Entry-level Transportation Engineer/Planner
The Entry-Level Transportation Engineer/Planner at Confidential Client supports a variety of transportation planning, engineering, and design projects by conducting analyses, preparing technical reports, and participating in meetings and public outreach. Under guidance, the role offers opportunities for professional growth through exposure to diverse transportation topics and tools, fostering skills in project coordination, technical software, and client engagement within a collaborative team environment.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Engineering.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
Confidential Client is seeking an Entry-level Transportation Engineer/Planner to join their team in Johnson City, TN. This role is ideal for recent graduates or early-career professionals who are curious about transportation, eager to learn, and ready to contribute to multidisciplinary projects. You will apply standard techniques under guidance, support project delivery, and develop skills in planning, operations, safety, and design.
What You’ll Do
- Conduct transportation analysis and prepare clear technical deliverables (memos, reports, presentations).
- Support traffic operations analysis, transit forecasting, and travel behavior studies.
- Assist with transportation planning tasks: impact studies, bicycle & pedestrian planning, access/circulation/parking analysis, TDM, and VMT assessments.
- Help develop design-level materials: signing/striping, signal documentation, temporary traffic control, cost estimates, and construction-ready drawings.
- Participate in client and stakeholder meetings and prepare public outreach materials.
- Perform site visits and collect field data.
- Support project coordination, scheduling, and basic project management tasks.
- Contribute to internal research & development efforts and adopt new tools and workflows.
What Your First Year May Look Like
First month
- Participate in on-the-job training and mentoring.
- Contribute to multiple project teams and begin preparing deliverables.
By six months
- Build proficiency in software and analysis tools used on projects.
- Prepare client-facing materials and take on more independent tasks.
By one year
- Participate in multiple client meetings.
- Coordinate smaller projects or specific project tasks.
- Begin developing deeper expertise in chosen topic areas.
Qualifications
We welcome candidates with coursework, internships, capstone projects, or early professional experience in transportation-related fields. You do not need to meet every item below.
- Bachelor’s degree completed (or in-progress master’s) in transportation, civil or electrical engineering, urban & regional planning, geography, math, statistics, economics, or related field.
- Relevant coursework or exposure to transportation planning, traffic operations, signal design, bicycle/pedestrian planning, transit planning, and travel demand modeling.
- Familiarity with technical tools and software such as Microsoft Excel; GIS (ArcGIS, QGIS); CAD (AutoCAD, MicroStation); traffic analysis tools (HCS, Synchro/SimTraffic, Vistro, VISSIM, Sidra); travel demand tools (Cube/Voyager, TransCAD, VISUM, Emme); and programming/scripting (Python or R).
- EIT preferred for engineering candidates.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable preparing technical memos and presenting findings.
- Curious, proactive, collaborative, and organized — able to balance multiple priorities and learn new tools responsibly.
- Experience can come from internships, coursework, student organizations, research, volunteer work, or professional roles.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary: $75,000 - $80,000 per year. Placement within this range will be determined based on education, experience, and qualifications.
- Benefit highlights include:
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance
- Life and disability insurance
- 401(k) with matching and profit sharing
- Flexible Spending Accounts and commuter benefits
- Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave
- 8 weeks paid parental leave
- Mentoring and career development programs
- Participation in Research & Development initiatives
Equal Employment Opportunity
Careertakes and our client are committed to fair hiring practices and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws. Reasonable accommodations are available for candidates with disabilities; please request them during the recruitment process.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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