Engineering Assistant 1/2 Flex (PCN 250659)

State of Alaska; Anchorage (AK); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement options

Alaska Family Leave

Leave accrual

Pet insurance

Hybrid telework options

Career progression

Job summary

Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) is seeking an Engineering Assistant to support traffic and safety initiatives in the Central Region, based in Anchorage with some travel. You will apply engineering principles to analyze data, develop recommendations, and assist with plans, permits, and safety devices.

The role offers a path from entry-level to intermediate responsibilities, with base hourly salaries and OT eligibility.

Qualifications

• Core competencies include learning new skills and applying them to transportation engineering tasks.
• Strong knowledge of traffic analysis, signal analysis, highway capacity, and traffic operations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills for presentations and reports.
• Ability to understand organizational mission and operate within policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Support efforts to reduce injuries and fatalities on public roads in the Central Region.
• Conduct traffic and safety studies, analyze crash and roadway data, develop safety recommendations.
• Assist with traffic control, speed studies, intersection operations, safety projects, and monitoring devices.
• Review plans, permits, reports, and mitigation measures; provide technical comments and recommendations.
• Support safety reporting, crash data mapping, program performance monitoring, and development of standards and plans.

Skills

Learning

Transportation Engineering

Problem Solving

Oral and Written Communication

Organizational Awareness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering

Job description

ATTENTION ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY!

Keep Alaska Moving!

Base Salary Information

Engineering Assistant 1: $33.76 / Hourly (OT Eligible)

Engineering Assistant 2: $38.91 / Hourly (OT Eligible)

What You Will Be Doing

Under the general supervision of lead-level engineers or a registered professional engineer, you will support efforts to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on public roads throughout the Central Region. You will apply engineering principles and established standards to conduct traffic and safety studies, analyze crash and roadway data, and develop recommendations to improve highway safety. You will assist with traffic control, speed studies, intersection operations, safety projects, and the monitoring of critical traffic safety devices. You will review traffic and highway plans, permits, reports, and safety mitigation measures and provide technical comments and recommendations to support construction, maintenance, operations, and other department functions. You will also assist with traffic safety reporting, crash data mapping, program performance monitoring, and the development of engineering standards, specifications, and plans. Additional responsibilities include responding to public and agency requests, attending meetings and training, and providing general engineering support to advance safe and efficient transportation throughout the region.

Our Organization, Mission, And Culture

At the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF), our mission is clear: Keep Alaska moving. We bring our core values Integrity, Excellence, Respect, and Safety to every task within the Traffic and Safety Section. You’ll join a team that is passionate about improving transportation safety for all users and committed to creating solutions that matter. We treat every project as an opportunity to improve safety for all those who travel across the system.

The Benefits Of Joining Our Team

• Grow your engineering career through mentorship, training, and structured support toward FE and PE certification.
• Develop hands‑on traffic engineering skills with real‑world impact across Alaska’s most active transportation corridors.
• Enjoy competitive state benefits including health coverage, retirement options, Alaska Family Leave, generous leave accrual, and even pet insurance!
• Flexible scheduling and hybrid telework options support a healthy work–life balance.
• This flex position allows progression from entry‑level to intermediate engineering responsibilities as you gain experience and confidence.

DOT&PF’s cross‑training opportunities connect you with multiple functional groups—allowing you to see how design, maintenance, planning, and traffic operations influence one another and to understand the cause‑and‑effect of infrastructure changes across the system.

The Working Environment You Can Expect

No two days are alike! This position will work with many functional groups to assist in capital and operational challenges as they arise, while also providing safety input on future planning. Collaboration is imperative in every task—you’ll work closely with engineers, planners, maintenance crews, and external partners to improve how the surface transportation system operates for all users. This position is based in Anchorage, however regular day travel to perform inspection and conduct meetings with stakeholders is anticipated. The DOT&PF Central Region Headquarters building in located at 4111 Aviation Avenue. The office building is generally comprised of cubicle office space and organized by functional groups. Flexible work schedules and hybrid teleworking options are available.

Who We Are Looking For

To be successful in this position, the selected applicant will possess the following core competencies:

• Learning: Uses efficient learning techniques to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills; uses training, feedback, or other opportunities for self‑learning and development.
• Transportation Engineering: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and method applicable to planning, designing, and constructing of transportation systems including traffic analysis, signal analysis, highway capacity, pavement design, bridge construction, planning of transportation projects, environmental analysis of transportation facilities, and transportation network analysis.
• Problem Solving: Identifies problems; determines accuracy and relevance of information; uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives, and to make recommendations.
• Oral and Written Communication: Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral and written presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and respond appropriately.
• Organizational Awareness: Knows the organization’s mission and functions, and how its social, political, and technological systems work and operates effectively within them; this includes the programs, policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the organization.

