Research jobs in South Africa

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Specialist Transport Engineer will be responsible for the formulation of the road traffic flow, land use and economic information required to establish single and multi-year road traffic master plan. He/she will also be required to report on road network demand, level of service and congestion, and to enhance and maintain the road network travel demand model to ensure pursuance of the organization's objectives.

Minimum Requirements

• NQF Level 8 Qualification in Civil Engineering
• Must be registered as a Professional Engineer or Professional Technologist with ECSA.
• Minimum 10 years' post first engineering qualification experience as a transport/traffic engineer, of which 5 years 'experience must be in road traffic origin / destination surveys, mathematical traffic models, network demand modelling and toll/road pricing studies
• Minimum 5 years managerial experience
• Experience in application of COTO TRH/TMH Guidelines
• Experience in use of traffic planning software (e.g. Visum, Aimsum, SANTURN, EMME)
  
  

Advantageous

• A Post-graduate qualification specializing in Traffic / Transportation will be an added advantage.
  
  

Technical Competencies

• Experience in application of COTO TRH/TRM Guidelines
• Experience in use of traffic planning software (e.g. Visum, Aimsum, SANTURN, EMME)
• Have undertaken at least 3 network demand studies.
• Have undertaken at least 3 toll/road pricing studies.
• Public sector/SOE exposure.
• Good knowledge and understanding of Road traffic origin / destination and other traffic survey techniques.
• Advanced technical knowledge and understanding of mathematical traffic models and network demand modelling.
• Extensive knowledge of relevant industry standards, specifications and legislation.
• Extensive knowledge of civil design and construction practices related to road works, as well as the road network maintenance and operations activities
  
  

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning (Road Traffic Master Plan)

• Maintain the Road Travel Demand Policy
• Maintain the traffic flow, land use and economic assessment plan
• Ensure alignment of the Travel Demand Model with relevant requirements
• Provide input for the national project scope definition and prioritisations.
  
  

Transport planning and traffic engineering standards, policies and guidelines

• Develop and maintain organization's/RSA policies and standards (COTO TRH/TMH) for the collection, validation and analysis of traffic flow, land use and economic data and forecasting thereof as part of road travel demand management.
• Develop policies/standards for road Level of Service (LOS) and capacity improvements.
• Develop and maintain standards and procedures for transport modelling and traffic [URL Removed] collection, validation and reporting
• Manage and administer the collection and validation of information related to of traffic flow, land use and economic data
• Ensure that traffic data is uploaded and available in IT IS
• Ensure road level of service and capacity improvement assessments are performed during design phase of Capex projects according to the organizational policies and standards
• Integrate and analyse all information to identify needs, establish single and multi-year road travel demand forecasts and report on network level of service and congestion performance
• Develop signal control optimisation plan for organization's interchanges/ intersections
• Conduct environmental impact analysis e.g. pollutants and noise
• Prepare quarterly reports on network performance and trends
  
  

National transport & traffic modelling

• Oversee and coordinate traffic engineering at a national level and ensure adherence to standards and procedures
• Develop and maintain the National Traffic model through consolidation and integration of regional traffic models
• Develop and manage all facets of organization's Travel Demand Model through liaison with users, rectifying identified errors, update data and implementing identified enhancements to ensure effective pursuance of the organisation's objectives
• Ensure uniformity in traffic forecasts and geometric capacity analysis
• Ensure that traffic planning software solution (software and hardware) are well maintained and comply with technical and quality standards
• Ensure integration of modelling outputs with IT IS
  
  

Technical Advisory & Support

• Provide technical traffic engineering advisory services and support to the regions
• Provide specialist input into FMS and ITS projects
• Provide technical advisory services externally when required
• Support with analysis for project funding (e.g. LSR calculations, economic assessments, financial feasibility studies, etc.
• Manage contracts for traffic modelling services/software (if required)
• Monitor effectiveness of traffic modelling software and identify issues and opportunities for improvements
• Stay up to date and conduct research on leading practice for transport planning and traffic engineering
• Actively participate in relevant COTO committees
• Act as chair for the relevant functional working group(s) for transport planning and traffic engineering
• Mentor junior and candidate engineers interested in traffic engineering
  
  

Incumbent Will Also Be Responsible For

• Preparation of tender documentation
• Integrated Transportation Information Systems (ITS) Management
• Coordination of training programme
  
  

Desired Skills

• LSR calculations
• FMS and ITS projects