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Transportation Engineers

SOC 17-2051.01Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers the full scope of Transportation Engineer practice — from entry-level design drafting and data collection through senior autonomous project delivery to executive-level program leadership, standards development, and public-sector stakeholder engagement.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Transportation system design plans — assist in drafting initial layouts for roads, bridges, or drainage structures under direct supervision using CAD software.
  2. Construction plan review — check assigned sections of design drawings for completeness and conformity to standard engineering practices with guidance from a senior engineer.
  3. Traffic operation reports — compile and format statistical data on accidents, pedestrian volume, or safety measures under direction for supervisor review.
  4. Engineering calculations — perform basic stress and load calculations for roadway elements using standard formulas under close technical oversight.
  5. Engineering standards and codes — read and interpret relevant transportation design standards, specifications, and government regulations with supervisor guidance.
  6. Geographic information systems — enter, retrieve, and display spatial transportation data in GIS software to support project mapping tasks.
  7. Stakeholder communication — attend meetings with contractors or utility companies and document discussion points under the direction of a project engineer.
  8. Traffic flow investigation — collect field data on traffic volume and patterns at assigned locations using established counting and observation protocols.
  9. Spreadsheet and office software — organize project data, prepare tables, and draft routine correspondence using standard office suite and spreadsheet applications.
  10. Public meeting support — assist in preparing maps, exhibits, and handouts for use at transportation-related public hearings under senior engineer direction.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Transportation infrastructure design — prepare detailed plans for streets, highway segments, or drainage structures with reduced oversight, applying applicable design standards.
  2. Design review and quality control — independently check construction plans, design calculations, and cost estimates for accuracy and conformity to engineering standards on routine projects.
  3. Traffic safety reporting — compile and analyze accident and pedestrian data to produce complete administrative and technical reports on traffic operations for agency use.
  4. Structural modification planning — develop alteration plans for existing transportation structures to improve safety or function, applying engineering judgment on familiar project types.
  5. Interagency coordination — confer directly with contractors, utility companies, and government agencies to clarify plans, resolve specification conflicts, and confirm work schedules.
  6. Final layout drawings — prepare complete project layout drawings incorporating stress calculations and construction details with limited senior review.
  7. Traffic problem analysis — investigate identified traffic flow or safety deficiencies and recommend practical improvement measures using analytical and systems evaluation skills.
  8. CAD and analytical software — produce engineering-grade design drawings and run analytical models using CAD and specialized transportation engineering software with proficiency.
  9. Project scheduling — apply time management practices to track task milestones, coordinate deliverables, and flag schedule risks on assigned project segments.
  10. Public presentation delivery — present transportation data, maps, and project information at public meetings, responding to routine audience questions clearly and accurately.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Complex transportation system design — autonomously design integrated systems including airports, commuter rail alignments, and major highway interchanges, resolving non-routine engineering challenges.
  2. Multi-discipline plan review — lead thorough review of full construction plan sets, design calculations, and cost estimates across disciplines to ensure accuracy, safety, and code compliance.
  3. Advanced traffic analysis — investigate complex traffic problems involving multiple modes and competing demands, producing technically rigorous reports with actionable safety and flow recommendations.
  4. Structural retrofit engineering — develop and validate modification strategies for aging or underperforming transportation structures, incorporating risk assessment and life-cycle cost considerations.
  5. Cross-sector stakeholder negotiation — lead technical negotiations with contractors, utility providers, and regulatory agencies to resolve design conflicts and align specifications with project goals.
  6. High-stakes public presentations — represent the organization at contentious public hearings, presenting complex engineering data, absorbing community concerns, and articulating technical trade-offs accessibly.
  7. Final engineering deliverables — produce complete, signed final project layout packages including detailed stress calculations, specifications, and construction notes ready for contractor bid.
  8. Systems analysis and optimization — apply systems analysis and operations analysis methods to evaluate transportation network performance and model the effects of proposed design changes.
