system and mobility needs.
• Traffic signal or street light planning, design, operations, and inspections, including signal timing diagrams and schedules.

Notes

• Completion of 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units of graduate study in transportation-related coursework may be substituted for a MAXIMUM of one year of full-time professional traffic engineering or transportation planning experience.
• City of San Diego employees using Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.

LICENSE

A valid California Class C Driver License may be required at the time of hire.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

• Proof of degree/transcripts, certificate, or registration, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.

SCREENING PROCESS

Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, including a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All screening processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test result for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may be cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change to their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities.

Rev. 9 - September 25, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)