Assistant Traffic Engineer

Overview

Why Tumwater?

Tumwater is more than just a city, it’s a vibrant community rooted in history and filled with opportunity. Located at the southern gateway to the Seattle-Tacoma metro area, Tumwater offers the perfect blend of small-town charm and big picture vision.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of Puget Sound, prairie landscapes, rivers, and evergreen forests, we’re just over an hour from ocean beaches, the Olympic Peninsula, and Mount Rainier. Whether you’re into hiking, kayaking, brewery hopping, or live music, you’ll find easy access to it all.

Here in Tumwater, we’re building a future that’s highly livable, connected, and inclusive. With safe neighborhoods, excellent schools, and a deep sense of civic pride, it’s not just a great place to live, it’s a great place to grow your career.

Join the City of Tumwater’s Transportation & Engineering Department to help deliver safe, efficient travel for people walking, rolling, biking, and driving. As the Assistant Traffic Engineer, you’ll blend technical traffic expertise with community engagement. You will respond to public inquiries on speeding, safety, signage, traffic volumes, signals, illumination, crosswalks, bike lanes, parking, and right-of-way use.

You’ll analyze data and field observations, translate findings into clear next steps, and help identify and prioritize pavement, sidewalk, and other transportation improvements. You will participate in procurement of grant funding and assist other staff in the reporting and maintaining compliance with funding requirements. This role is ideal for a creative, people-focused problem solver who’s comfortable on the phone and in writing, and who can track multiple issues from intake to resolution.

Your work will shape everyday trips and enhance quality of life across Tumwater.

• Serves as the lead for the City’s Pavement Management Program including conducting or managing consulted pavement ratings, maintaining and updating data in pavement management software, and planning pavement maintenance projects.
• Tracks and responds to citizen inquiries and coordinates Traffic Team agendas to address inquiries regarding transportation and roadway issues such as speeding, safety, signs, traffic volumes, signals, illumination, roadway geometry, crosswalks, bike lanes, parking and use of right-of-way.
• Reviews signage and/or roadway geometry for compliance with the MUTCD and other applicable standards and makes recommendations for modification.
• Serves as the lead for the City’s Sidewalk Program including planning sidewalk program projects utilizing the City’s ADA Transition Plan.
• Supports grant applications through the preparation of materials for submission. This may include writing narrative form answers as well as detailed cost information.
• Prepares planning level project construction estimates. May complete design, and/or construction management for pavement management projects depending on capacity and skillset.
• Performs related duties and responsibilities as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of traffic engineering principles as applicable to a municipal setting.
• Knowledge of transportation modeling methods and techniques; familiarity with pavement management theory and application.
• Ability to work collaboratively with technical and clerical personnel.
• Ability to communicate effectively with the public; including conflict and issue resolution.
• Ability to interpret, apply, and communicate complex rules, regulations, laws and ordinances.
• Knowledge of the modern methods and techniques used in the design, construction, and inspection of public works projects.
• Knowledge of engineering and land surveying methods and techniques.
• Basic knowledge of state and federal regulations governing public works projects.
• Ability to organize work priorities.

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil/Transportation Engineering, Urban/Transportation Planning, or a closely related field; OR
• Engineer-in-Training (EIT) or planning credential (AICP/CTP) and 2 years of traffic/transportation experience; OR
• Associate degree in engineering technology, planning, surveying, or GIS and 4 years of…