  9. GIS-integrated design — integrate GIS data with CAD and analytical software to produce spatially accurate transportation designs that account for environmental, land-use, and demand factors.
  10. Regulatory and legal compliance — interpret and apply transportation law, government regulations, and public safety codes autonomously to ensure project designs meet all legal requirements.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Organizational design strategy — set the technical direction and design philosophy for major transportation programs, aligning engineering standards and innovation goals with agency or firm objectives.
  2. Enterprise quality assurance — establish and oversee organization-wide plan review, calculation verification, and cost-estimation protocols to ensure consistent engineering excellence across all projects.
  3. Policy and safety leadership — direct the development of traffic safety policies and reporting frameworks, influencing regional or statewide transportation safety outcomes through data-driven decision making.
  4. Capital program planning — lead multi-year infrastructure modification and replacement programs, prioritizing investments to maximize system safety, capacity, and equity across the transportation network.
  5. Executive-level stakeholder relations — represent the organization in high-level negotiations with government agencies, contractors, and elected officials, shaping project scope, funding, and regulatory outcomes.
  6. Public and legislative advocacy — testify before legislative bodies and lead complex community engagement processes, translating technical engineering positions into accessible policy arguments.
  7. Technical standards development — author or substantially revise organizational, state, or industry design standards and specifications that govern how transportation projects are engineered and delivered.
  8. Workforce development and mentorship — design and implement technical training curricula, mentorship structures, and performance frameworks that build engineering capability across project teams.
  9. Cross-functional program management — direct large, multi-disciplinary project teams using project management software and resource planning tools, ensuring cost, schedule, and quality targets are met.
  10. Innovation and technology adoption — evaluate emerging transportation technologies, analytical tools, and engineering methodologies, leading their adoption to improve design quality and organizational competitiveness.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Authoritative source data identified for 998 occupations

How a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline; click a citation chip to verify the source.

Emerging
  1. Technical document summarization — uses an AI assistant to extract key requirements from transportation design standards and regulatory specifications, reducing initial review time while the engineer confirms accuracy against source materials Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Report drafting support — prompts an AI tool to generate first-draft language for routine traffic-operation reports on accidents or pedestrian volume, then edits for technical accuracy and professional tone Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
Developing
  1. Design calculation checking — delegates preliminary completeness checks of cost estimations and design calculations to an AI assistant, then applies engineering judgment to verify conformity with applicable standards Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  2. Meeting and correspondence preparation — directs an AI tool to draft structured summaries of conference notes and plan-review comments for contractors, utility companies, or government agencies, retaining ownership of all technical commitments Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  3. Traffic data analysis — uses AI-assisted tabulation and pattern recognition on traffic volume datasets to accelerate statistical reporting, while interpreting engineering significance independently WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Proficient
  1. Multi-system design synthesis — orchestrates an AI assistant through iterative generation of layout alternatives for highways, bridges, or drainage structures, providing explicit design constraints and validating each output against safety codes before incorporation Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Safety modification analysis — tasks an AI tool with evaluating modification scenarios for existing transportation structures, cross-checking AI-generated options against operational and regulatory criteria to confirm improvement in safety or function Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. Specification conformance review — systematically hands off construction plan documents to an AI assistant for clause-by-clause completeness screening, then applies professional sign-off after independent verification of flagged items Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
Advanced
  1. End-to-end project workflow orchestration — directs AI agents across the full design lifecycle—from feasibility analysis through plan preparation to stakeholder reporting—establishing checkpoints that preserve engineering authority over all consequential decisions Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  2. AI output quality governance — evaluates the reliability and scope limits of AI-generated transportation analyses by benchmarking against established engineering models, and defines team-level protocols for when AI autonomy is appropriate versus when human review is mandatory Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  3. Complex problem-solving augmentation — leads multidisciplinary teams in applying AI-assisted scenario modeling to novel transportation challenges such as commuter rail integration or airport capacity expansion, interpreting model outputs within broader sociotechnical and regulatory contexts WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
Evidence pack
AEI usage
Task observations: 96
Augment share: 9.6%
Time saved: 78.1%
AI autonomy: 2.96
SAFI positioning
Top skill: Reading Comprehension
Score: 45.5 / 100
Quadrant: Q2_ai_augmented
precision: exact
WEF cluster
Computational Thinking
computational_thinking
Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency/role levels for each occupation. Each statement is aligned to the Pathsmith taxonomy, derived from trusted grounding data and mapped to occupation-specific O*NET tasks and skills.

