Civil Engineer (Highway) (Highway Safety Engineer)

Civil Engineer (Highway) (Highway Safety Engineer)

Department: Department of Transportation

Location(s): Lakewood, Colorado

Salary Range: $118675 - $154280 Per Year

Job Summary: The Lead Civil Engineer (Highway) (Highway Safety Engineer) functions as the Division focal point and technical expert for the promotion, coordination, implementation, and monitoring the various highway safety standards, regulations, and practices as they apply to roadside design, construction work zones, and the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The incumbent promotes the development and implementation of state-of-the-art technologies to meet safety related requirements.

Major Duties:

• As a Civil Engineer (Highway) (Highway Safety Engineer), you will: Provide early safety consideration in the planning, design, and construction phases of highway projects; and provide for improved safety hardware and related highway elements. Provide expert technical guidance and training on highway safety appurtenances and roadside design and promote state-of-the-art installations on highway projects. Perform a variety of safety studies, including Road Safety Audits, to identify deficient conditions affecting traffic, bicycle, and pedestrian safety; and participate with Federal Lands Management Agencies in the implementation and maintenance of safety management systems on Federal Lands. Coach the team in the selection and application of appropriate problem-solving methods and techniques, provide advice on work methods, practices and procedures, and assist the team and/or individual members in identifying the parameters of a viable solution. Provide or oversee technical assistance in the selection and award of consultant services contracts by collaborating with the acquisitions department and preparing the description and scope of work, reviewing submittals and deliverables, preparing estimates, and collaborating with the acquisitions department and participating in negotiations. The ideal candidate is an experienced engineer who functions as the Division focal point for promoting, coordinating, implementing, and monitoring various safety policies, standards, and practices. This position is for a technically oriented employee who applies safety principles and practices to the design and construction phases of highway projects, including improving safety hardware, roadway geometric elements, and work zone operations. The ideal candidate will possess excellent oral and written communication skills.

Qualifications: To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet the specialized experience qualifications for the grade at which you are requesting consideration. To qualify for the Grade 13, you must have at least one year of experience equal or equivalent to the GS-12, it must include: Experience in resolving technical issues and problems on highway safety matters related to design, construction, maintenance, and/or operations; AND Experience in highway safety programs and applications, such as road safety audits, traffic safety studies, roadway departure strategies to reduce crashes, intersection safety improvements, the Safe System Approach, and/or other Safety Programs; AND Experience in highway engineering and traffic engineering as it relates to highway safety appurtenances, roadside design practices, work zone safety, the MUTCD, the AASHTO Roadside Design Guide, the AASHTO Highway Design Greenbook, the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH), the Highway Safety Manual, Crash Modifications Factors, and/or the Highway Capacity Manual. Although you must meet the mandatory education requirement, you cannot qualify for GS-12 and above grades based solely on education, you must meet the specialized experience, which is cited above for this grade. Although you must meet the mandatory education requirement, you cannot qualify for GS-12 and above grades based solely on education, you must meet the specialized experience, which is cited above for this grade. KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Civil Engineering – Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods required to plan, design, construct, operate, and maintain facilities such as buildings, transportation systems, water and sanitary systems, and other public works systems. Safety Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods to identify, control, mitigate, and eliminate safety hazards in the design and use of facilities, equipment, operations, and work processes. Communications - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively; makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others; attends to nonverbal cues; and responds appropriately. Writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience. For all types of consideration, experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. For additional information about applying to Federal positions, please click on the following link: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=e4 All applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

How to Apply: You must submit a complete application package (including resume, vacancy questions and supporting documents) no later than 11:59 pm (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. To begin, click the "Apply Online" button on the job announcement posting. Follow the directions to register, submit all required documents and complete the assessment questionnaire. You may review your saved application(s) at https://help.usajobs.gov/ If you are having difficulty applying online, please contact the DOT Automated Staffing Office via email at: Transjobs@dot.gov

Application Deadline: 2026-05-26