Principal Civil Engineer

COMTO; Silver Spring (MD); Hybrid; USD 155,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid schedule

8 paid holidays and PTO accrual

Employee ownership culture

Job summary

Toole Design seeks a Principal Civil Engineer in Silver Spring, MD to lead the design and delivery of complex transportation projects, from quick-builds to major capital investments. You will manage scope, schedule, and budget while mentoring engineers and coordinating with clients and partners from concept through construction.

The role emphasizes developing safe multimodal networks and advancing equity, with a hybrid in-office schedule and a collaborative, employee-owned culture.

Qualifications

• PE license in DC, MD, or VA (or ability to reciprocity within 6 months)
• Proven leadership of multi-discipline infrastructure design and construction teams
• 15+ years of transportation engineering experience, including at least 10 years managing complex projects
• Strong networks in Mid-Atlantic transportation market with DOT and municipalities
• Bonus: experience in multimodal and roadway design and presenting on projects/interviews

Responsibilities

• Lead design and delivery of complex transportation projects from concept through construction
• Own scope, schedule, budget, and project financials
• Mentor junior staff and guide civil design teams
• Perform QC reviews and ensure submittals are buildable
• Lead client meetings and help grow the business across Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic

Skills

Leadership

Transportation engineering

Project management

Client relationships

PE readiness

Job description

At Toole Design, we’re leading the way in creating safer, more connected communities through sustainable multimodal transportation design. We’re looking for a Principal Civil Engineer to join our growing team in Silver Spring, MD, someone who’s excited to lead impactful transportation projects that reflect our mission and values.

Why You’ll Love Working Here

At Toole Design, you’ll join an employee-owned team of engineers, planners, landscape architects, and urban designers who care deeply about the places we shape. Our colleagues have helped write and implement the national guidance that defines our field, including the AASHTO Bike Guide (5th Edition), the forthcoming AASHTO Pedestrian Guide (3rd Edition), the FHWA Guide for Achieving Multimodal Networks, and numerous NCHRP publications.

Here, you’ll learn directly from those experts. They’ll mentor you, invest in your growth, and help you build a career with lasting impact. And because we’re employee-owned, you’ll have a direct stake in our shared success.

We also offer:

• A collaborative, inclusive culture that supports your growth and advancement
• A hybrid schedule with shared team days in office (Tuesday-Thursday)
• 8 paid holidays; and at least 16 days of PTO accrual annually
• Competitive salary, excellent benefits, and transportation perks: Benefits and Supports
• Projects that truly improve lives through safe, comprehensive design rooted in ethics, empathy, and equity
• Employee-ownership, so we all share in the success we build together, and the financial security that comes with it
  

What You’ll Do

As a Principal Civil Engineer at Toole Design, you’ll lead the design and delivery of complex, high-visibility transportation projects, from quick-build and permanent safety improvements and major trail projects to multimodal capacity expansions featuring innovative intersection treatments and major capital investments. As project manager, you’ll own scope, schedule, budget and project financials. You’ll guide civil design teams and collaborate with clients and interdisciplinary partners from concept through construction, turning complex challenges into creative, buildable solutions. You’ll manage a team of engineers who share your commitment to the work, mentoring junior staff, and supporting each person’s growth. As a technical lead, you’ll also perform quality control reviews on projects led by others ahead of major milestones, helping ensure every submittal is accurate, complete, and buildable. You’ll also lead client meetings and help grow our business across Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic, building your reputation as a trusted expert at a company that promotes from within.

Join Us. Make an Impact.

We’re proud to be an ENR Top 500 design firm with one of the lowest turnover rates in the industry. If you’re ready to do meaningful work with a supportive, talented team—

We are targeting a salary range of $155,000 to $185,000 for a candidate with a PE. Candidates with additional experience or qualifications may fall into a difference salary range.

Questions, assistance or accommodations? Contact [e-mail] or call 301-927-1900, press 5.

At Toole Design, we foster a collaborative culture and welcome people of all backgrounds to help build more inclusive communities. We strongly encourage women and applicants from underrepresented communities, people of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrants, first-generation college students/graduates, those with disabilities and people at all the intersections in between, to apply. We're proud that about half our managers are women and we are committed to diverse leadership that reflects the communities we serve. Toole Design is a woman-owned, equal opportunity employer (EO/AA/VEV/Disabled employer).

At Toole Design, people are at the center of everything we do. We bring this value to our recruitment process and do not use AI, automated filtering algorithms, or bot screening. We believe every candidate deserves a thoughtful review, so every application is read by a member of our team.

For more information about Toole Design, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook.

What You Bring:

• Professional Engineering (P.E.) license in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, or the ability to gain reciprocity within first 6 months of employment
• Proven leadership of multi-discipline infrastructure design and construction teams
• 15+ years of experience in transportation engineering, including at least 10 years managing complex transportation projects
• Strong networks and relationships in the Mid-Atlantic transportation market, including existing clients with the DOT, municipalities, and other consulting firms
• Bonus: Design and project management experience in both multimodal transportation and roadway design projects, and you are comfortable presenting on projects and in pursuit interviews.