1Communication13 statements
Emerging
  1. Technical report drafting — writes initial sections of traffic operation reports covering accident data or pedestrian volume using standard engineering templates Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Meeting participation — contributes prepared observations during interdisciplinary project meetings with contractors or agency representatives Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Plan documentation — labels and annotates transportation design drawings with basic descriptive notes for supervisor review O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Stakeholder correspondence — composes written communications to utility companies or government agencies describing project specifications and schedule milestones Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Report authorship — drafts complete administrative or technical reports on traffic safety measures and pedestrian practices with minimal revision required Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Verbal briefing — presents project status updates on highway or bridge design progress to project managers using clear technical language Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Public hearing presentation — presents transportation data, maps, and engineering findings at construction-related public hearings, adjusting technical language for non-engineer audiences Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-agency conferencing — leads discussions with contractors, utility companies, and government officials to align on plans, specifications, and work schedules Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Design communication — prepares final project layout drawings with stress calculations and annotated details that communicate design intent unambiguously to construction teams O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  4. Safety report communication — prepares statistical safety reports that translate complex traffic-operation data into actionable recommendations for non-technical decision-makers Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Regulatory testimony — delivers authoritative expert testimony at public hearings or legislative sessions representing agency or firm positions on complex transportation infrastructure proposals Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Communication standard-setting — establishes templates and style guides for technical reports and public-facing transportation documents across a project team or department Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Multi-stakeholder facilitation — leads multi-party negotiations between contractors, municipalities, and transit agencies to resolve specification conflicts and align project scope Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
2Leadership10 statements
Emerging
  1. Task ownership — completes assigned transportation design tasks such as drainage structure calculations independently within defined scope and timeline Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Peer support — assists junior team members in interpreting transportation engineering standards during plan review tasks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Project coordination — coordinates sub-tasks within a highway or bridge design project, tracking deliverables and flagging schedule risks to senior engineers Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Initiative on safety issues — proactively identifies and escalates safety concerns discovered during construction plan reviews without waiting for direction Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Design team leadership — directs a team of engineers and technicians through the full design cycle for transportation infrastructure projects from scoping through final drawings Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Agency relationship stewardship — assumes accountability for maintaining productive working relationships with government agencies and contractors across the life of a project Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Improvement leadership — leads efforts to plan alterations or modifications of existing transportation structures, mobilizing resources and managing stakeholder alignment Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Program-level leadership — provides strategic technical and managerial leadership across multiple concurrent transportation infrastructure programs, setting priorities and allocating engineering resources Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Mentorship architecture — designs and implements mentorship structures for early-career transportation engineers, connecting competency development to real project experiences Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Organizational safety leadership — champions safety culture improvements across a division by institutionalizing design review protocols and lessons-learned processes from accident investigation data Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
3Metacognition9 statements
Emerging
  1. Learning awareness — recognizes gaps in personal knowledge of transportation engineering standards and identifies reference materials or colleagues to consult during plan checks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Error reflection — reviews returned design calculations or drawings to understand sources of inaccuracy before resubmitting corrected work Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Skill gap planning — develops a personal learning plan targeting specific transportation design competencies such as roadway lighting calculations or drainage modeling Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Process monitoring — tracks personal accuracy and efficiency on plan review tasks, adjusting workflow strategies when error rates or timelines trend unfavorably Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Design strategy evaluation — reflects on the effectiveness of chosen engineering approaches after project completion, documenting which methods produced conformant and cost-accurate results Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Judgment calibration — compares own traffic problem recommendations against actual post-implementation outcomes to refine future analysis strategies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Cognitive load management — structures complex multi-system transportation projects into bounded cognitive tasks to maintain accuracy across stress calculations and layout details Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Systemic learning integration — synthesizes lessons from multiple completed transportation projects into updated personal and team design standards, closing recurring error patterns Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Metacognitive coaching — guides other engineers in developing self-monitoring habits for plan accuracy and engineering judgment by modeling explicit reflection practices Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
