Entry Level Transportation Engineer

The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc.; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Health insurance with HSA option

Vision

Dental

Life

Flexible schedule

Paid time off

Referral program

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Mannik & Smith Group (MSG) is seeking an Entry‑Level Transportation Engineer to join our Detroit team (also open in Monroe, MI). You’ll work with experienced engineers on roadway and aviation projects, gaining hands‑on experience in a collaborative, mentorship‑driven environment.

You'll participate in Blueprint, a six‑month early‑career leadership program covering professional development, project delivery, and business acumen, with a capstone final presentation of your goals and work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or a related field.
• Preferred: FE Exam.
• Experience with OpenRoads Designer.
• Familiarity with ODOT Design Standards.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving mindset.

Responsibilities

• Work with senior engineers and project managers to prepare transportation design plans for various projects within a 3D environment.
• Perform and review design calculations for accuracy and compliance.
• Develop design packages including roadway geometry, drainage, grading, and plan preparation.
• Contribute to feasibility studies, permitting, and cost estimating.
• Support aviation projects including runway and airfield design and analysis.

Skills

OpenRoads Designer

ODOT Design Standards

Attention to detail

Problem-solving mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering

FE Exam (preferred)

Job description

Mannik & Smith Group (MSG) is a people‑focused, award‑winning, full‑service consulting firm offering civil and geotechnical engineering, environmental consulting, planning, landscape architecture, agriculture, surveying, and construction support. Our talented team delivers integrated planning, design, engineering, and construction solutions across Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, and Alabama.

Department: Transportation

Location: Detroit, MI

Compensation: $65,000 – $75,000 / year

MSG is growing — and we’re looking for an Entry‑Level Transportation Engineer to join our Detroit team (also open in Monroe, MI) and help shape it. If you’re early in your career and looking for a place where you’ll actually get hands‑on experience with real roadway and aviation projects, this is it. You’ll work alongside experienced engineers who are invested in helping you build a career, not just fill a seat.

This role includes a guaranteed seat in Blueprint, our new early‑career leadership program. Over six months, participants complete a hands‑on curriculum covering professional development, business acumen, and project delivery, including case studies, simulations, and role‑play exercises. The program covers project economics, communication, leadership fundamentals, and concludes with an in‑person capstone event where participants present their work and outline goals for the year ahead.

What You’ll Do

• Work alongside senior engineers and project managers preparing transportation design plans for state, municipal, commercial, industrial, and residential projects — all within a 3D digital environment.
• Sharpen your technical skills by performing and reviewing design calculations for accuracy and compliance.
• Get hands‑on with design packages, including roadway geometry, drainage, grading, and plan preparation.
• Get involved from the ground up — feasibility studies, permitting, and cost estimating.
• Contribute to aviation projects, including runway and airfield design and analysis.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or a related field.
• Preferred: Successful completion of the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam.
• Experience working with OpenRoads Designer.
• Familiarity with ODOT Design Standards.
• A strong attention to detail, a problem‑solving mindset, and genuine eagerness to grow your technical and project management skills.

Why Join MSG

• 401(k) with company match.
• Health insurance with HSA option, Vision, Dental, Life.
• Flexible schedule.
• Paid time off.
• Referral program.
• Tuition reimbursement.

It is the policy of our company to follow equal employment opportunity procedures in compliance with federal, state and local criteria. We will provide all applicants and all employees with equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, marital status, arrest record, disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, military or veteran status, and/or any other protected classes covered by any local, state and federal laws. The base salary range for this role is indicated in the posting. This range reflects the company’s good faith estimate of the compensation for this position at the time of posting. Final compensation will be determined based on factors such as experience, skills, qualifications, internal equity, and geographic location.

As one of the premier multi‑disciplined consulting firms, we work with an exclusive collection of some of the best and fastest‑growing private entities, municipalities, and governmental agencies in the region, nation, and around the globe.