Ohio Traffic Section Manager

HDR, Inc.; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR is seeking an Ohio Traffic Section Manager to lead all traffic activities across HDR’s Ohio offices, guiding a team of planners, engineers, and technicians in Columbus and surrounding areas. The role focuses on delivering safe, efficient, and resilient transportation projects.

The ideal candidate brings 7+ years of experience, strong leadership and communication skills, and a commitment to HDR’s employee-owned culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• At least 7 years of relevant experience.
• Professional registration, license or certification may be required based on role.
• Strong communication and listening skills.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments and priorities.
• Leadership and organizational skills; active participant in our employee-owned culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead traffic activities and staff in HDR's Ohio offices.
• Manage projects including arterial and freeway studies, NEPA, and design of transportation elements.
• Collaborate with planners, engineers, technicians, and communications specialists under tight timelines.
• Assess traffic operations and safety using modeling software with a multimodal perspective.
• Develop project budgets, monitor tasks, and provide quality control reviews.
• Promote HDR branding and serve as the face of HDR to clients and leadership.

Skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Organizational skills

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story: ' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe transportation is more than movement, it’s the foundation of connected, thriving communities. As part of HDR’s Transportation Business Group, you’ll help shape the systems that move people and goods safely, efficiently, and sustainably. From designing resilient highways and iconic bridges to advancing transit, passenger and freight rail, aviation, federal transportation ports and marine infrastructure, your work will directly support economic vitality, public safety, sustainable and resilient communities and quality of life. We bring together planners, engineers, architects, construction management staff, environmental, strategic communications, economists, management consultants and specialists across disciplines to solve complex mobility challenges with innovation, technical excellence, and a deep understanding of community needs. Whether you're modernizing aging infrastructure or pioneering next-generation transportation solutions, your contributions will help define the future of mobility. This isn't just a job, it’s a chance to lead progress, drive meaningful impact, and leave a legacy of smarter, more connected transportation networks. We are all employee-owners at HDR, which is the foundation of our collaborative culture that connects employees around the world.

Primary Responsibilities

• HDR is seeking an Ohio Traffic Section Manager to join our Ohio team to lead all traffic activities and traffic staff in our Ohio offices.

The ideal candidate will work well in a team environment, enjoy tackling new challenges, have strong written and verbal communication skills, and have a passion to advance the transportation profession. They will be comfortable working collaboratively and independently.

As a Traffic Section Manager, we'll count on you to:

• Manage projects and tasks that include traffic elements, arterial and freeway corridor studies, feasibility studies, transportation NEPA projects, alternative evaluation reports, and design of roadway, bicycle, pedestrian, and transit projects.
• Collaborate with multimodal teams of planners, engineers, technical specialists, and communications specialists – at times under compressed timelines.
• Assess traffic operations and safety using modeling software, using a multimodal perspective for all system users.
• Identify geometric, traffic control, or technological solutions to address existing transportation system deficiencies.
• Research and identify new and innovative solutions to plan for and adapt to the growth of technology in transportation.
• Write data-backed and compelling multimodal plans and studies.
• Share project work and conclusions with project team members, clients and the public.
• Coordination of the HDR regional traffic and planning and priorities of national transit/transportation leadership and area operations management to drive growth of market sectors in the Ohio area.
• Manage section of professionals to comply with project scope and client requirements.
• Promote and conduct branding of HDR to the industry and client community and serves as the face of HDR to executive management, board members and project management staff of clients.
• Serve as a project director or project manager for key projects, or contributes to a support role as appropriate.
• Work on select key projects and provides technical expertise to develop project budgets, monitor and direct tasks, provide quality control reviews, and oversight as needed.
• Work with Business/Accounting Manager, Project Controller and management as needed for reviews, goals, project accounting, etc.
• Participate in ensuring adherence to Quality Assurance and Quality Control procedures on transit projects.
• Successful Project Delivery.
• Work with HDR counterparts to develop strategies for: key hires, project pursuits, team growth, area growth and profitability, employee engagement and satisfaction.

Preferred Qualifications

• PTOE.
• RSP I or II.
• Experience with traffic analysis modeling software (e.g., Synchro, TransModeler, and Vissim).
• Understanding and experience with planning-level traffic analysis and forecasting preferred.
• Experience working with Ohio DOT and Ohio Municipalities.
• Experience working on multimodal projects

Keywords: Traffic Section Manager, Traffic Engineering Manager, Transportation Section Manager, Traffic Operations Manager, Senior Traffic Engineer, Transportation Engineering Manager, Project Director - Traffic, Project Manager - Transportation, Traffic Engineering, Traffic Operations Analysis, Transportation Planning, Multimodal Transportation, Arterial Corridor Studies, Freeway Corridor Studies, Traffic Safety Analysis, Feasibility Studies, Alternative Evaluation Reports, Transportation NEPA, Traffic Forecasting, Planning-Level Traffic Analysis, Geometric Design, Traffic Control Design, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), Bicycle & Pedestrian Design, Transit Projects, Roadway Design

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• A minimum of 7 years experience
• Professional registration, license or certification may be required based on role
• Strong communication and listening skills
• Ability to handle multiple assignments
• Good leadership and organizational skills
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location

United States-Ohio-Columbus

Industry

Highway + Road

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

BusinessClass : Traffic Engineering

Job Posting

Oct 16, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity.

We are an affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employe r.
We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.

Ready to learn more? Let's work together to make great thingspossible.

We design solutions to the world's greatest challenges. We're always looking for great talent to join our global teams.