4Critical Thinking11 statements
Emerging
  1. Standards verification — checks that transportation design calculations conform to published engineering standards by comparing outputs against code requirements Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Data interpretation — reads and interprets traffic volume or accident data tables to identify basic patterns relevant to a design problem Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Plan review analysis — evaluates construction plans and cost estimations to identify errors, omissions, or deviations from engineering standards before submission Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Root cause identification — investigates traffic problems by analyzing accident records, geometry data, and flow patterns to isolate contributing factors Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Trade-off assessment — evaluates competing design alternatives for a bridge or roadway modification by weighing safety, cost, constructability, and schedule criteria Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Evidence-based recommendation — develops improvement recommendations for traffic flow or safety backed by quantitative analysis of intersection performance data and comparable case studies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Assumption challenging — identifies and tests underlying assumptions in contractor-submitted design calculations or agency-proposed traffic management schemes before approval Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Risk judgment — applies structured engineering judgment to assess safety and failure risks in transportation structure modifications, documenting the reasoning basis for decisions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. System-level analysis — evaluates transportation network-wide impacts of proposed infrastructure changes by synthesizing data across traffic operations, structural performance, environmental, and cost dimensions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Critical review leadership — leads multi-disciplinary design reviews that surface and resolve high-stakes technical conflicts before construction commencement Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Standards gap identification — identifies conditions where existing engineering standards are insufficient for novel transportation system configurations and develops reasoned technical positions on appropriate practice Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
5Collaboration10 statements
Emerging
  1. Team contribution — participates constructively in design team meetings, sharing relevant traffic data or calculation results to support shared project goals Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-discipline coordination — coordinates with civil or structural colleagues to align inputs for drainage structure or bridge design tasks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Contractor interface — works collaboratively with contractors to clarify plan specifications and resolve field questions during construction phases of transportation projects Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Multi-agency coordination — navigates differing priorities among government agencies and utility companies to reach workable schedule and specification agreements Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Peer review participation — engages in reciprocal design and calculation reviews, offering substantive technical feedback and integrating feedback received on own work Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Interdisciplinary project execution — collaborates effectively across engineering, planning, environmental, and construction disciplines to deliver complex transportation projects on scope, schedule, and budget Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Public engagement collaboration — works with public affairs and planning teams to prepare and present transportation data at community hearings, integrating diverse stakeholder input into design revisions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Conflict navigation — mediates technical disagreements between design team members or between the design team and external contractors, maintaining project momentum Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Collaborative framework design — establishes collaboration protocols for large multi-contractor transportation programs that define communication channels, decision rights, and escalation paths Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-sector partnership leadership — builds and sustains partnerships across transit agencies, municipalities, and private developers to align transportation infrastructure investments at the regional level Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
6Character9 statements
Emerging
