Demo

Transportation Engineer

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates
Atlanta, IL Full Time
POSTED ON 12/20/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 2/19/2026

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates is seeking a motivated, inquisitive, and organized transportation engineer to support the firm's nationally recognized work in planning and designing more equitable and livable communities. A strong interest in and understanding of transportation engineering, planning, or policy is a must. This position can be based in either Atlanta, GA or Chicago, IL.

We are seeking an individual with experience and strong interest in transit, multimodal, and active transportation. The position will support the firm's growing practice in transit and multimodal corridor planning and design for livable communities and expand the firm's transportation infrastructure design capabilities. Proven experience in the conceptual design and preliminary engineering of high-capacity transit corridors (BRT, LRT, Streetcar, and/or enhanced/rapid bus) and geometric design of active transportation facilities, complete streets, and multimodal intersection design is a must. Multi-disciplinary design management and final design experience is also preferred for a Senior Associate Engineer position.

Nelson\Nygaard offers a dynamic and self-directed work environment that is fast-paced, congenial, and supportive. This if your opportunity to work with one of the most innovative groups of planners and engineers, including highly talented junior and support staff and industry-leading principals. Our office culture is built upon diversity, creativity, and passion for the work we do.

About Us
For more than 35 years, Nelson\Nygaard has led the transportation planning field with our values-driven approach. We've always been guided by the principle of putting people first—designing transportation systems for people, not just cars. This principle also extends to how we operate as a firm. We were founded by two women who believed in the benefits of a more egalitarian workplace, where leadership and creativity can blossom at all levels and where diversity is a core strength. Today, we are 170 talented and dedicated people in 15 offices across U.S. and Canada who continue to live by those values. What unites us at Nelson\Nygaard is our steadfast commitment to make the world more just, more sustainable, more connected, and more beautiful.

Nelson\Nygaard offers a dynamic and self-directed work environment that is fast-paced, congenial, and supportive. This is your opportunity to work with one of the most innovative groups of planners and engineers in the United States, including highly talented junior and support staff. Our firm culture is built upon diversity and creativity. You will be working from one of the Nelson\Nygaard offices across the US or Canada.

About You

  • You're resourceful, curious, communicative, and enthusiastic.
  • You're passionate about how transportation can make the world a better, more equitable place.
  • You bring energy and commitment to your teams and clients to do great work, together.

Responsibilities
Associate Engineer III:
Our transportation engineers focus on planning, engineering, design, and analysis for municipalities, agencies, universities, and private clients. Depending on your skills and our project needs, responsibilities include conceptual geometric design, preliminary engineering, traffic and multimodal operations analysis, research, data collection and analysis, mapping, visual communications, writing and editing technical and public-facing reports, developing presentations and outreach materials, and supporting limited business development tasks. You will work both independently and as part of a team.

Senior Associate Engineer I:
The senior transportation engineer will focus on planning and design efforts for transit agencies, municipalities, and universities, and lead project teams to develop and deliver solutions that address our clients' challenges. The ideal candidate should have a broad range of transportation planning and design experience and have successfully managed dynamic transportation projects and budgets. Depending on your skills and our project needs, responsibilities may include keeping project work on schedule and within budget, interfacing with clients and teaming partners, mentoring junior transportation engineers, writing and editing technical and public-facing reports, conceptual design and preliminary engineering documentation, development and maintenance of drawing standards, methods and production consistency, quality control of design deliverables, coordination with other engineering disciplines; design management activities such as scope and budget development, progress reporting, change management and schedule development, and/or leading business development efforts and client communication. You will work both independently and as part of a team.

Senior associate candidates should be able to share previous work examples and demonstrate expertise in a range of transit, multimodal, or active transportation planning and design topics such as active transportation, multi-modal, and transit design and engineering, traffic operations, transit operations, and engineering and construction feasibility.

You will work closely with Nelson\Nygaard's senior and junior staff in our offices throughout the country.

