Senior Roadway Engineer

oregon; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 91,000 - 141,000; Full time

Job summary

The Oregon Department of Transportation seeks a Professional Engineer 2 – Senior Roadway Engineer in Portland. You will serve as the final design expert and technical lead for a broad range of multimodal highway projects, mentoring staff and directing complex design work.

The role blends office tasks with field work, requires a PE license in Oregon or imminent eligibility, and offers a collaborative, safety‑focused environment with a hybrid work model and growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• Possession of a PE license in Oregon in Civil Engineering or the ability to obtain within six months of hire.
• Three years of licensed engineering experience providing required knowledge and skills for the role.
• Valid US driver license with acceptable driving record.
• Ability to direct complex highway design projects and provide technical leadership.

Responsibilities

• Plan, direct, and scope the most complex designs for major regional facilities and freight routes.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering reviews for complex highway design plans.
• Review layouts against safety criteria and justify design decisions for OTCA protection.
• Coordinate data-sharing across environmental, traffic, ROW and utilities teams early.
• Direct and approve PS&E packages for construction advertisement.
• Sign and seal final construction plans as the Registered Professional Engineer of Record.
• Ensure adherence to HDM, drawings and drafting metrics before turn-in.
• Evaluate materials, traffic control plans, and utility conflicts to fix flaws.
• Provide technical direction and mentoring to junior engineers and specialists.
• Work a mix of office and field tasks, including outdoor sites and occasional travel.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Technical design reviews

Project coordination

Education

Professional Engineer (PE) license - Oregon

Job description

Professional Engineer 2 – Senior Roadway Engineer

Oregon Department of Transportation
Delivery and Operations Division–Region1

Roadway
Portland / Hybrid

Salary Range: $8,159 - $12,658

Position Type: Employee

The role

Bring your engineering expertise to our team in Portland as a senior roadway engineer! In this collaborative role, you will serve as our final design expert and technical lead our Roadway Unit. You will work with project teams and provide technical direction, mentoring and training for multimodal, rural and highly complex urban highway projects. Apply today to join our team!

Our first application screening is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. We encourage interested applicants not to delay in applying.

We provide a safe and reliable multimodal transportation system that connects people and helps Oregon's communities and economy thrive. We encourage people from all backgrounds and abilities to apply for our positions.

Before applying, visit our applicant information website to learn more about our process. If you are a current State of Oregon employee, you must apply through your employee Workday profile.

A day in the life

• Preliminary Design & Major Projects:

  • Plan, direct, and scope the most complex designs for major regional transportation facilities and freight routes to solve unusual engineering problems.

  • Serve as the primary authority within the Technical Center responsible for coordinating, distributing, analyzing, and reconciling multidisciplinary engineering reviews for complex highway design plans.

  • Review preliminary layouts and roadside features against safety criteria to reduce future state liability. Create clear records of data used, explain why certain design decisions were made and write formal justifications when designs don’t meet standard requirements so the state is protected under the Oregon Tort Claims Act (OTCA).

  • Coordinate data-sharing and technical design compromises across regional environmental, traffic, right-of-way and utility units during early major project milestones.

• Final Design: Plans, Specifications, and Estimates:

  • Direct and approve the production of complete, construction-ready Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E) packages for advertisement.

  • Independent judgment to sign and seal final construction plan sets, special provisions, structural estimates and design narratives as the Registered Professional Engineer of Record.

  • Enforce strict adherence to the ODOT Highway Design Manual (HDM), Standard Drawings, and statewide drafting metrics before final project turn-in.

  • Evaluate specialized roadway materials, traffic control staging plans, and utility conflicts to resolve engineering flaws prior to active construction bidding.

• Provide specialized technical direction and mentoring to lower-level engineers and engineering specialists.

• This position requires a combination of office work and field work: outdoor work sites require working in inclement weather, close to highway traffic, construction equipment.

• Requires some moving around uneven terrain, overnight travel, overtime, weekend and evening work as needed for projects/tasks.

What’s in it for you

• Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, flexible work schedules, paid leave and so much more. About working at the Oregon Department of Transportation and the benefits we offer.
• Comprehensive and equitable base salary offer within the listed range. Through an equal pay assessment, we will determine the salary offer using the information you provide in your submitted application materials. Please ensure your application materials are detailed, accurate and reflect your skills, experience (paid and unpaid) and education as they relate to the position when applying.
• The salary range listed is the non-PERS monthly salary range. If you are already a participating PERS member or once you become PERS eligible, the salary range will increase by 6%.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity!

Minimum qualifications

Possession of a Professional Engineering (PE) license in the State of Oregon in the branch of Civil Engineering (CE) OR the ability to obtain license within six months of hire*, AND three years of licensed experience that would provide the required knowledge and skills to perform the responsibilities of the position.

*If registered in another state, successful applicants will be required to obtain a temporary permit to practice engineering, pursuant to ORS 672.109, within six months from date of hire.

Special qualifications

Driving is an essential function of this position. You must have a valid US driver license and an acceptable driving record. We will conduct pre‑employment driving records checks on our final candidate(s). Your license does not have to be issued in Oregon to be considered.

What we’d like to see

If you have these attributes, let us know in your application materials! It's how we will choose whom to move forward! You do not need to have all these qualities to be eligible for this position. We may also use transferable skills, experience and education to help us decide who will move forward.

• Experience directing complex, intricate analysis/design/operations of major facilities to solve unusual engineering problems.
• Experience serving as staff mentor and engineering expert in highway design, safety and operations.
• Experience advising management in determining policies and the future direction of highway design and safety.
• Experience as a subject matter expert in highway design and safety.
• Experience leading a group of professionals from multiple disciplines and project team members to deliver complex projects.

Need help?

• For questions, call 503-586-6863 or email [e-mail]

Additional information

• This recruitment will remain open until filled. Our first application screening is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, but we may close the announcement at any time after this date when we have received an adequate number of applications. We cannot guarantee that we will consider applications received after this screening date. We encourage interested applicants not to delay in applying.
• We do not offer visa sponsorship. If you are hired, you will be required to fill out the US Department of Homeland Security’s I‑9 form confirming you are able to work in the US. We are not an E‑Verify participating employer, and we are unable to proceed if E‑Verify participation is required [e.g., STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) Extension].
• The State of Oregon does not request or require your age, date of birth, attendance or graduation dates from an education institution during the application process.
• If you are a veteran or Oregon National Guard servicemember, you may receive preference.
• We may use this recruitment to fill multiple or future vacancies.
• We will conduct name-based criminal background checks on final candidates, not including current ODOT employees. All applicants may be subject to additional pre‑employment check(s) such as driver license, LEDS (Law Enforcement Data System), and/or education verification as required for the position.
• You will be represented by the Association of Engineering Employees of Oregon (AEE).

ODOT is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or any other class protected by state or federal laws in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring, and employment practices. Applicants with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. For questions, concerns, or complaints regarding EEO/AA/ADA, contact 1‑877‑336‑6368 (1‑877‑EEO‑ODOT). This information can be made available in an alternative format by contacting ODOT Recruitment at 503‑986‑3700. Oregon Relay Service can be reached by calling 7‑1‑1.

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