  1. Professional accuracy — submits transportation calculations and drawings that honestly represent the current state of the design, noting uncertainties rather than concealing them Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Commitment to standards — applies applicable engineering codes and safety standards consistently, even when schedules create pressure to shortcut reviews Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Accountability on errors — identifies and discloses design errors discovered during self-review, communicates impact transparently, and takes ownership of corrections Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Ethical reporting — prepares traffic safety and accident reports that accurately represent data without selective omission of unfavorable findings Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Professional integrity under pressure — maintains engineering judgment standards and refuses to approve plans that fail conformance checks, regardless of contractor or client schedule pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Public trust stewardship — designs transportation infrastructure with explicit recognition of the engineer's responsibility for public safety, prioritizing safety over cost or convenience in technical trade-offs Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Transparent stakeholder communication — proactively discloses risks, limitations, and unresolved design issues to agency clients and government partners without waiting for discovery Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Ethical culture leadership — models and enforces professional ethics standards within a transportation engineering team, addressing breaches of integrity in plan submissions or contractor reporting Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Accountability institutionalization — implements quality assurance processes that build organizational accountability for design accuracy and public safety into standard project workflows Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
7Creativity9 statements
Emerging
  1. Design option generation — proposes alternative geometric or structural solutions during early design phases of highway or intersection projects before defaulting to standard approaches Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Problem reframing — considers traffic congestion problems from multiple causal angles, including land use, signal timing, and geometry, before settling on an investigation approach Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Innovative modification proposals — develops non-standard alteration schemes for existing transportation structures that improve safety or function beyond what conventional retrofits achieve Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-domain solution transfer — applies engineering solutions from one transportation mode or context, such as airport apron drainage, to analogous problems in roadway or rail design Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Novel system design — develops creative design solutions for new transportation infrastructure that integrate multiple functional requirements including structural performance, traffic flow, pedestrian safety, and environmental compliance Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Adaptive problem-solving — invents practical engineering responses to site-specific constraints such as restricted right-of-way or geotechnical challenges that standard designs cannot accommodate Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Visualization innovation — creates novel data visualizations or presentation formats for traffic operation findings that improve stakeholder comprehension at public hearings Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Systems innovation — conceives integrated transportation system designs that combine infrastructure, technology, and operations in configurations that advance state-of-practice for safety or efficiency Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Creative methodology development — develops new analytical or design methodologies for transportation engineering problems that are subsequently adopted by peers or codified in guidance documents Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
8Growth Mindset10 statements
Emerging
  1. Learning receptivity — accepts critical feedback on design calculations or plan drawings as useful information for skill development rather than personal criticism Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Challenge engagement — volunteers for transportation design tasks at the edge of current competence, such as first-time bridge layout or signal timing analysis Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Feedback integration — systematically applies lessons from plan review corrections and supervisor feedback to improve accuracy and engineering judgment on subsequent projects Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Setback recovery — resumes productive design work after a project scope change or rejected design approach, redirecting effort toward revised solutions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Skill expansion pursuit — actively pursues knowledge in adjacent transportation engineering domains such as traffic modeling software or sustainable infrastructure design to broaden capability Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Iterative improvement practice — treats each completed transportation project as a source of engineering lessons and deliberately updates personal design standards based on outcomes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Complexity seeking — seeks assignment to progressively more complex transportation projects, including multi-modal systems or accelerated construction programs, to accelerate mastery Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Constructive challenge of own assumptions — revisits engineering assumptions made early in a project when new field data or stakeholder input introduces contradicting evidence Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Learning culture creation — builds team norms on transportation engineering projects that celebrate learning from design errors and near-misses rather than concealing them Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Adaptive expertise modeling — demonstrates continuous professional growth by integrating emerging transportation technologies and updated design standards into practice and sharing this learning with the team Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
9Mindfulness9 statements
Emerging
