Principal Traffic Engineer

HRforGrowth® is engaged as the talent acquisition partner to conduct this search on behalf of a client organization that is hiring for this role. HRforGrowth is not the employer for this position. HRforGrowth identifies, evaluates, and presents top-tier candidates through its global talent acquisition practice; all employment decisions — including final selection, offer terms, compensation, and conditions of employment — are made solely by the hiring organization.

Our Client seeking an experienced Principal Traffic Engineer to join Traffic Division in San Diego, CA. This role is designed for a highly skilled transportation professional who can provide technical leadership, manage complex traffic engineering projects, and mentor engineering teams.

The successful candidate will lead traffic engineering initiatives, oversee project execution, manage client and public agency relationships, and support the delivery of transportation solutions throughout Southern California

Location : San Diego, CA 92108

Job Type : Full-Time

Compensation : $130,000 – $165,000 per year

Key Responsibilities

· Lead and manage traffic engineering design teams and transportation projects.

· Provide technical leadership for traffic engineering and planning initiatives.

· Manage project schedules, budgets, scopes of work, and deliverables.

· Prepare and review contracts, fee proposals, and project scopes.

· Coordinate directly with clients, public agencies, and internal stakeholders.

· Supervise traffic designers, planners, CAD drafters, and technical staff.

· Develop and maintain strong client relationships.

· Provide guidance and mentorship to engineering team members.

· Support business development activities and project pursuits.

· Ensure projects meet technical standards, quality expectations, and regulatory requirements

Minimum Requirements

· Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering (BSCE) required.

· Active California Professional Engineer (PE) registration in Civil or Traffic Engineering required.

· Minimum 7 years of experience in traffic engineering/planning, or equivalent experience with a minimum of 12 years in the industry.

· Minimum 5 years of management experience supervising traffic engineering teams.

· Strong leadership, decision-making, communication, and problem-solving skills.

· Ability to independently manage complex engineering projects.

· Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with clients, public agency representatives, and internal project teams.

· Recent Southern California experience required, preferably within the San Diego County region

Management Experience :

· Managing traffic engineering design teams.

· Supervising traffic designers, planners, CAD drafters, and technicians.

· Managing project schedules, budgets, and resources.

· Preparing contracts, fee proposals, and scopes of work.

· Leading client communications and public agency coordination.

· Overseeing project deliverables and quality standards.

Technical Experience :
· Municipal traffic engineering services.

· In-house traffic engineering support for public agencies.

· Traffic engineering plans.

· Traffic signal plans.

· Traffic control plans.

· Signing and striping plans.

· Traffic Impact Analysis (TIA).

· Traffic studies and engineering reports.

· Transportation planning and design projects.

Software & Technical Knowledge

Experience with:

· HCS

· Vistro

· Synchro

· Other traffic engineering software platforms

Knowledge of:

· California Vehicle Code (CVC)

· Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)

· Highway Capacity Manual (HCM).

Preferred Qualifications

· Experience managing large-scale transportation projects.

· Transit planning and design experience.

· Strong understanding of traffic engineering principles and transportation planning.

· Experience working directly with government agencies and municipalities.

· Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams.

Benefits

· Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

· Profit Sharing

· 401(k) Plan

· Life and Disability Insurance

· Personal Leave

· Alternative Work Schedule

· Holiday Parties

· Team Building Activities and Events

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About HRforGrowth:
HRforGrowth is a full-service HR and talent partner built to support companies that are scaling, transforming, or navigating change. HRFG is globally recognized for delivering quality, speed, and cost-effective talent solutions across every level of the workforce. Through its global talent acquisition practice, HRforGrowth applies world class rigor and precision to identifying exceptional professional and executive talent on behalf of its clients — from temporary staffing to permanent hourly workers through to placing C-suite executives. HRforGrowth is presenting this opportunity in its capacity as the retained search partner and does not serve as the employer of record for this position.

Equal Employment Opportunity:
In its recruiting and search practices, HRforGrowth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity, and welcomes applications from all qualified individuals. HRforGrowth evaluates and presents candidates to its clients without regard to any protected characteristic.

HRforGrowth endeavors to advise the hiring organization to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity laws — including those enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) — in its hiring decisions, terms of employment, and workplace practices.