Principal Transportation Planner/Principal Transportation Engineer (Major Corridors)

This is an exciting and rare opportunity to help shape transportation improvements along some of the Peninsula’s most important corridors through complex, high-visibility projects that require strong coordination across agencies, jurisdictions, and stakeholder groups.

The Principal Transportation Planner/Principal Transportation Engineer (Major Corridors) will play a key role in advancing Reimagine Dumbarton, an effort to create a faster, more reliable transit connection between East Palo Alto and Redwood City while improving access for people walking and biking. This position will also help advance work on El Camino Real through the Grand Boulevard Initiative, where SamTrans is partnering with corridor cities, Caltrans, and other public and community partners to implement major safety and mobility improvements.

Reporting to the Manager, Major Corridors, this position will serve as a project manager or deputy project manager on these and related efforts, helping move major multimodal projects from planning through environmental review, design, and construction.

SamTrans is seeking a collaborative and experienced professional who can lead complex technical work, build strong partnerships, and deliver corridor improvements that respond to regional growth, changing travel needs, and increasing demand for safe, reliable, and connected transportation options.

• Lead and advise on long-range transit and multimodal corridor plans and projects from conceptual planning through design and construction.
• Manage and procure consultant contracts; approve and monitor project schedule and budget; direct and review consultant work.
• Develop and maintain working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to advance planning projects and initiatives.
• Present SamTrans projects and initiatives to internal and external audiences, including project goals, objectives, and recommendations.
• May supervise staff as needed. Hire, mentor, and take appropriate corrective and/ordisciplinary action. Ensure EEO and affirmative action policies and procedures are followed. Participate in selection, coordinate staff training, and professional development. Establish performance objectives, monitor, and evaluate employee performance.

• Design and review complex and varied transportation projects, plans, and policies, and provide meaningful input and recommendations that promote transit priority and complete streets.
• Oversee development of major capital project design phases extending from conceptual planning through final design, and review design plan sets for consistency with SamTrans policies and guidelines.
• Analyze, compile, and evaluate data, and/or supervise the work of others; integrate principles of transportation and land use planning, utilizing transit best practices and equity-focused approaches into planning projects and studies.
• Lead and facilitate meetings and workshops, prepare reports and presentations to senior staff, board members, and outside agencies and committees.
• Coordinate project teams, including staff and consultants, and provide technical guidance and mentorship to staff, as needed.
• Review and comment on technical drawings and specifications, project plans, and schematics for roadway projects, including complete streets and transit priority projects.
• Develop sound project goals, objectives, and methodologies for creating and prioritizing project outcomes and recommendations.
• Develop and/or supervise development of public outreach plans and conduct field outreach.
• Oversee request for proposal (RFP)/request for qualifications (RFQ) processes with contracts and procurement, including writing scopes of work, developing cost estimates and evaluation criteria to procure consultant services for projects.
• Monitor work activities to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures; consult with senior management regarding policies and procedures.
• Perform all job duties and responsibilities in a safe manner to protect yourself, your fellow employees, and the public from injury or harm. Promote safety awareness and follow safety procedures in an effort to reduce or eliminate accidents.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervision: Work under the general supervision of the Manager, Major Corridors, who establishes goals and objectives, monitors and evaluates performance.

Sufficient education, training, and experience to demonstrate the knowledge and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Development of the required knowledge and abilities is typically obtained through, but not limited to:

• Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, transportation planning, transportation engineering, geography, economics, public policy, civil engineering, or related field.
• Four(4) years of full-time progressively responsible transportation planning experience, including design phase through to completion.

• Experience working at/with a public transit operator on corridor planning projects.
• Experience leading complex transit priority and/or bicycle and pedestrian projects through planning, environmental and design phases.
• Experience developing engineering drawings, schematics, and plans.
• Experience in technical grant writing and project scoping.
• Experience working with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) on permitting and project approvals.
• Strong presentation skills with Boards and committees and experience facilitating meetings and workshops.
• Experience with AutoCAD, GIS, and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.
• Fluent in Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin or Cantonese), or other language often spoken in San Mateo County.
• Holds a Professional Engineer (PE) license

The selection process may include a panel interview, written and skills test assessments, or supplemental questions.  Only those candidates who are the most qualified will continue in the selection process. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee an invitation to continue in the process.      

How to Apply

• Complete an online employment application by 11:59 p.m. of the listed closing date.  Resumes and cover letters will not be accepted in lieu of fully completed applications.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that applications are completed with all relevant information (experience, education, certifications, licenses, references and/or other information). 

• The Human Resources Department will make reasonable efforts in the recruitment/examination process to accommodate applicants with disabilities upon request.  If you have a need for an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department.   

• We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace environment.  We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.  Minorities, Women, Persons with Disabilities and Veterans are encouraged to apply.