Freeway Operations Engineer

Full Job Description

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is seeking a motivated and technically strong Freeway Operations Engineer to support the operation, performance, and continuous improvement of UDOT’s freeway systems. This position plays a critical role in advancing UDOT’s mission to enhance safety and mobility statewide by applying engineering judgment, real-time data, and operational strategies to freeway management systems.

The Freeway Operations Engineer provides engineering oversight of key freeway operational systems and serves as a technical resource supporting both day-to-day operations and long-term system optimization.

Principal Duties
In this role, you will provide engineering leadership and technical oversight for critical freeway operations systems. Key responsibilities include:

• Freeway Systems Oversight:
  Oversee the operation and performance of freeway management systems, including ramp metering, Express Lanes operations, and traffic monitoring stations to ensure safe, efficient, and reliable freeway operations.
• Ramp Metering & Express Lanes Operations:
  Manage and optimize ramp metering strategies and support the operational performance of Express Lanes, coordinating with internal teams and statewide signal engineers to implement system improvements.
• Traffic Monitoring & Safety Systems:
  Oversee wrong-way detection, warning, and alert systems, as well as freeway traffic monitoring infrastructure, ensuring system functionality, performance evaluation, and operational readiness.
• System Maintenance Coordination:
  Manage and coordinate the maintenance of freeway operations systems, working closely with maintenance teams, vendors, and regional partners to ensure system reliability and timely issue resolution.
• Data Applications & Analysis:
  Utilize probe data applications and traffic data to support real-time operations, performance monitoring, and post-event analysis, identifying opportunities for operational improvements.
• Statewide Traffic Analysis Support:
  Provide traffic engineering and operational analysis support to UDOT regions and statewide programs, contributing to corridor studies, operational planning, and special analyses.
• Traffic Modeling Review:
  Review traffic models related to freeway operations and major projects, ensuring modeling assumptions and results align with observed operational conditions and best practices.
• Coordination & Collaboration:
  Serve as a technical liaison between TMD, statewide signal engineers, regional staff, and other internal stakeholders to ensure consistent and effective freeway operations strategies.

Minimum Qualifications
To be considered for this position, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Professional Licensure: Must be currently registered as a Professional Engineer (PE) in Utah.
• Post-Licensure Experience: Must have a minimum of four (4) years of professional engineering experience following licensure as a PE.
• Professional Expertise: Must possess a thorough understanding of engineering principles and practices as applied to freeway operations.
• Operational Availability: Must be willing and able to lead and support teams that operate on a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year schedule, including responding to after-hours emergencies or critical incidents.

Preferences
Preference may be given to those with at least one of the following:

• Proven experience in a leadership or supervisory role.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-disciplinary teams.

Supplemental Information
Please review these important details:

• Availability: Must be available to support and lead teams operating on a 24/7/365 schedule.
• Work Environment
  • Working Conditions: This position primarily involves work in a typical, climate-controlled office setting that is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. Standard office safety practices (e.g., safe use of equipment, observing fire regulations) apply.
  • Physical Requirements: The work is largely sedentary (sitting comfortably to perform work). However, the role may require some walking, standing, bending, carrying light items, or driving a vehicle.
• Note: Employee may be reassigned to different locations based on the needs of the Region Director or Group Leader.

Why Should You Join Our Team?

The work we do matters. If you want to make a positive difference doing meaningful work, this is the right place for you.

Our mission statement is, “Enhance quality of life through transportation.” We define quality of life through a framework of Good Health, Connected Communities, Better Mobility, and Strong Economy.

We help the State of Utah and its traveling public to get to where they want, when they want, in the way they want -- and we make sure they can do it safely.

You will become part of a team with an internal culture of Trust, Teamwork, and Flexibility. Our organization lives by the values of Respect, Integrity, and Caring. If these are your values too, you'll be a great fit.

Aside from working for a cause-driven, cutting edge agency that is leading all other transportation departments in the nation, you will receive great health and retirement benefits.

Working for the State of Utah provides a positive work-life balance. Click here to view a summary of the benefits we offer.

The Agency

UDOT is a strengths-based organization, which means its approach is based on identifying and developing individual and organizational strengths.

Our philosophy is to address challenges by bringing our strengths to each situation and create the best solutions.

Candidates are encouraged to be familiar with their strengths and consider how they may potentially be of benefit to the roles for which they are applying.

UDOT uses the Clifton Strengths Assessment, but there are multiple strengths assessment tools available online, and no formal assessment is required.

For more information on the Utah Department of Transportation, please click here.