Transportation Design Project Manager

Ayres Associates Inc.; Waukesha (WI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Disability and life insurance

ESOP and 401K with company match

PTO and holidays with floating days; 1

Job summary

Ayres Associates Inc. in Wisconsin is seeking a confident Transportation Design Project Manager to lead strategy, pursuit, and delivery of transportation projects with WisDOT, counties, municipalities, and private partners.

You’ll mentor early-career employee-owners, collaborate with senior engineers, and help grow Ayres’ regional team while delivering high-quality project outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a transportation emphasis.
• Registered Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Wisconsin.
• Minimum of 6 years of transportation design and project management experience; WisDOT project delivery experience preferred.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to offices or client locations.
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy, pursuit, and winning of transportation projects with clients including WisDOT, counties, municipalities, and private partners.
• Prepare, review, and negotiate contract documents with clients and partners.
• Manage clients and serve as a trusted advisor throughout project delivery.
• Direct and oversee project execution, ensuring on-time, profitable delivery and adherence to Ayres’ standards.
• Build collaborative relationships with colleagues, technical staff, and leaders across the company.
• Mentor developing engineers and contribute to a growth‑oriented team culture.
• Participate in team meetings to align on pursuits, resources, workload, and needs.
• Provide input during annual business planning and budgeting for the group.
• Engage in professional organizations for visibility, networking, and business development.

Skills

Leadership

Client relationships

Business development

Mentoring

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in civil engineering (transportation focus)

Professional Engineer (PE) in Wisconsin

Tools

Civil 3D

Job description

Work doesn’t feel like work when you’re doing what you love, and doing it alongside people who support, challenge, and inspire you. At Ayres, that’s our everyday reality, and it could be yours too.

We’re looking for a confident, motivated Transportation Design Project Manager to play a key role in the continued growth of our transportation group throughout Wisconsin. In this role, you’ll enjoy meaningful autonomy and access to highly experienced roadway, structural, traffic, and construction engineering professionals who are committed to supporting your success. You’ll also collaborate closely with fellow project managers and leadership who share your passion for high-quality project delivery and client service.

Success in this position means cultivating strong client relationships; identifying, pursuing, and winning transportation projects; helping shape the growth of our regional team; and mentoring early-career employee-owners as they develop into the next generation of engineering leaders.

Join Ayres – a USA TODAY Top Workplace recognized in both 2025 and 2026 – where people-first leadership, collaboration, and professional growth create an environment where great teams do their best work.

On Any Given Day, You’ll:

• Lead the strategy, pursuit, and winning of transportation projects with clients including WisDOT, area counties, municipalities, and private-sector partners, including client communications and proposal development.
• Prepare, review, and negotiate contract documents with clients and partners.
• Manage clients and serve as a trusted advisor throughout project delivery.
• Direct and oversee project execution, ensuring work is completed on schedule, profitably, and in alignment with Ayres’ quality standards and contract requirements.
• Build respectful, collaborative working relationships with colleagues, technical staff, and leaders across the company.
• Mentor developing engineers and contribute to a positive, growth-focused team culture.
• Participate in regular team meetings to align on project pursuits, resource allocation, workload distribution, and team needs.
• Provide input during the annual business planning and budgeting process for the group.
• Engage actively in professional organizations at the local, state, or national level to support visibility, networking, and business development.
• Participate in office-wide events supporting community, culture, and team connection.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a transportation emphasis.
• Registered Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of Wisconsin.
• Minimum of 6 years of transportation design and project management experience.Experience delivering transportation projects for WisDOT and/or Wisconsin
• Willingness and ability to travel occasionally to company offices or client locations.
• Valid driver’s license and an acceptable driving record.

Desired Skills and Experiences:

• Strong interest in business development, including client relationships, pursuit strategy, and partner engagement.
• Enthusiasm for representing Ayres at industry events and supporting our brand through professional visibility.
• A collaborative mindset and passion for contributing to an inclusive, supportive team culture where ideas are welcomed and people feel valued.
• Knowledge of Civil 3D and related engineering software.

Benefits of being part of the Ayres team:

• Health, dental, and vision Insurance.
• Short and long-term disability and life insurance.
• Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) and 401K with company match.
• PTO, paid holidays including two floating holidays, and a flexible work schedule.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.