  1. Attention management — maintains focused concentration during detailed plan review tasks to catch calculation errors or specification deviations before submission Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Stress awareness — recognizes personal stress signals during high-deadline transportation project phases and applies basic self-regulation strategies to maintain work quality Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Intentional prioritization — deliberately assesses competing task demands across multiple active transportation design projects and makes conscious sequencing decisions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Emotional regulation in reviews — maintains composure and analytical focus during contentious plan review meetings with contractors or regulatory agencies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Present-moment design focus — applies sustained, deliberate attention to stress calculations and layout detail preparation, reducing errors in high-consequence documentation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Intentional stakeholder engagement — approaches public hearing presentations and contractor conferences with deliberate preparation and in-the-moment attentiveness to audience responses Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Workload-aware decision-making — monitors personal cognitive load during complex multi-project periods and adjusts work pace or seeks support to preserve judgment quality on safety-critical tasks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Team attentiveness modeling — demonstrates and coaches mindful practice in design review settings, fostering a team culture of careful, present-focused attention on safety-critical transportation documents Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Mindful organizational leadership — brings deliberate, reflective decision-making to program-level transportation engineering choices, explicitly considering long-term public safety implications over short-term expediency Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
10Fortitude9 statements
Emerging
  1. Deadline persistence — maintains consistent effort on transportation design deliverables through extended review cycles and iterative correction requests without disengagement Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Uncertainty tolerance — continues productive design work on transportation projects when regulatory approval timelines or site conditions remain ambiguous Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Adversity navigation — sustains engineering rigor through project disruptions such as contractor disputes, scope changes, or budget reductions on active transportation infrastructure projects Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Pressure resilience — maintains accurate, standards-conformant plan checking under tight submission deadlines without compromising quality for expediency Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Long-project endurance — sustains technical engagement and accountability across multi-year transportation infrastructure projects through design, permitting, construction, and commissioning phases Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Courageous technical dissent — formally documents and escalates engineering safety concerns on transportation projects even when doing so creates friction with clients, contractors, or agency supervisors Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Crisis response — maintains effective engineering judgment and decision-making during transportation infrastructure emergencies such as structural failures or accident investigations requiring rapid assessment Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational resilience leadership — guides a transportation engineering team through sustained program-level adversity such as funding crises, regulatory setbacks, or major design failures, maintaining team cohesion and quality standards Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Courageous advocacy — publicly advocates for transportation safety standards or engineering ethics positions in high-stakes regulatory or political environments, accepting professional risk to uphold public welfare Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Airport Engineer · Civil Transportation Engineer · Engineer · Highway Civil Engineer · Highway Engineer · Highway Project Engineer · Project Engineer · Rail Engineer · Road Engineer · Roadway Designer · Roadway Engineer · Roadway Project Engineer
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
Reading ComprehensionWritingSpeakingCritical ThinkingMathematicsComplex Problem SolvingJudgment and Decision MakingTime ManagementSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationActive ListeningCoordinationOperations AnalysisActive LearningMonitoringManagement of Personnel ResourcesLearning StrategiesNegotiationPersuasionInstructingService OrientationScience
Knowledge domains
Engineering and TechnologyDesignTransportationBuilding and ConstructionMathematicsEnglish LanguagePhysicsAdministration and ManagementCustomer and Personal ServiceComputers and ElectronicsLaw and GovernmentPublic Safety and SecurityEducation and Training
Abilities
Oral ComprehensionCategory FlexibilityDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningWritten ComprehensionWritten ExpressionProblem SensitivityOral ExpressionMathematical ReasoningNumber Facility
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityCautiousnessIntegrityIntellectual CuriosityAchievement Orientation
Technology
Computer aided design CAD softwareAnalytical or scientific softwareGeographic information systemSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareElectronic mail softwarePresentation softwareProject management softwareWord processing softwareObject or component oriented development software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Design or prepare plans for new transportation systems or parts of systems, such as airports, commuter trains, highways, streets, bridges, drainage structures, or roadway lighting.
  2. Check construction plans, design calculations, or cost estimations to ensure completeness, accuracy, or conformity to engineering standards or practices.
  3. Prepare administrative, technical, or statistical reports on traffic-operation matters, such as accidents, safety measures, or pedestrian volume or practices.
  4. Plan alteration or modification of existing transportation structures to improve safety or function.
  5. Confer with contractors, utility companies, or government agencies to discuss plans, specifications, or work schedules.
  6. Present data, maps, or other information at construction-related public hearings or meetings.
  7. Prepare final project layout drawings that include details such as stress calculations.
  8. Investigate traffic problems and recommend methods to improve traffic flow or safety.
CIP education codes
14.080114.080214.080314.080414.080514.089914.3301

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.