Transportation Technical Engineer

State of Washington; Lacey (WA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible/hybrid remote work options

Paid holidays and vacation days

Tuition assistance

Job summary

State of Washington in Washington state seeks a Transportation Technical Engineer to lead Olympic Region project controls and reporting. You will drive scheduling, cost management, and reporting strategies while coaching staff and coordinating with HQ and field offices.

You will implement PMRS tools, monitor capital project delivery, and ensure timely, accurate reporting to support executive decisions. Hybrid work options are available for this role.

Qualifications

• Experience applying project management and business control processes to plan, schedule, and track tasks and budgets.
• Advanced knowledge of project scheduling, cost control, and enterprise content management.
• Strong engineering principles in transportation or construction environments.

Responsibilities

• Assess project management needs for region offices and consultants.
• Develop region-wide project controls and reporting strategy.
• Provide training on scheduling, controls, and reporting to staff.
• Serve as subject matter expert in schedules, cost management, and reporting.
• Plan, prioritize, and review staff work to meet guidelines and expectations.
• Support PMRS tools and project information reporting systems.

Skills

Project scheduling

Cost management

Communication & stakeholder engagement

Leadership & supervision

Problem solving

Technical proficiency

Tools

Primavera P6

Contract Manager (CM)

Unifier

MS Office (Excel, Word, SharePoint)

IBM Cognos Data Warehouse

Job description

About WSDOT

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is a multimodal agency with a global reputation for excellence. Our dedicated workforce plans, designs, builds, and operates an integrated transportation system that safely and efficiently moves people and goods throughout the state. In addition to maintaining over 20,000 lane miles of state highway and 4,100 bridges, WSDOT leads an award-winning Active Transportation Plan, manages the world's longest floating bridge, and operates the largest ferry system in the nation!

The Opportunity

WSDOT is currently seeking a skilled Transportation Technical Engineer to serve as the Olympic Region’s senior project controls and reporting specialist. As the Project Controls & Reporting Technical Engineer, you’ll play a key role in strengthening project management practices, advancing project controls, and providing meaningful reporting that supports effective decision-making and successful project delivery across the region.

In this role, you’ll help integrate regional project management practices with statewide initiatives, working closely with Headquarters, project offices, and regional specialty groups to promote consistency, improve processes, and support continuous improvement. This is an opportunity to bring your project controls expertise to a highly collaborative role where your work will help shape how transportation projects are managed, monitored, and delivered throughout the Olympic Region.

What to Expect

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Project Controls & Reporting Technical Engineer will:

• Assess project management needs for Olympic Region project offices, region specialty groups, and consultants.
• Develop region wide project controls and reporting strategy.
• Create and provide training to Region staff for scheduling and project controls and reporting.
• Serve as the region subject matter expert in project schedules, cost management, and reporting.
• Present training to audiences of all sizes and levels of system familiarity either virtually or in person.
• Provide project management, controls, and reporting system administrative support and training.
• Implement and support various Project Management and Reporting Systems (PMRS) and other tools to assist with managing and reporting the status of capital transportation project delivery.
• Perform support functions and tasks for project schedule software (such as Primavera P6) and various Project Information & Reporting (PRI).
• Plan, prioritize, assign, and review the work of assigned staff; ensure staff perform assigned job duties timely, accurately, and within established guidelines and communicated expectations.
• Adjust assignments and schedules to maintain adequate staffing levels and respond to fluctuating workloads.
• Coach and mentor employees; assess training needs of staff; provide training, staff development, provide feedback, and guidance.

Qualifications

To be considered for this opportunity, the following competencies are required:

• Program Management: Demonstrated experience utilizing the principles of project management and business control processes to plan, schedule, and track the activities of tasks and budgets. Advanced knowledge of project scheduling (including critical path), cost control techniques, cost engineering, and enterprise content management.
• Engineering Knowledge: Demonstrated experience applying engineering principles, methods, and practices to project management and/or program development in transportation or construction environments. Advanced knowledge of contract management, design, and construction office business functions
• Decision Making & Problem Solving: Advanced skills to independently identify, propose, and develop alternate solutions to complex elements of a project. Skills in independently prioritizing workload and handling multiple assignments.
• Technical & Digital Proficiency: Advanced skills in project scheduling software such as Primavera Scheduler (P6), Contract Manager (CM), and Unifier as well in operating Windows-based systems such as MS Office Suites (Excel, Word, SharePoint, Outlook) and MS Teams; as Experience utilizing platforms such as Excel, Access, and IBM Cognos Data Warehouse for data analysis.
• Communication & Stakeholder Engagement: Skilled in building and maintaining strong working relationships with stakeholders and facilitating competing interest groups in solving problems. Advanced written and verbal communication skills, including communicating complex engineering processes as it relates to contact controls and reporting to diverse technical and non-technical groups.
• Growth Mindset: Actively demonstrates a commitment to learning and growth.
• Service-Oriented: Takes action to meet the needs of others.

It is preferred that qualified candidates also demonstrate:

• Leadership & Supervision: Demonstrated experience leading or supervising a diverse workforce by fostering collaboration across boundaries, coaching and mentoring staff, and encouraging engagement and professional growth.
• Certifications: Primavera P6 Certification, Lean Six Sigma Green or Black Belt training or equivalent.
• Program Management: Experience with program or project management within large government agencies in the transportation or construction industries.
• Contract Negotiation: Experience negotiating contracts and reviewing/advising on Project Management and Reporting Systems contract language.

Important Notes

• This recruitment may also be used to fill additional positions per business needs.
• This position offers flexible/hybrid remote work options.
• In addition to base salary, employees may be entitled to other forms of compensation depending on the type, duties, or location of the position. For union-represented positions, more information on other forms of compensation can be found in the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreements. Information on other compensation types for non-represented positions can be found in Chapter 357-28 of the Washington Administrative Code.
• WSDOT does not use the E-Verify system, therefore we are not eligible to extend STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, please visit www.uscis.gov

Why WSDOT

• Work-Life Balance – We offer flexible work schedules that allow you time for your life outside of this excellent opportunity.
• Paid Leave – In addition to 12 paid holidays, full-time employees mayearn up to 25 paid vacation days per year!
• Tuition Assistance – Permanent employees have several options for assistance with education expenses, including tuition reimbursement programs, government discounts at participating colleges throughout the state, and eligibility for federal student loan forgiveness.
• Plan For Your Future – WSDOT offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes a variety of healthcare options. Employees also have a choice of state retirement programs, and much more. Go to State Benefits for more information.

Contact Us

For inquiries about this posting, you may contact the assigned Recruiter at [e-mail]. Please be sure to reference Transportation Technical Engineer #33037 in the subject line.

WSDOT is an equal opportunity employer. We value the importance of creating an environment in which all employees can feel respected, included, and empowered to bring unique ideas to the agency. Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace. All persons, regardless of race, ethnicity, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, and/ or gender identity, are encouraged to apply. Persons with disabilities needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this job announcement in an alternative format may contact the recruiter listed.