Special Note

A valid Driver's License is essential but not required.

Engineer‑in‑training certification is preferred but not essential.

Minimum Qualifications

Engineering Assistant 1

• Bachelor’s degree with a major in engineering, architecture or land surveying from a postsecondary institution accredited by ABET.
• or A bachelor's degree with a major in engineering, architecture or land surveying from a postsecondary institution not accredited by ABET.
• and An Engineer‑In‑Training (EIT) or Land Surveyor‑In‑Training (LSIT) certificate issued by a state or the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors; or verification of passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) or Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) examination.

Engineering assistant 1 eligibility note: An applicant who will obtain within nine months a bachelor’s degree from an institution accredited by ABET, with a major in engineering, architecture or land surveying, will qualify to apply. An applicant qualifying under this option may receive a job offer conditional upon completion of the degree requirement within nine months, and may begin work after obtaining and showing proof of the required degree.

Engineering‑In‑Training or Flex Engineering Assistant 1/Engineering Assistant 2 positions will be identified by the employing department.

Engineering Assistant 2

• Bachelor’s degree, or the equivalent with a major in engineering, architecture or land surveying from an institution accredited by ABET.
• and One year of entry level engineering, architectural or land surveying experience as an Engineering Assistant 1 with the State of Alaska or the equivalent elsewhere.
• or A bachelor's degree with a major in engineering, architecture or land surveying from an institution not accredited by ABET.
• and An Engineer‑In‑Training (EIT) or Land Surveyor‑In‑Training (LSIT) certificate issued by a state or the National Council of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors; or verification of passing the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) or Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) examination.
• and One year of entry level engineering, architectural or land surveying experience as an Engineering Assistant 1 with the State of Alaska or the equivalent elsewhere.
• or Five years of progressively responsible subprofessional engineering experience of which two years was as a Journey level Engineering Technician or Drafting Technician 3 with the State of Alaska, or the equivalent elsewhere.

Substitution

Graduate study in engineering and/or architecture may be substituted for the required experience as an Engineering Assistant 1. (2 semester/3 quarter hours equal one month of experience).

CONSIDERATIONS

The employing department will identify Engineering‑In‑Training (EIT) positions.

Transcripts which indicate the credit hours earned for the specific coursework may be requested at the time of interview or prior.

Additional Required Information

At time of application, applicants are requested to submit:

• Cover Letter - see instructions below

At time of interview, applicants are requested to submit (if not already attached to your application):

• Three professional references, including name, job title, and current phone numbers.
• Copy of academic transcripts (unofficial are okay, please ensure that the institution name/URL is listed on the transcript) if using education to verify that you meet the minimum qualifications.
• Copy of Professional License, EIT, or other professional licenses, as applicable.

ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY

Please be sure to check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.

COVER LETTER

A cover letter is required as part of your application. In your cover letter, please describe how you possess the position specific competencies listed in the Who We Are Looking For section and how your skills will be of particular benefit to the position. We request your cover letter be no more than two to three paragraphs and limited to one page.

FLEXIBLY STAFFED

This position is flexibly staffed. It may be filled at the Engineering Assistant 1 or Engineering Assistant 2 level, depending on the applicant's training and/or experience. The full range of salaries is listed above. Starting salary will be determined by the level the position is hired at. If filled at a lower level, promotion to the higher level will occur upon successful completion of the probationary period and required training, as well as the applicant meeting the minimum qualifications of the higher job class.

EEO STATEMENT

The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or [phone] in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity.

Contact Information

Name: Anna Bosin, P.E., Central Region Traffic & Safety Engineer

Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

OR

Name: Teodore Odena, Central Region Recruitment Coordinator

Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Careers With The State Of Alaska Offer MANY Benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.

Insurance Benefits

• Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
• The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See https://drb.alaska.gov/help/plans.html for additional information.
• AVTEC
• Confidential
• Correctional Officers
• Marine Engineers
• Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
• Supervisory
• Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
• Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
• The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
• General Government
• Labor, Trades and Crafts
• Public Safety Employees Association
• Masters, Mates & Pilots
• Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

Optional Insurance Benefits

• Group-based insurance premiums for
• Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
• Long‑term and short‑term disability
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment
• Long‑term care (self and eligible family members)
• Supplemental Survivor Benefits
• Employee‑funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

Retirement Benefits

• Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
• Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
• Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
• Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
• Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
• Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

See https://drb.alaska.gov/retiree/ for additional information

Paid Leave & Other Benefits

• Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
• Twelve paid holidays a year