Local Engineer Liaison (Part-Time)

Center for Public Partnerships & Research; Topeka (KS); Remote; USD 52,000 - 61,000; Part time

Job summary

A public research institution in Kansas seeks a Part-Time Local Engineer Liaison to provide traffic engineering and safety assessments to rural agencies. The role involves conducting assessments, advising on safety improvements, and coordinating with local and state departments. A Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering and five years of relevant experience are required. Compensation starts at $52,500, with duties primarily remote with some travel across Kansas.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience with local transportation public works agencies.
• Proven ability to conduct road safety assessments.
• Experience using transportation data for analysis.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical assistance to local public works agencies.
• Conduct road safety assessments and complete safety engineering analyses.
• Create road safety materials with the Communications Coordinator.

Skills

Traffic Engineering

Safety Assessments

Technical Writing

Data Analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering

Job description

Overview

The University of Kansas Transportation Center (KUTC) is searching for a Part-Time Local Engineer Liaison to provide support to rural areas in Kansas. This position will provide traffic engineering services, and act as a local liaison, particularly targeted to road and bridge agencies and street departments with limited or no in-house transportation safety engineering resources to conduct these activities on their own. This position will coordinate with the Kansas Department of Transportation, KUTC staff, and with other related road safety activities.

The Local Roads Support Team To The Kansas Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) Has Identified The Unique Nature Of Local Roads That Challenges The Ability To Reduce Crashes In The State

• Local roads are less likely to be built to modern operational and safety standards.
• Local governments, particularly those in rural counties, may have less access to professional services and dedicated funding for safety improvements.
• Different stakeholders are involved in highway safety decision making in local agencies (such as city or county commissioners).
• There are varying levels of awareness about safety problems and how to address them.

Evidence from other states around the country indicates that reductions in crashes on rural roads can be achieved with a coordinated, proactive outreach approach to local agencies that includes safety engineering analysis.

This position will provide traffic engineering services and advise as a local engineer liaison, particularly targeting road and bridge agencies and street departments with limited or no in-house transportation safety engineering resources to conduct these activities on their own. The Local Engineer Liaison will coordinate and provide road safety assessments.

The position will coordinate with other road safety activities provided or funded by the Kansas Department of Transportation to create added value and avoid duplication of effort.

Due to the nature of this work, the successful candidate will need to reside in Kansas and can expect to travel approximately 3-4 days per month across Kansas.

Job Description

80% — Provide technical assistance to local public works agencies through Kansas LTAP:

• Conduct road safety assessments
• Complete safety engineering analyses
• Recommend low-cost safety improvements
• Assist with local road safety plan implementation

10% — Create road safety and maintenance materials (briefs, fact sheets, articles) with the KUTC Communications and Outreach Coordinator

5% — Represent KUTC with transportation organizations and stakeholder groups

5% — Perform other related duties as assigned

Position Requirements

• This is a primarily remote position.
• The employee must reside in the state of Kansas.
• The position requires regular in-state travel, approximately 3–4 days per month, to various locations across Kansas.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or closely related field.
• Five (5) years’ experience working directly for or with local transportation public works agencies.
• A valid Kansas Professional Engineer’s (PE) license or ability to obtain within one year of hire.
• Experience as a trainer for transportation engineering, highway safety, local road maintenance, or transportation operations topics as evidenced by application materials.
• Experience working with transportation manuals and guidebooks such as The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, The Roadside Design Guide, A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets, and the Kansas Handbook of Traffic Control Guidance for Low-Volume Rural Roads as evidenced by application materials.
• Experience using engineering judgment in situations that do not comply with standard guidance, as evidenced by application materials.
• Experience collecting, analyzing, or using transportation data of one or more of the following types: traffic volume and speed data, crash records, roadway geometric data, or other data as evidenced by application materials.

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Eight (8) years’ experience working directly for or with local transportation public works agencies.
• Experience with technical writing in one or more of the following areas: transportation engineering, roadway safety, or local road maintenance as shown in application materials.
• Experience with establishing priorities in a complex technical environment with competing responsibilities as evidenced in application materials.
• Proven record of the ability to meet deadlines as shown in application materials.

Additional Candidate Instructions

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume.
• List of three (3) professional references.

Only complete applications will be considered. Application review begins Monday, October 13th and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants are identified.

Contact Information to Applicants

Steven Schrock, [e-mail]

Advertised Salary Range

$52,500 Commensurate with experience

Application Review Begins

Monday October 13, 2025

Anticipated Start Date

Sunday November 2, 2025

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