Senior Professional Engineer, Transportation

About the role

This position serves as a senior technical leader within the Highway Design Group, responsible for guiding complex highway projects through the full project lifecycle from initial concept to final construction documentation. The role focuses on leading technical design excellence while fostering a collaborative team environment built on shared accountability and mutual success. The hire will establish and maintain high standards of design quality, ensuring that all deliverables meet rigorous industry and regulatory benchmarks. This is a full-time, 100% employee-owned position offering a flexible schedule with three days in the office and two days remote. The individual in this role will mentor team members, shape innovative infrastructure solutions, and enhance community mobility and connection through thoughtful planning and design. They will act as the primary technical authority for the Highway Design Group, driving consistency and quality across all projects. The position requires strong collaboration skills to integrate diverse engineering disciplines and support the firm's culture of collaboration and growth.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Execute the technical scope for highway and transportation projects, managing geometric design, corridor modeling, and plan development from preliminary engineering through construction documentation.
• Establish and uphold design standards within the Highway Design Group to ensure consistency, quality, and innovation across all project deliverables.
• Coordinate and direct multidisciplinary project teams, working alongside engineers, designers, and technicians to align transportation solutions with project goals.
• Prepare, review, and validate complex design calculations, plans, specifications, and quality control processes to meet stringent project requirements.
• Mentor engineering talent by providing technical guidance, coaching, and knowledge transfer to support professional growth and team development.
• Integrate work with traffic, structural (bridge), and water resources engineering teams to develop holistic transportation solutions that address varied user needs.
• Lead client, stakeholder, and agency interactions in meetings, reviews, and coordination sessions to maintain project clarity and advance timelines.
• Contribute technical expertise to business development activities, including proposals, project pursuits, and client relationship initiatives in alignment with the Seller-Doer culture.
• Apply advanced technical judgment to solve complex design challenges while balancing regulatory compliance, safety, and project constraints.
• Support the implementation of emerging tools and methods to improve design efficiency and project outcomes within the transportation group.

Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering with a transportation emphasis.
• Maintain a Registered Professional Engineer license in Minnesota or immediate eligibility for licensure.
• Bring a minimum of ten years of progressive highway design experience, including technical leadership on complex projects.
• Demonstrate strong capability in geometric design, corridor modeling, and plan development using current methods and tools.
• Show a proven ability to lead technical delivery and safeguard design quality across multiple concurrent projects.
• Exhibit experience mentoring or providing technical oversight to engineering staff.
• Communicate complex ideas clearly and precisely to internal and external stakeholders.
• Use Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, Teams, and Outlook, for daily workflows.
• Apply working knowledge of MicroStation and/or OpenRoads Designer to translate concepts into buildable models.
• Hold a valid driver's license and maintain a clean driving record for project site travel.

Nice to have

• Have experience collaborating with multi-disciplinary highway design teams that include traffic, bridge, and water resources engineering professionals.
• Demonstrate a desire or proven ability to coach and develop less experienced engineering professionals through technical guidance.
• Show working knowledge of MNDOT design and plan standards and apply this understanding when shaping project decisions.

What you'll do

• Adhere to the standard professional schedule of three days in the office and two days remote, as applicable to project needs.
• Maintain compliance with all project documentation standards, safety protocols, and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in ongoing professional development to stay current with transportation engineering practices and industry advancements.
• Support cross-functional collaboration to ensure alignment between design deliverables and client expectations.
• Engage in pre-proposal technical discussions and contribute to the development of high-quality, responsive proposals.
• Utilize project management tools to track design progress, identify risks, and coordinate timely resolution of issues.
• Ensure that all design outputs are thoroughly reviewed and validated before submission to clients or authorities.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement by sharing best practices and lessons learned across the transportation team.

The role of is designed for a self-motivated, technically proficient professional who thrives in a collaborative and client-focused environment. The successful candidate will bring a strong foundation in transportation engineering, demonstrated leadership abilities, and a commitment to delivering high-quality infrastructure solutions. This position offers the opportunity to grow within a supportive, employee-owned organization that values innovation, integrity, and long-term client partnerships. The selected individual will play a critical role in expanding the firm's capabilities in highway and transportation projects while contributing to meaningful improvements in community connectivity and mobility. The position requires adaptability, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic project environment. Effective communication and relationship-building skills are essential for interacting with clients, consultants, and agency representatives at all levels. This role provides the chance to make a significant impact on the firm's technical reputation and the success of its transportation portfolio.