Qualifications And Requirements (Associate EIT/Engineer III)
Above all, we are looking for someone who:

  • Has a passion for sustainable transportation planning and design
  • Is an inquisitive self-starter and a natural problem solver
  • Understands the connection between transportation and equity and is committed to incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion into their work
  • Is interested in working with our diverse clients and communities across the U.S. and Canada to create more equitable, livable, and sustainable mobility systems

Candidates must have one of the following prerequisites for the Associate Engineer III position:

  • holds a master's degree in civil engineering, or equivalent degree and 3-5 years of relevant experience in multimodal, transit, and active transportation design for urban corridors or
  • has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering or an equivalent degree and 4-6 years of experience in multimodal, transit, and active transportation design for urban corridors.
  • Registration as an Engineer-in-Training (EIT), licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) will be looked upon favorably (and would qualify for the Associate Engineer III salary range)

The ideal candidate will demonstrate skills in at least three of the following areas:

  • Excellent skills in writing and storytelling, oral presentation, data analysis, and/or problem solving
  • Experience incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion into academic and/or professional work
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
  • Experience with CADD platforms (AutoCAD or Microstation), mapping platforms (GIS), graphics (Illustrator, InDesign, SketchUp), and/or modeling (Synchro, TransCAD)
  • Ability to manage multiple deadlines and communicate effectively with project managers, colleagues, and project partners
  • Proficiency in Spanish or other foreign languages

Additional Qualifications And Requirements (Senior Associate Engineer I)
Additional qualifications at the Senior Associate Engineer I level:

  • Possesses proven experience in managing projects within budget
  • Works successfully with clients, members of the public, and project teams

At a minimum, the candidate for a Senior Associate Engineer I position should meet the following qualifications:

  • At least 8 years of responsible experience in transportation planning and engineering.
  • A bachelor's or master's degree in civil or transportation engineering, or similar field.
  • Licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) in Georgia or Illinois, or licensure as a PE in another jurisdiction with the ability to obtain licensure in Georgia or Illinois within six (6) months
  • Excellent skill in transit and/or multimodal layout design, design development, problem solving.
  • Experience in business development (i.e., winning work); if you have public agency experience, grant writing and successful RFP development are applicable skills.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and other communication skills, including presentations at public workshops.
  • Exposure to project management skills, including budget and schedule adherence.
  • Advanced proficiency with AutoCAD Civil 3D and/or Microstation, Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

The following experience will be looked upon favorably:

  • Experience performing and/or leading traffic operations analysis utilizing programs such as Synchro, Simtraffic, and/or Vissim
  • Conceptual/Preliminary engineering experience for enhanced/rapid bus, BRT, and rail transit corridors and active transportation corridors
  • Additional final design experience in the production of Plans, Specifications, and Estimate (PS&E) packages
  • Experience working with local transit agencies and municipalities within the Greater Southern California are or Bay Area

The ideal candidate will be excited to take on the following opportunities:

  • Creatively solve transportation problems
  • Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communications skills
  • Serve as a project or task manager and manage projects within budget
  • Work successfully with clients, members of the public, and project teams
  • Outline and prepare successful proposals and reports
  • Analyze a wide range of transportation data and manage the completion of technical analyses, feasibility studies, and other transportation reports
  • Prepare and give effective presentations
  • Participate in firm-wide strategic planning activities to ensure that we continue to build on our mission and core values
  • Mentor and train junior staff

Strong candidates will have a passion for advancing equity through community-based efforts, including engagement with BIPOC communities, and will demonstrate an ability to work effectively with diverse communities.

Salary And Benefits
The annual salary range for this position depends on qualifications, location, and years of experience:

Level
Atlanta
Chicago
Associate EIT III

$85,466-$104,458

$86,767-$106,049

Associate Engineer III

$90,214-$110,261

$91,588-$111,940

Senior Associate Engineer I

$102,084-$130,441

$103,639-$132,427

Benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, pre-tax transit and bicycling benefit, a 401k program, life insurance, paid parent leave, and paid time off. Additionally, we offer opportunities for in-person collaboration and flexibility for work from home up to 2 days per week.

Applying for the Position
To apply, please click on the 'Apply Online' link. Qualified and interested candidates
must
submit the following items:

  • Cover letter
  • Resume
  • Work samples that highlight your skills. Please do not exceed 6 MB.

At Nelson\Nygaard we believe that inclusion spurs creativity, and that innovation is born from an engaged culture of diverse people and ideas. By moving beyond barriers and stereotypes of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, medical condition, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and veteran status, we are committed to building an organization that reflects the diversity of the communities and clients we serve. We strongly encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), immigrants, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, and members of ethnic minorities. We're committed to maximizing the diversity of our team and want to hear from anyone who is passionate about our work.

Salary : $85,466 - $104,458

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