Senior Project Manager, Traffic Engineer

What You Will Do

GFT is seeking a Senior Project Manager, Traffic Engineer to join our Transportation Team in any of the following GFT office locations: Kansas City, MO; Wichita, KS, Omaha, NE; Denver, CO; St. Louis, MO; Chicago, IL or Atlanta, GA. This role follows a hybrid work model, requiring regular attendance at one of these office locations.

Working on the Transportation team at GFT offers the opportunity to engage in transformative projects that enhance transportation infrastructure and improve community connectivity. Whether working on highways and bridges or traffic engineering, our team excels in resilient, sustainable design and construction, delivering innovative solutions that address the complexities of modern, multimodal roadway systems and ensure safe, efficient, and reliable travel for all.

What You'll Be Challenged To Do

The Senior Project Manager, Traffic Engineer will lead complex traffic engineering and ITS projects while managing and growing a geographically distributed traffic group. This role combines deep technical expertise in traffic operations, signal systems, and ITS with strong project management, business development, and people leadership skills. The successful candidate will work collaboratively across disciplines to deliver innovative, high‑quality transportation solutions for state DOTs, municipalities, and regional agencies.

In this capacity, the successful candidate will be responsible for the following:

Technical Leadership & Engineering Excellence

• Lead the planning, design, and delivery of complex traffic signal and ITS projects across urban streets, arterials, freeways, and citywide deployments.
• Provide subject matter expertise in intelligent transportation systems, including detection, communications, system integration, and operational strategies.
• Design and review traffic signals, interconnects, railroad preemption, signing, pavement markings, roadway lighting, ramp management systems, and maintenance of traffic (MOT) plans.
• Develop and oversee innovative ITS applications such as freeway off‑ramp queue detection warning systems and queue‑based preemption and timing adjustments integrated with adjacent arterial networks.
• Plan and direct traffic analyses and studies, including traffic impact studies, traffic operations and safety studies, roadway safety audits, and interchange justification reports.

Project Delivery & Lifecycle Management

• Plan, conduct, and coordinate traffic engineering work through all phases of the project lifecycle, including project inception, alternatives analysis, final design, construction phase services, equipment integration, and post‑deployment evaluation.
• Prepare reports, plans, specifications, and technical drawings in compliance with engineering standards, client requirements, and MUTCD guidance.
• Monitor and manage multiple project schedules and budgets, ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget.
• Assure all projects meet quality control and quality assurance standards.

Team Leadership & Management

• Manage, mentor, and develop engineers and designers across a remotely distributed regional traffic group.
• Provide technical guidance, performance feedback, and career development support to team members.
• Plan and lead project meetings, coordinating responsibilities across multidisciplinary teams.
• Coordinate technical development, scheduling, and staffing needs while resolving engineering and design challenges.

Strategy, Innovation & Problem Solving

• Plan and develop engineering solutions for unique or controversial traffic and ITS challenges.
• Define project scopes, explore alternatives, and develop novel concepts and approaches to complex transportation problems.
• Review and approve design changes, specifications, and drawing releases.
• Interpret contract changes and advise management on scope, schedule, or budget impacts.

Business Development & Client Engagement

• Assist in the preparation of business proposals and support marketing and client development efforts.
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to clients, agencies, and stakeholders, responding to inquiries and presenting findings to public groups, boards, and senior leadership.
• Collaborate closely with highway, bridge, stormwater, and utility design teams to deliver integrated transportation solutions.

Professional Development

• Maintain professional and technical expertise through continuing education, professional publications, and participation in professional organizations and societies.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from an ABET accredited university.
• Minimum of 15 years' professional experience within traffic and/or highway engineering.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in State of Kansas or Missouri; ability to obtain and maintain licensure in other Midwest states (Nebraska).
• Experience working with KDOT or MoDOT and other local transportation agencies.
• Experience with traffic and safety analysis. Knowledge of the MUTCD and Highway Capacity Manual.
• Experience with traffic simulation software such as Synchro, HCS, Sidra and/or VISSIM.
• Experience with design of traffic control elements such as plans, specifications and estimates for traffic signals, roadway signing, pavement markings, and work‑zone maintenance of traffic plans, preferred.
• Proficiency with MicroStation CAD, OpenRoads Designer, and Microsoft Excel and Word.

What We Prefer You Bring

• Certified as a Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE).
• Experience leading citywide ITS deployments and freeway management systems.
• Proven ability to lead technical teams and manage complex, multidisciplinary projects.

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $135,000 - $185,000. Salary is dependent upon experience and geographic location.

Featured Benefits

• Hybrid (in‑person and remote) work environment.
• Comprehensive benefits package including wellness programs, parental leave, and pet insurance, in addition to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Tax‑deferred 401(k) savings plan.
• Competitive paid‑time‑off (PTO) accrual.
• Tuition reimbursement for continued education.
• Commitment to professional development, access to internal and external training programs, and support of active participation in professional organizations.
• Incentive compensation for eligible positions.

Company Overview

At GFT, a privately held AEC firm, we innovate where transportation, water, power, and buildings converge. We call this the Infrastructure of Life. We measure our success by the strength of our relationships – that’s why we’re the employer of choice for 5,000+ of the industry’s brightest engineers, planners, architects, inspectors, designers, and more.

Our clients choose us for our expertise and prefer us for our nimble approach, creativity, and personal touch. Backed by over a century’s experience, together we’re building a lasting legacy for future generations: stronger communities, a healthier planet, and better lives.

GFT: Ingenuity That Shapes Lives™ is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veterans’ status or other characteristics protected by law.

Unsolicited resumes from third party agencies will be considered the property GFT.

Location: Kansas City, MO; Wichita, KS; Omaha, NE; Denver, CO; St. Louis, MO; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA

Core Business Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Employment Status: Full‑Time

GFT does require the successful completion of a criminal background check for all advertised positions.